The War and the City: On the liberation of Vienna in April 1945

Several days of street fighting in the city are not all that occurred before the liberation of Vienna from the tyranny of the National Socialists in April 1945. The war had already inscribed itself into Vienna’s streets and squares in various forms in the previous years. As measures to protect against bombings, monuments had been walled up, ponds for firefighting created, and anti-aircraft gun towers erected. Allied air raids beginning in 1944 resulted in not only a great number of deaths, but also the destruction of many buildings. Numerous photos hand down the impact, but also the highly symbolic reconstruction of St. Stephan’s Cathedral after the war.