Monument against war and fascism, Memorial site at Albertinaplatz, Innere Stadt, Austria
The Monument against War and Fascism is a work by Austrian sculptor Alfred Hrdlicka, unveiled in 1988 on Albertinaplatz. Its Gate of Violence consists of two rough-hewn granite blocks split by a narrow polished gap. The left block carries a kneeling man with a broom; the right, a falling figure and a standing figure. A bronze figure lies prone on the base, with red flowers before it.
The memorial was erected in 1988 to mark the bombing of the Philipphof building in 1945, when hundreds of civilians sheltering in the basement were killed. It symbolizes Austria's acknowledgment of wartime suffering and the country's desire to move forward from that period.
The memorial marks a place where Austrians commemorate the suffering and persecution that occurred during Nazi rule. Visitors encounter bronze figures representing different groups who were targeted, serving as a reminder of how the country remembers those tragic events.
The memorial is located near the State Opera and easily accessible by public transportation, sitting in a central area of the city. Information plaques in several languages are posted throughout the site, helping visitors understand each sculpture and its meaning.
The faceless body of a woman giving birth on the right gate column stands for Austria's rebirth after the war. The memorial's right side also shows a fallen Wehrmacht soldier with steel helmet, which drew criticism: Simon Wiesenthal and Jewish community representatives then pushed for a separate memorial, erected at Judenplatz in 2000.
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