Memorial Against War and Fascism

This memorial was created by Alfred Hrdlicka and dedicated to all the victims of war and fascism. It has stood at Albertinaplatz since 1988.

The memorial is composed of several parts. Entering from the front, visitors pass through the small gap in the Gate of Violence, a large chunk of granite with the left column representing the victims of mass murders carried out by the National Socialists. The right column was designed to honor the memory of all the victims of war, with the woman giving birth representing the rebirth of Austria. 

Once visitors have passed through the gate, they will come across the Kneeling Jew, a bronze figure of a chained Jewish man scrubbing the pavement with a nailbrush. During World War II, many Jews were forced to scrub the streets clean of pro-Austrian, anti-Nazi slogans as a form of humiliation and degradation.

Behind the bronze Jew is the Orpheus Enters Hades, a male figure rising from a marble block that is a memorial to the victims of the bombings. It is also said to represent the sacrifices made by those who resisted the National Socialism movement at the risk of their own lives.