»Vienna. The Pearl of the Reich« Planning for Hitler

On the exhibition

The 2015 spring and summer exhibition in the Architekturzentrum Wien is devoted to the presentation of building in Vienna under National Socialism. Using Vienna as an example, the construction and planning activity of the Third Reich is presented for the first time in this form, which allows the buildings to be analysed and explained within the context of Nazi goals. The myth, which has circulated for decades, that Vienna played no role or at most a very insignificant one in the planning activity of the Third Reich is examined in the exhibition.

With the creation of Groß-Wien (Greater Vienna) the city on the Danube became the second-largest in the Reich after Berlin. Spatial guidelines were formulated and Vienna’s geopolitical role in the Third Reich was defined. This was followed by a wide variety of plans, ranging from projects for monumental urban districts to individual buildings. Concepts for infrastructure, industry and development indicate Vienna’s function as a hub and transit space from and to Southeast Europe. Architecture was instrumentalised for the Nazi regime’s aggressive expansion policy, urban and land use planning became powerful tools for implementing national socialist population policy. Decentralisation that aimed at a move towards a city landscape anticipated the more loosely developed, car-friendly city after 1945 and also indicates continuities in the planning work carried out after the end of the war.

Opening of the exhibition

Dietmar Steiner, Director Az W
Ingrid Holzschuh & Monika Platzer, Curators of the Exhibition
Klaus Steiner, Urban Planner
Alexander van der Bellen, politician

Catalogue of the exhibition: »Wien. Die Perle des Reiches« Planen für Hitler (»Vienna. The Pearl of the Reich« Planning for Hitler), German edition
Published by Architekturzentrum Wien
Ingrid Holzschuh, Monika Platzer
Park Books, Zürich
ISBN 978-3-906027-78-4

Curators of the exhibition:
Ingrid Holzschuh, architectural historian
Monika Platzer, curator Az W Collection
Exhibition design: GABU Heindl Architektur
Graphic design: Toledo i Dertschei

cooperating partners:
Magistrat der Stadt Wien, MA 41 – Stadtvermessung
Austrian Film Museum (OeFM)

Public Funding:
Geschäftsgruppe – Stadtentwicklung, Verkehr, Klimaschutz, Energieplanung und BürgerInnenbeteiligung
The Arts Division and the Culture Division of the Federal Chancellery of Austria
Geschäftsgruppe Kultur und Wissenschaft
Sponsor: ARCHITECTURE LOUNGE

Opening of the Exhibition “»Vienna. The Pearl of the Reich« Planning for Hitler”, 18 March 2015

Thomas Blimlinger
© eSel.at

Opening of the Exhibition "»Vienna. The Pearl of the Reich« Planning for Hitler"
© eSel.at

Alexander van der Bellen, politician
© eSel.at

Monika Platzer, curator of the exhibition
© eSel.at

Opening of the Exhibition "»Vienna. The Pearl of the Reich« Planning for Hitler"
© eSel.at

Werner Schuster, Alexandra Viehhauser
© eSel.at

Opening of the Exhibition "»Vienna. The Pearl of the Reich« Planning for Hitler"
© eSel.at

Klaus Steiner, urban planner
© eSel.at

Hermann Czech, architect
© eSel.at

Peter Weinhäupl, CFO Leopoldmuseum
© eSel.at

GABU Heindl, architect / Thomas Madreiter, planning director Vienna
© eSel.at

Brigitte Jilka, director of town planning
© eSel.at

Hannes Pflaum, former president Az W / Dietmar Steiner, director Az W
© eSel.at

Alexander van der Bellen, politician
© eSel.at

Carlos Toledo, Toledo i Dertschei, Graphic design
© eSel.at

Klaus Steiner, urban planner
© eSel.at

Ingrid Holzschuh, curator
© eSel.at

Pre-opening
© eSel.at

Gottfried Pirhofer and Klaus Steiner
© eSel.at

Rudolf Scheuvens, Regina Freimüller-Söllinger and Thomas Madreiter
© eSel.at