A Little History of Vienna

Early Settlements and Middle Ages

Previously only known as “Berghof” – well-fortified vineyards buildings on the remains of the ancient Roman settlement Vindobona – Vienna was incorporated 976 into the land of the evolving Ostarrichi (the today’s German name for the country is based on that: Österreich) under the rule of the noble family of Babenberg. Vienna developed quickly and became soon the capital under the reign of Babenberg Henry II.  In 1155. Shortly afterwards it also became the residence of the Duke (with the document: Privilegium minus). In 1221 Vienna got its city charter and was thus able to achieve improved trade conditions, which made the city flourish. In 1359 Rudolf IV of Habsburg founded the Gothic nave as an extension to the old late Romanesque church and therefore layed the foundation for later St. Stephen church. In 1365 he founded the University of Vienna. After the election of Albrecht V. to the Holy Roman king, the royal seat of the Holy Roman Empire went to Vienna. In 1469 Vienna was declared a diocese and the St. Stephen church became a cathedral.

Early modern period

Vienna, which previously had become Protestant, witnessed a recatholicization from 1551 onwards that made the city a center of this movement in Europe. The border of the expanding Ottoman Empire was at times only 150 km away from Vienna, which therefore also resisted two Turkish sieges, one in 1529 and one in 1683. After the second Turkish siege and the end of the Osman threat a prosperous time for Vienna dawned and many baroque and classical buildings were created. In 1679 and 1713, however, there were outbreaks of plague which slowed the otherwise growing population. During this period the first manufactures developed, the hygienic conditions improved with street cleaning and sewers being developed. Also, the famous music of the Viennese Classical era (Mozart, Haydn...) arose in this period, and the city was concidered the center of culture in Europe.

Modern History

After Vienna was captured twice (1805 and 1809) during the Napoleonic campaigns it became the capital of the new empire of Austria (1804) and the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved (1806). Vienna was of course the venue of the Congress of Vienna (1814/15), where Europe was reorganized and after which the period of the “Vormärz” (pre-March) set off – a time of political repression but also incipient industrialization. In 1848, the March and October Revolution took place but were eventually defeated by the imperial troops. Finally, the city walls were razed in 1858 and the noted Ringstraße was built with its numerous buildings: parliament, votive church, opera, university, museum of art history and museum of natural history. The Danube, which repeatedly caused severe flooding, was regulated from 1868 to 1875 and only a sidearm now still flows into the city center: the Danube canal. From 1870 to 1910 the city experienced a huge increase in population and was accommodated with about 2 million inhabitants (more than today) which made Vienna the fourth largest city in the world at this time. It was the time of industrialization, great poverty, housing shortages and strong anti-Semitism. Nevertheless, it was the time of great cultural achievements in the context of the “Wiener Moderne” (Viennese Modernism). In this atmosphere, Sigmund Freud developed his theories.

World Wars and Interwar Period

During World War I Vienna experienced strong supply crises. After World War I, the end of the monarchy was rung and the Republic was proclaimed in 1918. Vienna was now far too large for the now small country of Austria; it was called “Wasserkopf” (hydrocephalus, which implied a head too large for the body). From 1920 onwards Vienna was proclaimed a federal state in Austria. In the 1920s the Socialists led Vienna (“Rotes Wien”) was accountable for the construction of many social institutions and community buildings that still dominate the appearance of Vienna. But the economic situation worsened and the political tensions between the Socialist movement and the Christian Social Party (conservative Party) grew and in 1927, after the injust acquittal of combatants who were indicted for murder, a public riot started and a fire was set in the Palace of Justice, which nearly burnt down and in subsequent clashes between police and citizens (July Revolution in Vienna) almost a hundred people died. These incidents poisoned the political climate and finally led to a civil war in 1934 between the “Heimatschutz” (Home guard, largely connected to the Christian Social Party) and the “Republikanischer Schutzbund” (Republican Protection League; connected to the Socialist movement), both paramilitaric organziations. Hundreds died in Vienna and a four-year dictatorship by Austro-fascists was erected in Austria hereafter. This government was replaced by the Nazis, with the annexation (Anschluss) of Austria into the German Reich. During the period of National Socialism of the 200,000 Jews in Vienna about 120,000 were displaced and dispossessed, about 60,000 killed. As of May 1944, the allies started air attacks on Vienna and about one-fifth of the buildings were destroyed.

Post-war

From 1945 to 1955, Vienna was occupied and divided into four sectors each governed by one of the four occupying powers (except for the first district, in which the occupying powers switched every month). 1955 with the Austrian State Treaty Austria regained its full sovereignty.

Modern Vienna

Since 1957 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is based in Vienna, since 1965 the OPEC has its head office in Vienna and since 1979 Vienna is one of three cities with an UN-headquarter. Since 1986, there is a famous recreation area between the Danube and the "New Danube": the “Donauinsel” (Danube Island). And since 1978 there is a modern subway, which replaced the old rail. In 2001 the  “MuseumsQuartier” (MQ), a large cultural complex with museums, cafés, restaurants, and a multitude of cultural events, opened its gates close to the center of Vienna. And since 2012 there is a new, yet only partially opened central train station.

Today, Vienna is again a growing city with 1.7 Million inhabitants, divided into 23 districts which cover an area of 415 km². It has a large cultural offer ranging from the two world heritage sites (Schönbrunn Palace & Old Town) to the citys most famous landmarks like  St. Stephen's Cathedral or the “Wiener Riesenrad”; of course there many other cultural landmarks to see.