The Heldenplatz Balcony

Abstract (EN)

How does one deal with historically charged spaces? The Heldenplatz balcony, located in the heart of Vienna since its construction in the early 20th century has served as a tool to symbolize power. First, as a representation of monarchial power, then when Hitler announced the annexation of Austria from the balcony, it became a symbol of the Nazi regime and its propaganda. Since then, the space has been closed off, leaving the ambivalent memories associated with this architecture undealt with, particularly in terms of post-war Austrian collective memory. Now, with a generational shift, the balcony, along with its history, is vulnerable to erasure. The complicated questions that arise when confronted with such spaces, which are a part of an apparatus of perpetration but where suffering was not directly inflicted, are explored theoretically, and applied in a study of the balcony. By creating a comprehensive overview of the role that the balcony has played politically, historically, and socially until present day, paired with research on how similar spaces in Austria and Germany are being dealt with, a vision for this space is conceptualized. This vision should serve as a starting point action aimed to recontextualize the balcony and other similar locations in Austria.