The Villa Schindler: A memorial for Innsbruck's eventful past

The Villa Schindler: A memorial for Innsbruck's eventful past

On Friday, an important memory board was inaugurated on the Villa Schindler on Rennsbruck in Innsbruck. This table is more than a simple shield; She tells the eventful history of a house that used to belong to the Jewish family Schindler and, after the connection in 1938, served as the residence of the Gauleiter Franz Hofer.

Meriel Schindler, the granddaughter of the first owner, commented on the unveiling of the board and explained that her grandfather commissioned the villa in 1927 and thus created an architectural treasure in the English country house style. "My father always called this villa the best address in Innsbruck," said Meriel Schindler. However, the Villa would have taken a dramatic turn through the connection in 1938 and the associated "argument" of her grandfather, who had to sell the house under pressure

The history of fate of Villa

Hugo Schindler, a Jewish cafet and brandy manufacturer, had to sell his property to the Sparkasse - and at a much too low price. Gauleiter Hofer moved in during the NSDAP rule and made the building his private domicile. Hugo Schindler, who survived the Holocaust in England, could no longer prevent this. After the war, the house was confiscated by the Americans, later the French military government came.

Schindler asked for the return of his property, and in 1949 he actually received the villa back. But the fate of the house was not yet over. After Hugo Schindler's death in 1952, it was sold by his widow and son in 1956. In 1990 the Austrian Academy of Sciences acquired Villa and established it as a research institute.

In 2002, the villa received a fundamental renovation before it was handed over to the University of Innsbruck in 2013. Now the memory board contributes to preserving and visible the history of this remarkable building on Rennweg. "It is important that we know our story and do not forget," said the rector of the University of Innsbruck, Veronika Sexl, in the unveiling of the board, which is now proud of the facade.

The new board is a strong symbol that documents the period from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. It helps to keep the memory of Innsbruck's Jewish history alive and gives residents and visitors the opportunity to learn more about the historical importance of the building. This initiative not only offers a look into the past, but also promotes awareness of the complex history of the region, which was shaped by various influences, including the dark chapters of National Socialism.

The unveiling is not only a tribute to the Schindler family, but also part of the broader efforts to deal with history in Innsbruck. For more information and details on this topic you will find more in the article by tirol.orf .