Dispute over Stalin's memorial plaque: City government is considering removal in Meidling!

Dispute over Stalin's memorial plaque: City government is considering removal in Meidling!

There is currently a heated dispute in Vienna over a memorial plaque for Josef Stalin, which is located on Schönbrunner Schlossstrasse. This plaque commemorates Stalin's stay in the city in 1913. The push to review its removal was initiated by the Vienna government parties SPÖ and Neos after politicians such as Maximilian Krauss from the FPÖ, Rudi Fußi from the SPÖ and Sepp Schellhorn from the Neos had already spoken out in November in favor of its rapid removal. In their application, the parties emphasize that the dark aspects of the city's history should not be glossed over and advocate a responsible approach to history and a space for reflection.

The memorial plaque, unveiled in 1949, was originally installed by the Soviet occupying forces. An additional plaque added in 2012 refers to the victims of Stalinism, but the current proposal seeks to clarify whether this measure is sufficient or whether the plaque should be dismantled entirely. The FPÖ politician Krauss criticized the discussion about the need for an examination and called for the board to be removed immediately. He appeals to the city to take “immediate action” because they don’t want to accept half-solutions derStandard.at reported. The debate about the monument has triggered a variety of reactions among the population and is now at the center of the political discussion in Vienna.

In its application, the city government emphasized that it was important to reflect history appropriately and not simply remove the plaque from public space in order not to ignore historical tensions. The SPÖ and Neos argue that despite the existing additional board, a rethink is necessary, as reported by the portal today.at mentioned. It remains to be seen what the final decision of the local council will be and what consequences this will have for the city's culture of remembrance.