1932: Anti-Semitism at the Universities, Julius Tandler

In the 19th century, the number of German National or anti-Semitic university members increased at the universities of Vienna, Graz and Innsbruck. The 1920s and 1930s were marked by violent riots against students and teachers who were Jewish or Social Democrats, especially at the University of Vienna. The majority of attacks and damage affected the main building as well as the First Anatomy Institute, which was led by Julius Tandler, who was also active as a politician for Red Vienna. Because of this as well as his Jewish origins, he was targeted by the Nazis, who threatened him, his colleagues and his students, and who caused excessive violence that led to numerous casualties. These events were being observed internationally. The university administration, however, only hesitantly condemned them. Things escalated in 1932/33, when US students, among others, were injured by Nazi thug groups and Vienna once again became the focus of international attention. The last violent incident took place on May 9, 1933, at which point Tandler left the university. Further anti-Semitic riots were stopped under Austrofascism.

The incidents are to be seen both in the context of an anti-Semitic tradition, as well as a generally increasing anti-Semitism. In 1938, Jewish university members - or rather university members defined as "Jewish" - from all universities were subjected to persecution and expulsion. After 1945, discrimination continued in the sense that academics who had been ousted from their positions rarely had them reinstated.