1920: Red Vienna

When the Federal Constitution of 1920 determined the organizational separation between Lower Austria and Vienna, the city of Vienna, in which there was a social democratic majority, was given the opportunity to develop a counter-model to federal politics as a federal state with fiscal sovereignty. The city got a new look as a result of social housing, which created 60,000 new apartments in a single decade. The concept of “Red Vienna” was all-encompassing and relevant to the entire life course, however. Through kindergartens, schools, healthcare, culture, popular education, sport and much more, the model for a modern city was created, which effectively combatted misery and disease, and at least considered the concept of “new humans”. After the Austrian Civil War in February 1934, the strengthened dictatorship of the “corporate state” banned social democracy and deposed the politicians of “Red Vienna”.