Vienna
Completed

The 1988 HOSI Protest in Vienna: Remembering Homosexual Victims at the Anti-Fascism Memorial Exhibition

This historical exhibition recounts the Vienna protest demanding recognition for LGBTQ+ Nazi victims and its aftermath.

Delve into the significant 1988 protest by the Homosexual Initiative (HOSI) at the unveiling of Vienna's Memorial Against War and Fascism. This powerful demonstration challenged the Austrian state to acknowledge homosexual victims of the Nazi regime, culminating in a confrontation with police. Discover the full historical account of this pivotal moment for LGBTQ+ rights and human rights advocacy.

About 1988: Protest by HOSI activists at the unveiling of the Memorial Against War and Fascism at House of Austrian History in Vienna

Read curatorial context and practical visitor information for 1988: Protest by HOSI activists at the unveiling of the Memorial Against War and Fascism at House of Austrian History in Vienna

Exhibition summary

This historical account details a protest by activists from the Homosexual Initiative (HOSI) during the 1988 unveiling of Alfred Hrdlicka's Memorial Against War and Fascism in Vienna. The protest highlighted the Austrian state's failure to recognize homosexual victims of the Nazi regime, leading to a confrontation with police.

Curatorial context

On November 24, 1988, the 'Memorial Against War and Fascism' by Alfred Hrdlicka was unveiled at Vienna's Albertinaplatz. Activists from the Homosexual Initiative (HOSI) and the Rosa Lila Villa participated in the event, carrying a banner that read '1000s of homosexual concentration camp victims are waiting for rehabilitation.' This banner, previously used in 1985, underscored the Austrian state's failure to acknowledge homosexuals as victims of Nazi persecution. Police demanded the removal of the banner, and when the activists refused, it was confiscated. Bystanders, including those who later wrote to newspapers, criticized the police's actions and expressed solidarity with the activists. Gudrun Hauer and Alfred Guggenheim from HOSI Vienna filed a complaint with the European Commission of Human Rights after exhausting all Austrian legal avenues; however, this complaint was ultimately rejected in 1993.

1988: Protest by HOSI activists at the unveiling of the Memorial Against War and Fascism key exhibition facts

Review exhibition status, schedule, venue context, and attribution details for 1988: Protest by HOSI activists at the unveiling of the Memorial Against War and Fascism at House of Austrian History in Vienna

Venue
House of Austrian History
Current status
Completed
Exhibition schedule
Nov 24, 1988 – Nov 24, 1988
Artist line / attribution
The protest involved activists from the Homosexual Initiative (HOSI) and the Rosa Lila Villa. Gudrun Hauer and Alfred Guggenheim from HOSI Wien were involved in subsequent legal complaints. The memorial itself was created by Alfred Hrdlicka.
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