The House of Austrian History presents an intervention delving into Austria's pivotal year 1945. This exhibition examines the end of World War II and Nazi rule, exploring the individual decisions and agency that shaped the nation's uncertain transition to the Second Republic. Discover diverse experiences from this transitional period through insightful displays. The exhibition is on view from January 14, 2025, to January 6, 2026.
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This intervention, running from January 14, 2025, to January 6, 2026, focuses on the pivotal year 1945 in Austrian history. It examines the end of World War II and Nazi rule, exploring the individual decisions, agency, and pivotal moments that shaped the transition to the Second Republic amidst uncertainty and fragile futures.
The year 1945 marked the official end of World War II and Nazi rule in Europe, bringing new hope alongside uncertainty and fragile futures for many. Eighty years later, the House of Austrian History (hdgö) focuses on this period of upheaval with the intervention 'Befreiung 1945 – Offenes Ende, brüchige Zukunft.' This intervention delves into the decisions people made during the transition from wartime to the establishment of the Second Republic, questioning the individual agency available and the critical choices made. For the 2025 anniversary, neon orange markings highlight the 1945 segment within the main exhibition 'Neue Zeiten: Österreich seit 1918.' Visitors can also explore twelve stories detailing diverse experiences of this transitional period via a folding map. Furthermore, the special exhibition 'Es funkt! Österreich zwischen Propaganda und Protest' on the Alma Rosé plateau illustrates how this transition was addressed in radio broadcasts. Complementing these physical displays, an online thematic collection offers web exhibitions, interviews, articles, and collection objects related to the liberation of 1945 and the subsequent societal and political shifts.
Review exhibition status, schedule, venue context, and attribution details for Befreiung 1945 – Offenes Ende, brüchige Zukunft at House of Austrian History in Vienna
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