Prinzersdorf: Vehicle License Plate Exhibition at the House of Austrian History

This exhibition piece explores the immediate aftermath of the Second World War through a single artifact: a vehicle license plate from Prinzersdorf, Lower Austria. The plate serves as a physical witness to the political transition from the German Reich to the Soviet occupation zone, documenting the urgent erasure of Nazi symbols in the post-war period.

Following the 'Anschluss' of Austria to Nazi Germany in 1938, vehicle license plates were required to conform to German Reich standards, featuring white lettering on black backgrounds and the Nazi imperial eagle. As this artifact from a bakery in Prinzersdorf demonstrates, the transition at the end of the war was marked by both physical and ideological shifts. After the area became part of the Soviet occupation zone in 1945, owners were required to remove these symbols. The license plate provides a tangible look at the process of denazification in daily life. Rather than replacing the plate, it was simply painted over to reflect the new requirements, incorporating the Austrian coat of arms and flag. Despite the new layers of paint, the original embossed imperial eagle remains visible beneath, serving as a silent reminder of the layered historical realities of the period.