Controlled Freedom – The Allied Forces in Vienna
April 10th – September 7th, 2025
Curators: Oliver Rathkolb, Elisabeth Heimann-Leitner, Anne Wanner
When Vienna was liberated in early April 1945, the city was characterized by destruction, housing shortages, hunger, and cold. Nonetheless, culture came back right away. On April 27, arts events resumed on the orders of Soviet officers. Shortly thereafter, the other Allies – France, Great Britain and the USA – also became culturally active. The resulting influx of international culture was unprecedented in the city’s history.
Accompanying the country’s economic and political reconstruction, the many activities were intended to create the emotional basis for the emergence of a distinct national consciousness – in other words, the development of an identity independent of Germany.
The exhibition “Controlled Freedom” sheds light on the formative influence of the diverse cultural offerings. It documents a transformative project that lives on to the present day – the creation of a democratic Austria.
The exhibition is accompanied by publications in German, English, French and Russian with contributions from Thomas Angerer, Wolfgang Duchkowitsch, Veronika Floch, Christian Glanz, Richard Hufschmied, Monika Knofler, Marion Krammer, Michael Kraus, Johanna Maria Lerchner, Wolfgang Mueller, Agnes Meisinger, Karin Moser, Manfred Mugrauer, Wolfgang Pensold, Hans Petschar, Monika Platzer, Oliver Rathkolb, Peter Roessler, Günther Stocker, Markus Stumpf, Margarethe Szeless.
Kontrollierte Freiheit. Die Alliierten in Wien – Kulturpolitik 1945–1955
Hg. v. Oliver Rathkolb
Noch nie zuvor wurde die Wiener Bevölkerung in kurzer Zeit so intensiv mit internationalen Kultureinflüssen konfrontiert wie nach der Befreiung im April 1945. In diesem Buch werden die Auswirkungen alliierter Kulturpolitik auf Bildende Kunst, Film, Literatur und Bibliothekswesen, Musik und Theater, Pressefotografie, Printmedien, Rundfunk und Sport sichtbar. Junge Künstler*innen kamen erstmals in Kontakt mit der zuvor verbotenen kritischen Moderne. Die politischen Ziele der alliierten Kulturoffensive reichten von Entnazifizierung über die Konstruktion einer nicht-deutschen Identität bis zum Kampf um die ideologische Positionierung Österreichs.
232 Seiten, Format: 220 x 290
ISBN: 9783701736386
EUR 29,00
Controlled Freedom: Allied Cultural Policy in Vienna, 1945–1955
Edited by Oliver Rathkolb and Agnes Meisinger
Translated by John Heath
Following liberation in April 1945, Vienna was characterized by destruction, cold, hunger, and an acute housing shortage. Yet cultural life soon returned: as early as 27 April, Soviet officers ordered its revival. It was not long until the other Allies – France, Britain, and the USA – launched their own cultural campaigns. The many cultural activities under Allied occupation were intended not only to underpin economic and political rebuilding, but also to promote an Austrian national consciousness – a separate self-image independent from Germany. This volume is the first to show the impact of Allied cultural policy in the fields of fine art, film, literature and libraries, music and theatre, press photography, print media, radio, and sport, thereby documenting an achievement that can still be felt today: the creation of a democratic Austrian identity.
235 pages, with 40 illustrations/graphics
ISBN: 978-3-8471-1852-7
EUR 36,00
Liberté sous contrôle. Les Alliés à Vienne, 1945–1955
To be published in June 2025, information on publication to follow.
Свобода под контролем: оккупация Вены союзниками. Культурная политика, 1945-1955 гг.
Оливер Раткольб (изд.)
Перевод Наталии Бакши
The Russian-language edition (without illustrations) is available as a free PDF. If you are interested, please contact: jana.jodlbauer@vicca.at
The production of the publications in English, French and Russian was made possible thanks to the generous support of the following institutions and individuals:
UniCredit Group
Rektorat und Historisch-Kulturwissenschaftliche Fakultät der Universität Wien
Institut für Historische Sozialforschung (IHSF)
Arbeiterkammer Wien
Verein zur wissenschaftlichen Aufarbeitung der Zeitgeschichte
Institut français d’Autriche
Österreichisch-Französische Vereinigung
Dipl. Ing. Alain de Krassny (Eigentümer der Donau Chemie Gruppe, Präsident der Französisch-Österreichischen Handelskammer, Vize-Präsident der Wirtschaftskammer Wien, Berater des Ministère du Commerce Extérieur de la France, Commandeur dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur, Großer Tiroler Adler-Orden, Großes Goldenes Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich)
Zukunftsfonds der Republik Österreich
