Towering above the picturesqueHochstrahlbrunnen fountain on Vienna’s Schwarzenbergplatz is the Soviet WarMemorial. This spectacular monument, otherwise known as the Heldendenkmal derRoten Armee (Heroes Monument of the Red Army), memorializes the thousands ofSoviet troops who fell in the 1945 Battle of Vienna against the Nazis. Takesome photos of this important monument to a dark time in Vienna’s history.
The pivotal Battle of Vienna took placein April 1945 during World War II. After heavy fighting, Soviet troops woncontrol over the city, ending a Nazi occupation that began as far back as 1938.Unfortunately, when the battle ended, 17,000 Soviet soldiers lay dead. Tocommemorate the soldiers’ sacrifice, the Allies had the Soviet War Memorialconstructed by the end of 1945.
The most prominent feature of thememorial is a statue of a Red Army soldier holding a gold shield and a Sovietflag. Admire the bronze sculpture, which stands at 12 metres (39 feet) tallatop a pillar. Take pictures from afar, since the statue is hard to see fromnearby due to its height.
Inspect the monument up close to readwhat is printed at its base. The inscription, which appears in the originalRussian of poet Sergei Michaelkow, begins: “Monument to the soldiers of theSoviet Army, who for the liberation of Austria from fascism have fallen…” Afurther inscription appears in glittering gold letters on the row of columnsthat wraps around the Russian soldier statue from behind. Walk along thecolonnade and notice the two further statues resting on both of its ends.
Reach the Soviet War Memorial by ridingthe tram to Schwarzbergenplatz or nearby Karlsplatz. Due to the monument’slocation in Vienna’s bustling centre, you may need to navigate crowds andtraffic to reach the monument on foot.
