Leopoldstadt

Leopoldstadt, the second municipal district of Vienna, forms an island between Danube and Danub canal. We begin our tour at the Augarten. This former baroque garden is the home of the Vienna Boys’ Chour and of the Augarten Porcelaine manufactory. The two disused Flak towers from the Second World War remain as grim monuments. For centuries this part of Vienna was an important area for the Jewish community. Leopolds church is found on the spot of a former synagogue of the Jewish ghetto in the 17th century. In the 19th century Vienna became a big capital city. Among the many immigrants from other parts of the Austro-Hungarian empire there was a high number of Jewish people. Many started their new live in the Leopoldstadt. Thus nearly 50 % of the population in this district were Jewish around 1900. Many synagogues were built, among them including the Leopoldstädter Tempel, the biggest synagogue in Vienna. Many famous personalities spent part of their lives here. Sigmund Freud grew up and went to school in Leopoldstadt, Arthur Schnitzler was born here as well as psychiatrist Dr. Viktor Frankl. The founder of logotherapy survived the concentration camp. His book “Man’s search for meaning” became a bestseller and was translated into 26 languages.

The once thriving Jewish community was nearly completely destroyed in the shoah. Only a handful of survivors were able to hide until the end of the war. Today, Jewish life is found again in Leopoldstadt, though in a much smaller proportion. We will walk along streets and places remembering Jewish past in this district as well as new developments.

Duration: 1,5 – 2 hours

Guiding fee: Euro 210 per group, up to 6 participants Euro 160