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Both buildings, the Heinrichshof, built in 1862 and bombed in 1945, followed by the Opernringhof in 1955, and the town hall, which opened in 1883, made headlines as early as the 19th century. Their size alone, both of which are an entire city block, caused a stir. It is obvious that such buildings cannot be dealt with in a thin booklet. Ulla Remmer dedicated 499 pages to Heinrichshof and the people who lived there. The large-format town hall book, edited by Anita Eichinger, Franz J. Gangelmayer, Gerhard Murauer and Andreas Nierhaus, has 407 pages.
The name “Heinrichshof” is the common form. It would be more accurate to say "Heinrichhof" after Heinrich Drasche, who was born in Brno in 1811 and was the name's godfather and builder. Drasche, known in Vienna as the "brick baron", was a rich man; he supplied the majority of the bricks for the city's expansion. As such, "[he] wanted to create a lasting monument for himself and his company's state-supporting economic power on the Ringstrasse, which should also be lucrative." (page 28). In Theophil Hansen he found an architect who implemented his vision in the shortest possible time. The order was placed in 1860, the shell was completed in October 1862 and the facade was completed in 1863.
"Three passages that were open during the day led across inner courtyards from the Opernring to the back of the building into Elisabethstrasse, a fact that even adulterers, criminals and those politically persecuted in the darkest times would be aware of," Remmer describes the building on page 33. This brings us to the actual topic of the book: the (life) stories of the people who live and work here in the ninety-six apartments and forty-eight vaults [=business premises]. (Wiener Zeitung, October 18, 1862).
If you didn't know it yet: The well-known dictum, "The most beautiful apartment building in Vienna", comes from Wilhelm Doderer (1870), the father of Heimito, the well-known writer. This meticulously researched detail - the book has 63 (!) pages of notes - is mentioned in the first of the 31 chapters.
The author, who runs the "Leo" bookstore near Hoher Markt, in the center of Vienna, which has existed for over 200 years with her sister Susanne, has a family connection to the "most beautiful apartment building". Grandfather Hans Remmer ran the Franz Leo & bookstore on the Ringstrasse side for many years. Comp. with the address Opernring 3. In the best times, 25 people were employed here. More about this can be found in the chapter “Intellectual Values – The Franz Leo & Comp. Bookstore and the Carl Konegen Publishing House”. The history of the bookstore is also present as a framework story in other sections of the book.
At the same time, the star tenor and audience favorite Leo Slezak (1873 to 1946) resided on the first floor in a representative fourteen-room suite, which grew to 17 rooms over the years. From his corner room he had a "dream view of the opera, the Hotel Bristol, the Palais Todesco, Kärntner Straße and St. Stephen's Cathedral." (page 216). It is guaranteed that Leo Slezak was a customer at the Leo bookstore.
These two aspects represent the broad and colorful range of people who lived here, met each other and provided material for stories. Franz Werfel should be mentioned. Not to be forgotten is the Café Heinrichshof, where not only men but also self-confident singers and dancers from opposite the State Opera frequented.
When three bombs hit the Heinrichshof in Vienna on March 12, 1945, its cellar provided shelter for 500 people, including the then 33-year-old actress Gusti Wolf. (page 354ff). In February 1949, the demolition of the ruinous Heinrichshof, whose intact parts were still inhabited, was finalized and continued until 1954.
Anyone who only thinks of the city administration when they hear the word "town hall" in Vienna will have to revise their opinion when the magnificent large format appears. The Vienna Town Hall, which opened in 1883, is not only the largest building on the Ringstrasse, but also one of the largest town halls in Europe. The monumental neo-Gothic building impresses, convinces and still functions in the 21st century, which once again speaks for its high architectural quality.
Friedrich Schmidt, born in Germany on October 23, 1825, gave his best as an architect: "A town hall, like that of the Viennese, must be organized in such a way that all its rooms are accessible to every citizen, even the poorest; [...] the town hall must be open to everyone, so that everyone can fulfill their duty here, seek their rights. [...] The house must also have the characteristics of the true bourgeoisie: solidity, simplicity and sedateness; it must not shimmer and shine like the palaces of the rich, like the castles of the great." (back cover).
In 21 articles, for which 16 authors are responsible, the town hall is examined from almost every perspective, starting with the announcement of the architectural competition in the context of Vienna's Ringstrasse (page 11ff). The life and work of Friedrich Schmidt (page 41ff), the sculpture program as a reflection of middle-class self-confidence (page 109ff) are presented, as are the historical paintings in the meeting room of the local council (page 119ff).
The interior (page 129ff) is illuminated as well as the windows (page 41ff). Of course, the Vienna City Hall man ("Iron Man"), as the crowning achievement of the sculpture program on the facade, is also honored in a separate article (page 161ff). Since its installation on October 21, 1882, the town hall man has not only been depicted on postcards, coffee cups and beer glasses, but has also been co-opted by the various political regimes. In 1967, Mayor Bruno Marek had the public favorite Heinz Conrads appear in full armor as a town hall man on the open day; Anyone who wanted could have their photo taken in the ballroom or in front of the town hall (page 166).
Mention should be made of the photo essay by Hertha Hurnaus (page 174ff), which impressively shows the magnificence and architectural diversity on both a large and a small scale. The ball of the city of Vienna (page 279ff), the town hall cellar as well as the archive, library and museum of the city of Vienna (page 303ff) are also acknowledged. Without their holdings, this book, which accompanies the exhibition "Monument of the City. Vienna City Hall" (until April 30, 2026), would not exist.
Conclusion: "The Lost Vis-à-vis at the Opernring - A Social History of the Heinrichshof in Vienna" impresses with in-depth research and exciting life stories of interesting people at one of the most noble addresses in the city. "Vienna Town Hall - On the 200th birthday of Friedrich Schmidt, A new house for the city" is a broad-based tribute that creates a lasting monument not only to Friedrich Schmidt, but to the entire city, which will remain a milestone for many years. (Thomas Hofmann, November 28, 2025)