Pinsteps. Helmut Zilk square in Vienna
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This square is named after Helmut Zilk. He was born in 1927. When he was 11 years old, the Nazis entered Vienna. Helmut was brought up on the Nazi ideology. During the war years, as a teenager, he wanted to join the ranks of the Hitler Youth. But Zilk's father did not allow him to do this. After the war, Helmut went to another extreme and became a member of the Communist Party of Austria. Zilk's father objected too. After graduating from university, Helmut found himself in the education system and began to understand education's invaluable role. Zilk began to promote education as a value, not as something given at the mercy of society or ideology, but as the core and foundation of the personality. Zilk was the Minister of Education of Austria and, in 1984, became the mayor of Vienna. Zilk strengthened ties with the state of Israel and created the Jewish Museum in the Vienna ghetto, a monument to the victims of the Holocaust. Zilk created this square and the memorial. On December 5, 1993, Tsilk received a parcel with explosives, and he lost fingers of his left hand. This parcel was sent to Zilk by Franz Fuchs. He sent many similar properties to those who, he thought, retreated from the ideals of pure Austria and replaced the existence of national values ​​with the false idols of liberalism. Four people were killed at the hands of Fuchs, and 15 people were maimed from 1993 to 1997. In February 2000, Fuchs hanged himself in his cell in the prison of the city of Graz, where he was serving a life sentence, to which he was sentenced in 1999.


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Elizaveta Polotskaya
Discover Vienna by journeying from the iconic Café Mozart to the intriguing Hungarian House of the "Blood Countess."

Embark on a self-guided walking tour through imperial Vienna. You'll explore magnificent landmarks like the Opera House and the Royal Park, stroll through the opulent palace grounds of the Augsburg dynasty, and delve into the dark history of the infamous Bloody Countess. This captivating adventure offers a glimpse into the city's rich past and enchanting beauty.

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