We arrived in Vienna around 9pm, much too late to do much exploring. The next day, we got coffee and set out. We walked briskly (it was cold and rainy) through the city square where we window-shopped (gawked ) at the exclusive and upcoming vogue displays. The upscale mercantile galleria formed a frame around museum-worthy artifacts, monuments and government buildings that looked very much like castles.
HELMUT ZILK SQUARE
After sourcing the bakery emitting the fragrance of fresh bread, we bought a loaf of warm, seedy bread (drooling noted). With the purchase of peanut butter, and apples, we found a bench right in front of a monument that we were to learn more about during the tour we had scheduled for the next day.
In the afternoon, we visited one of two Jewish Museums in Vienna. There were many exhibitions and collections documenting the “greatness” of Viennese life prior to its destruction by the “Shoah” (Holocaust in Hebrew). We viewed a very small sampling of the hurdles the Jewish people were driven to overcome, and the sufferings this people group endured.
I am compelled to highlight an exhibit that was startling, to say the least. Between what looked to be very stately bookshelves, my attention was drawn to the young boy, haloed by light, kneeling in prayer. Stay with me. . .
When I rounded the corner, I was ASTONISHED by this:
The exhibition is titled “An (un)enjoyable journey. Stefan Edlis’ life after HIM” – ‘him’ being the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
By way of a background–the artist of this figure is Stefan Edlis, who left Vienna in 1941 with his family to start a new life in the US. He also attempted to assist Vienna relatives to escape the Nazis control without success.
Through his development of “plastic” tools, he created this wax art piece.
Stefan says it all. . .
Sounds like you’ve experienced so much WWII History! I’m sure it’s been amazing!! Where next?
Yes! So much of Eastern Europe has “reminders” in monuments, art, etc. We arrived in Interlocken, Switzerland last night. Love and miss you!!!!!
Wow!