• Vienna State Opera - The grand opening took place on May 25, 1869, attended by Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth, featuring a premiere of Mozart’s Don Juan. However, after 1938, significant changes occurred, impacting Vienna’s cultural life. Following Austria’s “Anschluss,” Adolf Hitler visited the State Opera on June 19 and October 27, 1938. The National Socialist era led to the departure, persecution, and murder of artists and employees, with several works being banned from performance.
• Memorial Against War & Fascism - Created by Austrian sculptor Alfred Hrdlicka, this memorial has stood on Vienna’s Albertinaplatz since 1988, renamed after Helmut Zilk in 2009. It serves as a poignant reminder of Austria’s darkest historical period, dedicated to all victims of war and fascism.
• Akademie der bildenden Kunste - This art school famously did not accept Hitler as a student.
• Heldenplatz - On March 15, 1938, Heldenplatz became synonymous with the National Socialist rise to power, marked by Hitler’s speech from the Neue Hofburg balcony, symbolizing both widespread approval and the trauma “Heldenplatz” for the Second Republic.
• Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial - Mahnmal für die österreichischen jüdischen Opfer der Schoah

This memorial honors the more than 65,000 Austrian Jews murdered by the National Socialists between 1938 and 1945.

• Morzinplatz - Memorial at Morzinplatz

The former luxury hotel “Metropole” was transformed into one of the most brutal Gestapo headquarters in the Third Reich.

• Stadttempel Synagogue - The “Seitenstettentempel” is discreetly located behind a tenement building. Vienna’s main synagogue is situated at Seitenstettengasse 4. At that time, regulations required non-Catholic places of worship to be concealed from street view, hence the synagogue’s position behind a five-story apartment building. Above the entrance gate is the inscription: “Come to his gates with thanksgiving, to his courts with praise!”

This tour will also include visits to other sites, with the main attractions highlighted here.

• Licensed and knowledgeable guide

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Gratuities for the guide (optional)
• Food and drinks

This tour is conducted by a dedicated team of four historians eager to highlight the rapid pace of change! Discover the beginnings and formative years of Hitler on a 2.5-hour walking tour through historic Vienna. During this tour, participants will explore the history of Austria and Europe from 1900 to 1955. With the guidance of an expert, attendees will uncover answers to intriguing questions such as: How did an Austrian postcard artist become the world’s most reviled figure? Where might Hitler and Stalin have crossed paths? Additionally, visitors will witness the remnants of World War II and visit the sole synagogue that survived the Holocaust. Delve into the most somber chapters of Vienna’s past.

• Due to many cobblestones on our route, not recommended for guest within a wheelchair
• Please wear comfortable shoes and clothes
• Due to Vienna’s unpredictable weather, please bring water, sunblock, raincoat or umbrella

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.