• Gestapo House - Europe House
After Austria's »Anschluss« (»annexation«) to the German Reich in March 1938, the Gestapo set up an office in Wiener Neustadt, a town in Lower Austria south of Vienna. The first waves of arrests followed immediately: members of the Gestapo took many political opponents into »protective custody«, and many of them were subjected to torture and abuse. The Gestapo also confiscated and expropriated Jewish property on a large scale. At the beginning of the 1990s, the Industrial Quarter Museum reconstructed a torture chamber in the former Gestapo building. On October 25, 1994, a memorial room was inaugurated.
Image: Wiener Neustadt, 2013, Europahaus, Peter Huber
Wiener Neustadt, 2013, Europahaus, Peter Huber
After Austria had been incorporated into the German Reich, the Gestapo extended its organisation to the new territories. A central Gestapo office was set up in Vienna as well as numerous branches. Their main aim was the persecution of political opponents, which set in immediately after Austria's »Anschluss«.
The establishment of the Wiener Neustadt Gestapo began in March 1938. Following the »Anschluss«, the Gestapo conducted arrests on the night of March 12 to 13, 1938, during which about 90 political opponents and Jews were taken into »protective custody«. Some were released after a few days, others were taken directly to labour and concentration camps, such as the Dachau concentration camp close to Munich, upon orders of the Gestapo.
In autumn 1938, the Gestapo moved to a villa in the municipal park which had previously been expropriated from its Jewish owners. The main task of the Gestapo was »combating political opponents«. Until 1942, followers of the Christian Social Party had been most affected. Then, the persecution of communists, social democrats and other political opponents became more prevalent. The Gestapo was moreover involved in searching the houses of Jewish residents in the town and participated in the confiscation and expropriation of Jewish property.
Image: Wiener Neustadt, 2013, Europahaus, Peter Huber
Wiener Neustadt, 2013, Europahaus, Peter Huber
Numerous people were taken into »protective custody« by the Gestapo in Wiener Neustadt from 1938 on: followers of the Christian Social Party, social democrats, Jews and others. Many fell victim to torture and abuse.
Image: Wiener Neustadt, 1999, Torture chamber in the former Gestapo House, Industrieviertelmuseum
Wiener Neustadt, 1999, Torture chamber in the former Gestapo House, Industrieviertelmuseum
After 1945, the former Gestapo building, which has since then been named the Europe House, was used by youth organisations. In 1964, a memorial plaque remembering the victims of the Gestapo was put on the façade of the building. Today, the villa houses a kindergarten and a youth hostel. The Industrial Quarter Museum had a torture chamber reconstructed which was opened to the public in 1992. On October 25, 1994, a commemorative room in memory of the crimes committed by the Gestapo and the National Socialist regime was set up.
Image: Wiener Neustadt, 2013, Memorial plaque, Peter Huber
Wiener Neustadt, 2013, Memorial plaque, Peter Huber

Image: Wiener Neustadt, 2013, Europa House – rear side, Peter Huber
Wiener Neustadt, 2013, Europa House – rear side, Peter Huber
Name
Gestapohaus – Europahaus
Address
Promenade Nr. 1
2700 Wiener Neustadt
Phone
+43 (0)2622 260 15
Fax
+43 (0)2622 260 15
Web
https://www.erinnern.at/gedaechtnisorte-gedenkstaetten/katalog/promenade_nr_1
E-Mail
industrieviertelmuseum@utanet.at
Open
The memorial is open all year round and accessible at all times.