The large-scale exhibition makes the harbingers of National Socialism from the turn of the century, the time of the Nazi reign of terror and various socio-political continuities up to the present day tangible.
The exhibition is dedicated to the period of National Socialism, as well as its precursors and continuities in this city up to the present day. It was important to show that National Socialism had a long history in St. Pölten. It can thus be shown that it by no means only appeared with the Anschluss on March 12, 1938. From the wealth of material available in the City Archives and City Museum and supplemented by loans, those aspects that were of formative importance for National Socialist St. Pölten have been identified. They convey an impression of the impact this inhuman system had on our city and its population.
Town Hall Square before the "referendum" in 1938 © Stadtarchiv St. Pölten
The exhibition cannot claim to be exhaustive. We were often only able to take a "look into the shadows", in which the contours become blurred. The fates of individuals are multi-layered and often defy simple black and white thinking. It was important to us that the remembrance and commemoration of those people who became victims of the regime be given a broader scope. The exhibition is intended as an impetus for often uncomfortable discussions about the Nazi era and the threat to democracy today.
June 14, 2024 to December 28, 2025
