Simmering (Vienna)
Simmering
Simmaring (Bavarian) | |
---|---|
11th District of Vienna | |
NEOS 2, Unabhängige Mandatare 3 | |
Area | |
• Total | 23.23 km2 (8.97 sq mi) |
Population (2022-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 106,078 |
• Density | 4,600/km2 (12,000/sq mi) |
Postal code | A-1110 |
Address of District Office | Enkplatz 2 A-1110 Wien |
Website | www |
Simmering (German pronunciation: [ˈzɪməʁɪŋ] ⓘ; Viennese: Simmaring) is the 11th district of Vienna, Austria (German: 11. Bezirk, Simmering). It borders the Danube and was established as a district in 1892.[2] Simmering has several churches, some museums, schools, old castles, and four cemeteries, one of them being the Wiener Zentralfriedhof, one of the largest cemeteries of Europe.[2]
History
The first indications of the settlement Simmering are from 1028. A brewery was built in 1605 and continued to bring in revenue for the area for more than 300 years. Simmering remained small until 1860, when the Rinnböckhäuser housing development was built, which at the time was the second-largest in Vienna, and resulted in rapid growth in the area.
Kaiserebersdorf (earlier known as Ebersdorf) was one of the original villages in the district and held the residence of the Ebendorfer dynasty. Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II hunted frequently in the area and converted the residence into the hunting lodge Schloss Neugebäude.
On January 1, 1892, Simmering, Kaiserebersdorf, and some very small parts of Kledering, Schwechat, and Albern were incorporated into Vienna as the 11th district.
The first indications of the small town of Albern originate from 1162. The town was small throughout its history. It had to be moved and resettled twice due to flooding from the
Coat of arms
The coat of arms for the 11th district has three parts, each representing one of the former villages that were united to form the district. The silver "S" on a blue background stands for the former village of Simmering. The rearing unicorn on a golden background stands for Kaiserebersdorf and comes from the coat of arms of the Herr von Hintperg-Ebersdorf, who founded the settlement. The third part shows the symbol of the former village of Albern. The crossed fish on red background are reminiscent of the fishing tradition that was important to the people of Albern.
Geography
The district lies in the southern part of Vienna. It borders the
Transportation
Simmering has always been on important transport routes to the south and east. These include the following:
- Simmering was crossed by the Wiener Neustadt Canal, which has fallen into disuse around Simmering.
- Many railway lines pass through Simmering, such as the East railway, the railway to Aspang, and many industrial lines.
- Albern is home to a harbour for cereals on the River Danube.
- The high street in Simmering dates back to a Roman road.
- The motorway A4 to Vienna International Airport and on to Hungary starts in Simmering.
Politics
Simmering was a stronghold for social democrats as early as the start of the 20th century. In the district vote of 1919, the social democrats won 21 positions in the district government, with the Christian Social Party taking the next largest vote with only 7 seats and the Tschechische Liste (literally Czech list) taking 2 seats. The social democrats of Simmering and of the rest of the so-called "Rotes Wien" (Red Vienna) pushed to build housing developments throughout Vienna and in 1934, 19 Gemeindebauten were built in Simmering.
The rise of
District Directors since 1945 | |
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Eduard Pantucek (SPÖ) | 4/1945-7/1945 |
Max Wopenka (SPÖ) | 1945–1952 |
Josef Haas (SPÖ) | 1952–1964 |
Wilhelm Weber (SPÖ) | 1964–1973 |
Johann Paulas (SPÖ) | 1973–1980 |
Otto Mraz (SPÖ) | 1980–1989 |
Franz Haas (SPÖ) | 1989–2001 |
Otmar Brix (SPÖ) | 2001–2003 |
Renate Angerer (SPÖ) | 2003-2014 |
Eva-Maria Hatzl (SPÖ) | 2014-2015 |
Paul Johann Stadler (FPÖ) | 2015-2020 |
Thomas Steinhart (SPÖ) | 2020-present |
Infrastructure
The 11th district has always been known for its industries. In the 19th century, Simmering generated and supplied the electricity for the Straßenbahnen (
The district also hosts other municipal infrastructure, including the EBS (special material recycling center), a sewage treatment facility that treats about 90% of the city's sewage, and also a juvenile detention center.
Gardens
Simmering is home to many large undeveloped stretches of greenery and fields full of vegetable gardens that provide produce for the city.
Industry
Many industries call Simmering home, including
Cultural and medial reflection
1979 Simmering, a poetic documentary film about Simmering was released by Alexander Schukoff and Reinhard Kofler. Prior to her death, Russian-American cultural theorist Svetlana Boym worked on the short film Remembering Forgetting based on her time at the transit refugee camp for Jewish emigrants from the Soviet Union in 1981, for which she interviewed Schukoff and other Jewish intellectuals who stayed at the camp. Among them were Masha Gessen, Vitaly Komar, Anton Vidokle, and Regina Spektor.[3] The film debuted in 2016.[4]
Notable people
- Rosa Jochmann, social democrat and resistance fighter
- Christian Kern, social democratic Chancellor of Austria (2016–2017)
- Karl Sesta (Szestak), footballer
- Ernst Stojaspal, footballer
Sightseeing
The following are points of interest:[2]
- Feuerhalle Simmering - crematorium
- Friedhof der Namenlosen, cemetery of the nameless
- Gasometer, gas tanks remodelled into housing, offices, and shopping venues
- Lueger Kirche - church
- Schloss Concordia - castle
- Schloss Neugebäude - castle
- Schloss Thürnlhof - castle
- Wiener Zentralfriedhof, cemetery
Notes
- ^ Statistik Austria - Bevölkerung zu Jahresbeginn 2002-2016 nach Gemeinden (Gebietsstand 1.1.2022), Statistik Austria.
- ^ a b c Wien.gv.at Simmering webpage.
- ^ "A Soviet Drop-Out's Journey to Freedom". Tablet Magazine. 2014-07-03. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
- ^ "Filmpremiere: „Remembering Forgetting". In Memoriam Svetlana Boym". ERINNERN: NATIONALSOZIALISMUS UND HOLOCAUST (in German). Retrieved 2021-11-26.
References
- "Wien - 11. Bezirk/Simmering", Wien.gv.at, 2008, webpage (15 subpages): Wien.gv.at-simmering (in German).
- ISBN 3-7141-6228-3.
- ISBN 3-7141-6230-5.
- Hans Havelka: Verschwundenes und vergessenes Simmering. Ein besinnlicher Spaziergang von St. Marx bis zur alten Laurenzkirche. Heimat-Museum Simmering, Vienna 1968.
- ISBN 3-900272-55-7.
- ISBN 3-89702-395-4.