Donnerstag 7.

Today we learned about "Red Vienna" And the time before/during/ after WWI. Vienna was actually the envy of the European world following the War. in 1919, one year after the fighting ended, was the first time women were allowed to vote in the general election (mostly because all the young men were dead). you vote for the party here, not one specific candidate - and they picked the Social Democrats. It's a little confusing because the Austria "Conservatives" are equal to the American Left and Right Wing is still Right wing, and Nazis = Tea Party.

Anyway, the Social Democrats pushed the idea that the country could only be powerful if the working class was healthy, happy and therefore, productive. They build apartments for the workers and people can still live in them super-cheap. It's designed as a scary fortress outside, but every room has access to the beautiful gardens and even a private bathroom.

This is the Incinerator. it provides the entire city heating and cooling power. it was designed in the 1950's by a whack-job named "Hundertwasser" (which translates to Seven Seas).  Apparently he had an issue with conformity...

Yes, that's supposed to be blood. Like I said, "Whack-job"

This is the public baths build in the 1920 - 1930's for the workers. Instead of being grey and lame, they specifically made their buildings beautiful and had fancy, expensive furnishings to make the factory workers feel as important as the establishment. 

Only for the Lower Classes

So, this went on beautifully until 1934, when a guy lead the formerly wealthy, gun-toting, Christian-zealots to revolt. They didn't really care that this system was really good for 75% of the population, they were more miffed that their 25% had the same taxes as everyone else. And since they were wealthy and gun-toting, they were widely successful... that is until the guy got shot in 1938. By then Hitler was already into power.

Austrian Green Lantern - like a boss

Also, in the evening, we went to the three famous art museums. It was ... ya'know... museum-y. I don't have any pictures, but I can say for certain that Salvador Dali was seriously demented. (and everything in his paintings are phallic symbols - apparently - even the lobster and the rotary telephone...)

In one case the little plaque said, "And this painting artfully displays how Dali viewed blah bla-blah blah... artistic genius.... deep and meaningful...."

And I'm like, "No, that's a painting of a fat woman having her breasts cut off with a fork and a disembodied arm... It's straight-up disturbed..."

Maybe I *hipster voice* just don't GET it