The Bieler Hof in Floridsdorf – an urban sign of gratitude and a story from my father<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The Biel Court<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>During my walks with the dog in the 21st district,where we live I often pass the Bieler Hof. It is one of the most beautiful municipal buildings from the era of Red Vienna and with its red (and yellow) fa\u00e7ade is virtually a flag bearer for this time. For a long time it was also called the “Red Castle” and with its bay windows, porches and ornaments it really reminds of a romantic castle complex. Located on Kinzerplatz, the building was erected in 1926\/1927, its architect was Adolf St\u00f6ckl, who worked for the Vienna City Building Office.<\/p>\n
The Bieler Hof got its present name only in 1947. This was to honor the city of Biel in Switzerland, which initiated a relief effort for the Floridsdorf population after World War II. A plaque on the building commemorates this.
\nIncidentally, the Bieler Hof is not alone in this: the Z\u00fcrcher Hof in Laxenburger Strasse also bears its name in memory of the help given by the city of Zurich to starving Vienna after 1945.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/wienmitwienerin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Blogartikel_Bieler_Hof3.jpg\" "\\"Blogartikel_Bieler_Hof3\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/wienmitwienerin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Blogartikel_Bieler_Hof4.jpg\" "\\"Blogartikel_Bieler_Hof4\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>1945 – Vienna in distress<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>After the end of the Second World War, the need in Vienna<\/strong> was great and the food supply for the population was in a catastrophic state. The city<\/strong>‘s infrastructure was destroyed<\/strong> and it was almost impossible for people to get food. Immediately after liberation, therefore, food supply was the most urgent problem for the Soviet troops. The Soviets’ donations of peas became legendary. But they could only satisfy the most immediate hunger – and the Viennese<\/strong> perceived primarily the worms in the peas and the looting by soldiers of the Red Army.<\/p>\nIn September 1945, food distribution began in the British, American and French sectors. After that, the Viennese<\/strong> had to deal with five different supply areas (the 1st district was an inter-allied zone and thus organized in its own way) and five different ration cards<\/strong>, each valid in only one sector.
\nMoreover, the supply was not the same in all zones. The Viennese thought it was best in the American sector.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>CARE packages<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>Nevertheless, the supply situation continued to deteriorate; rations were fixed at 1,550 calories per day in the fall of 1945. They were reduced to 1,200 calories in March 1946, later they dropped to 960. The allied forces, with the exception of the United States, struggled to feed their own populations, yet they knew they could not abandon Austria.<\/p>\n
The Biel Court<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>During my walks with the dog in the 21st district,where we live I often pass the Bieler Hof. It is one of the most beautiful municipal buildings from the era of Red Vienna and with its red (and yellow) fa\u00e7ade is virtually a flag bearer for this time. For a long time it was also called the “Red Castle” and with its bay windows, porches and ornaments it really reminds of a romantic castle complex. Located on Kinzerplatz, the building was erected in 1926\/1927, its architect was Adolf St\u00f6ckl, who worked for the Vienna City Building Office.<\/p>\n
The Bieler Hof got its present name only in 1947. This was to honor the city of Biel in Switzerland, which initiated a relief effort for the Floridsdorf population after World War II. A plaque on the building commemorates this.
\nIncidentally, the Bieler Hof is not alone in this: the Z\u00fcrcher Hof in Laxenburger Strasse also bears its name in memory of the help given by the city of Zurich to starving Vienna after 1945.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>1945 – Vienna in distress<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>After the end of the Second World War, the need in Vienna<\/strong> was great and the food supply for the population was in a catastrophic state. The city<\/strong>‘s infrastructure was destroyed<\/strong> and it was almost impossible for people to get food. Immediately after liberation, therefore, food supply was the most urgent problem for the Soviet troops. The Soviets’ donations of peas became legendary. But they could only satisfy the most immediate hunger – and the Viennese<\/strong> perceived primarily the worms in the peas and the looting by soldiers of the Red Army.<\/p>\nIn September 1945, food distribution began in the British, American and French sectors. After that, the Viennese<\/strong> had to deal with five different supply areas (the 1st district was an inter-allied zone and thus organized in its own way) and five different ration cards<\/strong>, each valid in only one sector.
\nMoreover, the supply was not the same in all zones. The Viennese thought it was best in the American sector.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>CARE packages<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>Nevertheless, the supply situation continued to deteriorate; rations were fixed at 1,550 calories per day in the fall of 1945. They were reduced to 1,200 calories in March 1946, later they dropped to 960. The allied forces, with the exception of the United States, struggled to feed their own populations, yet they knew they could not abandon Austria.<\/p>\n
During my walks with the dog in the 21st district,where we live I often pass the Bieler Hof. It is one of the most beautiful municipal buildings from the era of Red Vienna and with its red (and yellow) fa\u00e7ade is virtually a flag bearer for this time. For a long time it was also called the “Red Castle” and with its bay windows, porches and ornaments it really reminds of a romantic castle complex. Located on Kinzerplatz, the building was erected in 1926\/1927, its architect was Adolf St\u00f6ckl, who worked for the Vienna City Building Office.<\/p>\n
The Bieler Hof got its present name only in 1947. This was to honor the city of Biel in Switzerland, which initiated a relief effort for the Floridsdorf population after World War II. A plaque on the building commemorates this.
\nIncidentally, the Bieler Hof is not alone in this: the Z\u00fcrcher Hof in Laxenburger Strasse also bears its name in memory of the help given by the city of Zurich to starving Vienna after 1945.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>1945 – Vienna in distress<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>After the end of the Second World War, the need in Vienna<\/strong> was great and the food supply for the population was in a catastrophic state. The city<\/strong>‘s infrastructure was destroyed<\/strong> and it was almost impossible for people to get food. Immediately after liberation, therefore, food supply was the most urgent problem for the Soviet troops. The Soviets’ donations of peas became legendary. But they could only satisfy the most immediate hunger – and the Viennese<\/strong> perceived primarily the worms in the peas and the looting by soldiers of the Red Army.<\/p>\nIn September 1945, food distribution began in the British, American and French sectors. After that, the Viennese<\/strong> had to deal with five different supply areas (the 1st district was an inter-allied zone and thus organized in its own way) and five different ration cards<\/strong>, each valid in only one sector.
\nMoreover, the supply was not the same in all zones. The Viennese thought it was best in the American sector.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>CARE packages<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>Nevertheless, the supply situation continued to deteriorate; rations were fixed at 1,550 calories per day in the fall of 1945. They were reduced to 1,200 calories in March 1946, later they dropped to 960. The allied forces, with the exception of the United States, struggled to feed their own populations, yet they knew they could not abandon Austria.<\/p>\n
After the end of the Second World War, the need in Vienna<\/strong> was great and the food supply for the population was in a catastrophic state. The city<\/strong>‘s infrastructure was destroyed<\/strong> and it was almost impossible for people to get food. Immediately after liberation, therefore, food supply was the most urgent problem for the Soviet troops. The Soviets’ donations of peas became legendary. But they could only satisfy the most immediate hunger – and the Viennese<\/strong> perceived primarily the worms in the peas and the looting by soldiers of the Red Army.<\/p>\n In September 1945, food distribution began in the British, American and French sectors. After that, the Viennese<\/strong> had to deal with five different supply areas (the 1st district was an inter-allied zone and thus organized in its own way) and five different ration cards<\/strong>, each valid in only one sector. Nevertheless, the supply situation continued to deteriorate; rations were fixed at 1,550 calories per day in the fall of 1945. They were reduced to 1,200 calories in March 1946, later they dropped to 960. The allied forces, with the exception of the United States, struggled to feed their own populations, yet they knew they could not abandon Austria.<\/p>\n
\nMoreover, the supply was not the same in all zones. The Viennese thought it was best in the American sector.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>CARE packages<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/wienmitwienerin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Bieler_Hof_Blogartikel_Gedenktafel.jpg\" "\\"Bieler_Hof_Blogartikel_Gedenktafel\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/wienmitwienerin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Schweizer-Kinder_Blogartikel_wien_mit_wienerin_Bieler_Hof.jpg\" "\\"Schweizer-Kinder_Blogartikel_wien_mit_wienerin_Bieler_Hof\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/wienmitwienerin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Karin-wien_ist_meine_grosse_liebe.jpg\" "\\"Karin-wien_ist_meine_grosse_liebe\\"")
<\/span><\/div>