With Graz’s connection to the railroad network, a street from the city center to the train station was created in the middle of the 19th century: Annenstraße. It developed into the Graz shopping street and a stage for the modern consumer society.

Numerous Jewish merchants who settled here were confronted with antisemitic campaigns or attacks. When the Nazis came to power in 1938, there were still over thirty stores and commercial enterprises, which were subsequently “aryanized” and mostly liquidated.

The Jewish owners were persecuted, robbed, and forced to leave the country. While some tried to build up a new existence in exile, others were deported and murdered. After 1945, there were laborious proceedings to recover looted property—and decades of silence.

The tour along Annenstraße traces its history to the present day and also discusses the Jewish merchants and what became of their businesses.

With Heimo Halbrainer, Joachim Hainzl, and Gerald Lamprecht

Link

https://2023.steirischerherbst.at/en/program/events/5117/clio-verein-fuer-geschichts-und-bildungsarbeit