100 days until the centenary of the Hohe Warte
The countdown is on. There are 100 days until the 100th birthday of the majestic home of Austria's oldest football club
There are four historical highlights this year for First Vienna Football Club 1894: 100 years Hohe Warte stadium, 90 years since the first Mitropa Cup win, 90 years since the first championship title and 10 years since the commencement of the women's department. The start of the historic superlative year is the Hohe Warte, which will celebrate it’s 100 anniversary on June 19th. Preparations are already under way on the website www.1894.at. Commencing today, we are counting down the days until the kick-off of the extraordinary anniversary year 2021.
The gentleman wears a beige suit, a gray hat and white gloves and leans casually on his dandy stick. The trendy lady with a white felt hat wraps herself in her fur coat and stands with her companion. The vendor impresses with a tie and matt-shiny dress shoes. The legendary oil painting by the Austrian landscape and portrait painter Anton Hans Karlinsky shows a packed Hohe Warte stadium on a cozy football afternoon in 1928. This picturesque backdrop forms the background for the countdown to the unique history of the Hohe Warte arena.
On the 19th of June, the country’s six-time Austrian champion celebrates 100 years of Hohe Warte. Shortly before the completion of the blue and yellow home, the Viennese press reported in 1921 that something unique was being created in Döbling. "A work is quietly maturing towards its completion, which will carry the fame of its creators far beyond the borders of our country."
The 110 x 70 meter playing field was surrounded by a 408 meter-long running track. Enclosed on one long side and two curves by a wide embankment that could accommodate the majority of the audience, the square was nestled elegantly on the slopes of the Hohe Warte. The floor area was over 95,000 square meters.
The Hohe Warte was constructed by Eduard Schönecker. Schönecker was the older brother of Rapid's founding father Dionys Schönecker and had already built the stadium on the Pfarrwiese. After a year and a half of construction, the Hohe Warte was completed in 1921 and inaugurated on the 19th of June with a 2-1 win over SC Hakoah. 12,000 spectators came to the first game of the championship. This marked the beginning of many pilgrimages to this place of sporting worship in the 19th district of Vienna.
Biggest sports venue in continental Europe
For a long time, the home of Vienna’ First Football Club was considered to be the biggest and best stadium in continental Europe. On the 15th of April 1923, on the occasion of the international match between Austria and Italy, 85,000 spectators watched the game. That was a record visit. Today the HoWa – that’s the way supporters call the living room of the Blue and Yellows - can host up to 4,568 spectators. With an additional permission, 7,500 spectators are allowed into the nature arena.
In addition to Vienna, the Hohe Warte also was the home of the Austrian national team from 1921 to 1936. In the 1930s, the so-called iconic Wunderteam, the miracle team, managed by Hugo Meisel, was considered the world's best national team.
The sporting, historical-cultural and social features of the complex made the Hohe Warte venue a unique meeting place over the decades. At times, other sporting events such as boxing, running, speedway, land hockey, American football and rugby as well as cultural highlights such as Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida or pop concerts by Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, INXS and Ostbahn-Kurti found their temporary home in Döbling .
Unreserved processing of history
On the 11th of March 1938, Adolf Hitler ordered the Wehrmacht to march into Austria. The annexation also meant a bitter turning point for the First Vienna Football Club in 1894, even if it has not been documented in great detail.
Last autumn, the board of First Vienna Football Club 1894 decided to unreservedly review the club's history during this period. This task has been taken up by Alexander Juraske, historian and author of "Blau Gelb ist mein Herz" (Blue Yellow is my heart). The work is supported by the National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism and the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria.
NO ROOM FOR DISCRIMINATION
The Hohe Warte has always been characterized by a lively, colorful and creative culture. The home team is cheered on by its Viennese family and the opposing team is treated respectfully.
Vienna welcomes everyone to the Hohe Warte stadium - regardless of their origin, religion or ethnicity. These principles of equality and inclusiveness are a part of the DNA of the Club. NO ROOM FOR DISCRIMINATION is written in bold letters on the grandstand of the stadium. In addition, the rules of cooperation have been defined in the association's statutes (Section 22 Anti-Discrimination).
The fans and supporters, as a part of the umbrella organization “Vienna Supporters”, have played an important part in the Club’s positioning. The blue and yellow fan commitment corresponds to the values of Vienna. In addition to tradition, integration and peaceful coexistence, the blue and yellow values are based on the guidelines and the motto of our founding fathers: "Playing together leads to the goal."
We cherish our heritage. Not just during the anniversary year, but always.
