The Vienna Big Wheel, 2005 (C-Print 80 x 100)

An open letter by Martin Krenn to the operating authority of the Vienna Big Wheel, also published as billboardposters in Vienna:
„On your information website http://www.riesenrad.com under the menu item ‚History‘ the Nazi period and the ‚Aryanisation‘ of the Big Wheel is completely left out, which raises the following questions:
– In which year was the Big Wheel stolen from its owner Eduard Steiner and who profited from this?
– Who carries the responsibility for the fact that Eduard Steiner’s heirs had to fight court battles for five years in order for ownership of the Big Wheel to be returned to them?
– Why were the heirs, who were living in Prague, forced to sell the Big Wheel in 1964?
– Eduard Steiner was murdered in Auschwitz in 1944; for the ‚Commemorative Year 2005‘ do you plan to mount a visible sign of remembrance at the Big Wheel in order to commemorate this assassination?
– Will the information requested by me be available on your webpage?“
Manager Peter Petritsch:
„Dear Mr Krenn, Thank you for your interest in the history of the Vienna Big Wheel. Your questions are best answered by the book ‚Das Riesenrad hat alle entzückt‘ (The Big Wheel was a Joy to Everyone) by Vienna councillor Cécile Cordon, published in 1997 by Mandelbaumverlag. On pages 105 ff the Wheel’s development is described in detail beginning in 1934. We would be happy to send you a copy of the book if you could kindly supply us with your address.“
M. Krenn:
„Dear Mr Petritsch, I have read the book ‚Das Riesenrad hat alle entzückt‘ by Cécile Cordon. It answers important questions on the history of the Big Wheel.
The Big Wheel is not only a landmark of Vienna but also a memorial to ‚Aryanisation‘. The Nazi period and ‚Aryanisation‘, however, still continue to be completely left out. There is hardly an inhabitant or tourist in Vienna who knows about this part of the Big Wheel’s history. Do you intend to counter this by publishing the missing historical facts on your information website?

The correspondence has been taking place since 27.06.2005 and can be viewed at: http://www.martinkrenn.net.
Cécile Cordon, „Das Riesenrad hat alle entzückt“, Vienna: Mandelbaum 1997