Commemoration, History and Geopolitics: Russia Marks the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Vienna
The Russian Federation commemorated Austria's liberation from National Socialism in 1945 with a series of ceremonial events in Vienna and several Lower Austrian cities, focusing on the 80th anniversary of the capture of Vienna by the Red Army, which had made a significant contribution to the defeat of the Nazi regime. The Embassy of the Russian Federation used the occasion to celebrate historical commemoration on the one hand, but also to anchor its foreign policy narrative in the present.
The Russian Federation commemorated Austria's liberation from National Socialism in 1945 with a series of festive events in Vienna and several Lower Austrian cities. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / Bwag / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
In various commemorative events - including receptions in Vienna and St. Pölten, the unveiling of an open-air exhibition on Schwarzenbergplatz, and tributes to deserving veterans - the Russian side emphasized the role of the Red Army as a liberator. The focus was on the presentation of the Soviet contribution to the victory over fascism as one of the main pillars of the European peace project.
In her speech, the Russian ambassador to Austria emphasized the historical responsibility to preserve the memory of those “who paid with their lives for the freedom of Europe”. Several delegations from Russian institutions and descendants of war veterans took part in the celebrations. Austrian representatives, including regional politicians and members of civil society organizations, also attended the events.
Open-air exhibition on Schwarzenbergplatz: a visual look at the year 1945
The events kicked off on April 13 with the ceremonial opening of the open-air exhibition “1945: The Liberation of Vienna” on the traditional Schwarzenbergplatz - not far from the Soviet Heroes' Monument. The exhibition shows impressive archive photographs by Soviet war correspondents, including works by Yevgeny Khaldei, Olga Lander, and Lev Leonidov. Many of these photographs were presented to the public for the first time and were curated by the embassy, especially for the commemorative year.
The organizers expressed special thanks to the daughter of the famous photographer Yevgeny Khaldei, Anna Yefimovna Khaldei, who not only granted the rights of use, but also gave the embassy the iconic picture “Spring of Victory”. In the speeches, the exhibition was praised as a contribution to historical truth, but also as a sign of Russian presence in Vienna's public space.
Commemorative ceremonies and wreath-laying ceremonies
Parallel to the exhibition, a memorial ceremony was held at the Red Army Memorial. In the presence of diplomats from the CIS states, representatives of Russian institutions, and Austrian civil society groups, wreaths were laid for the 38,000 fallen Red Army soldiers who died in the “Vienna Operation” in spring 1945.
The ceremony was accompanied by the repeated formula: “No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten.” These words, deeply anchored in the Russian culture of remembrance, served not only as a moral appeal but also as political self-assurance.
On the same day, a reception was held at the Russian embassy for those taking part in the celebrations. Accompanied by songs from the war years - performed by the soloist of the Vienna State Opera, Pavel Kolgatin - Ambassador Dmitry Lyubinsky emphasized in his speech the deep bond between Russia and Austria “in the spirit of the common historical heritage”.
Gerda Pekny: A biographical bridge between Leningrad and Vienna
A particularly personal moment was the presentation of the Medal of Honor “On the 80th anniversary of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the fascist blockade” to Gerda Pekny. Born in Leningrad, the daughter of the Austrian social democrat and Spanish fighter Anton Sandmann, she embodies the intertwined history between resistance, exile, and return. Her father fought in Spain, defended Leningrad, and was wounded as a partisan in 1944 and imprisoned in Klagenfurt - until his liberation in May 1945. Her tribute by the embassy was more than a symbolic act - it was a reminder of the international network of anti-fascism that crossed borders in the 20th century and still has an impact today.
St. Pölten: Remembrance politics in a federal framework
Two days later, on April 15, the liberation from National Socialism was also commemorated in St. Pölten. At the Soviet military cemetery, 258 newly identified fallen soldiers were honored with commemorative plaques bearing their names. The research work was carried out by the Russian center “Pamjat”, and the province of Lower Austria financed the plaques. This demonstrates a remarkable form of local cooperation between Russian diplomacy and Austrian institutions.
Afterwards, the municipality of St. Pölten invited visitors to view the exhibition “Blick in den Schatten” (Looking into the Shadows) in the City Museum - a critical examination of the city's Nazi past. The link between this exhibition and the Soviet commemoration underlines the attempt to combine national narratives with local reappraisal.
Remembrance policy as a foreign policy instrument
At the same time, commemoration should not be viewed in isolation from current geopolitical constellations. For years, Russia has been pursuing a systematic form of public diplomacy based on the symbolic power of “Victory in the Great Patriotic War”. May 9, celebrated in Russia as “Victory Day”, is not only a national identity ritual, but is increasingly used for international signals.
In Austria, this form of diplomacy traditionally refers to the common historical narrative of 1945, which is intended to legitimize Russia as a moral authority, even in a changing international environment. In 2025, this comes at a time of global tension, in which Russia is propagating its role as the legitimate heir to the anti-fascist victory, especially in Western Europe, where this interpretation is no longer uncontroversial.
Between authentic commemoration and strategic self-promotion
The open-air exhibition “1945 - The Liberation of Vienna” on Vienna's Schwarzenbergplatz is emblematic of this dual approach: it shows historical photographs of Soviet soldiers, depictions of war atrocities, and portraits of fallen officers. At the same time, it refers to Russia's military and moral strength, also with a view to today's geopolitical challenges.
The events marking the 80th anniversary in Vienna, St. Pölten, and Gusen were thus part of a line of Russian foreign cultural policy that seeks remembrance, recognition, and influence in equal measure. But they also reminded us, beyond politics, of the real suffering of millions of people, of the horrors of war, and of the responsibility that this entails for the present.
Although the tone of the official speeches remained marked by pathos, the numerous visitors to the memorial sites often focused on a different feeling: silent gratitude that the Second World War had come to an end, and the hope that its lessons would not be forgotten.