The monument honoring Hermann Gmeiner, the founder of SOS Children's Villages, has been removed from the park bearing his name in Vienna's Inner City district. The dismantling was carried out by the city's MA 7 (Culture department) along with restoration experts, following widespread calls for the statue's removal after abuse allegations against Gmeiner came to light.
The decision to remove the monument came after numerous parties expressed their desire to eliminate the statue and rename the park due to the serious accusations against the SOS Children's Villages founder. The removal was confirmed by the office of Cultural City Councilor Veronica Kaup-Halser of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), according to reports from MeinBezirk.at. However, what will happen to the dismantled bust remains unclear at this time.
In the next phase of the process, the park itself will undergo a name change. The Cultural Commission of the Inner City district recently held a meeting where they decided on the procedure for renaming the green space. The commission plans to submit a formal proposal during the district council meeting scheduled for December 18th.
The park, located near the Vienna Stock Exchange, is set to return to its original name of "Börsepark" (Stock Exchange Park). This was the designation used for the park area until 1993, when it was renamed to honor Gmeiner. The district council will formally request the city to take the necessary steps to implement the name change, as the final authority lies with the Committee for Traffic Area Naming at City Hall.
This development represents a significant shift in how the city acknowledges the legacy of the SOS Children's Villages organization's founder, reflecting broader societal discussions about accountability and the reassessment of public honors in light of serious allegations.
