Memorial for Rudolf Beer

The memorial for Rudolf Beer was erected in 1960 next to the Volkstheater in the district of Neubau. The initiative came from the then leadership of the Volkstheater. Originally, it was located in the foyer of the theater "Die Scala" in the 4th district, where it was erected on the initiative of the theater management and the staff on April 23, 1950. When the building at Favoritenstraße 8 was demolished, the memorial was moved to its current location. The sculpture was created by Franz Pixner. Rudolf Beer was a well-known actor and director who was active between 1912 and 1938 at many theaters in Germany and Austria. In 1933, he had to leave Germany due to the antisemitic policies of the Nazi regime and return to Vienna. From 1933 until his death in 1938, he worked here as director of the Scala. After the takeover by the National Socialists in Austria, Rudolf Beer was arrested and severely mistreated. He took his own life on May 9, 1938.