Fan Murals – FK Austria Vienna

Like their inter city rivals, FK Austria is among the most successful club’s both in Vienna city and Austria.

In addition to never having been relegated from the top flight, they have claimed numerous Austrian Championships (24) and more Austrian Cups – the ÖFB-Cup (27) than any other side.

Founded in 1911 FK Austria have only fallen from former heights thanks to the emergence of Red Bull Salzburg. The recent success of Sturm Graz has also seen the Vienna based giant fall from former glories while the continued dominance of great cross city rivals Rapid Vienna has been painful to watch for anyone clad in violet.

FK Austria are located in a somewhat obscure location in modern Vienna.

Favoriten, the multicultural 10th District, is one of Vienna’s most diverse areas with a nucleus concentrated on a huge urban area with businesses, shopping areas and green space. The home stadium though sits near a modern motorway intersection with the Generali Arena sitting high above the motorway although it is within a short walking distance of Altes Landgut U-Bahn station.

The Violetten were the team which provided the leading elements of the great Austrian Wunderteam of the 1930’s, in particular Matthias Sindelar. By the time the club moved to the Franz Horr another Austrian great Ernst Ocwirk had returned as a coach – and the club would enjoy its greatest era during the 70’s.

Maintaining a link to the great figures of any era is something that most clubs try to do either via a museum or pages online.

But abstract club artwork is another means of looking back and looking ahead.

It remembers the past and sustains the persistence of the supporter memory. It allows fans young and old to remember and reflect.

In the 1970’s FK Austria started playing most of its domestic fixtures at the former home of FK Slovan Vienna in the Favoriten area of the Austrian capital. In its early days it was known as the ‘Czech field’ but the stadium was later renamed the Franz-Horr-Stadion in honor of the Wiener Fußball-Association President Franz Horr.

The present day home of Austria Vienna is called the Generali Arena the stadium renamed as part of a sponsorship deal between Austria Wien and the insurance group Generali. UEFA have referred to the stadium as the Viola Arena although this naming convention is traditionally not used by the supporters.

Several pieces of artwork adorn the surrounds of the stadium both abstract and representational.

Everything is colored in shades representative of the club (violet), the national flag of Austria (red and white).

Red and white are also the colors of the Austrian federal state of Vienna.

Amongst those immortalised are two of the highest esteemed figures in FK Austria history.

One is Josef “Joschi” Walter whose executive football management help to spearhead the club’s economic and sporting achievements from the 1960’s through to the 1980’s.

The other is Norbert Lopper another famous administrative figure who appears outside the Generali.

Lopper is noted as being someone who helped shape Austrian football history during his several decades as Secretary General of the club. A survivor of Auschwitz, he described his time as an inmate at the camp in several documentaries including the People’s Century a multi-award winning series that has been screened globally.

The representation of both Lopper and Walter is given with the word ‘hōch’ a topographic reference name for someone who lived and operated in an area of high esteem. It is also a descriptor nickname for a tall esteemed man i.e. someone held in regard above all others.

Footballing wise Ernst Ocwirk is captured heading a football – the elegance of the round leather.

The successful team of 1977-78 which included great Uruguayans and Herbert Prohaska. and which reached the UEFA Cup Winners Cup final, is also represented.

Emanuel “Michl” Schwarz is represented in one of the larger murals for his contribution to the two Mitropa-cup victories (1933 and 1936) triumphs. These wins were the highlights of Sindelar’s playing career at club level but also an era that came to an abrupt end in 1938 as Europe approached war.

In the more modern era of football the team name Austria Memphis is remembered through the great midfielder of the 1970’s and 1980’s Felix Gasselich another of the team to reach the 1978 Cup Winners Cup Final.