Heldenberg
3704 Kleinwetzdorf, Heldenbergstraße 50
General and historical information
Heldenberg is a national creation by Josef Pargfrieder, who was the owner of Wetzdorf Palace between 1832 and 1863. He dedicated the memorial to the Austrian Army and had it placed on the hill of his palace garden to honour the officers and soldiers of both imperial armies. Their victories against the revolutionists during the Revolution of 1848 in the Austrian parts of Northern Italy as well as in Hungary had saved the reign of the Habsburg Dynasty and the integrity of the entire state of Austria.
The two obelisks at the centre of the plateau are dedicated to them. Pargfrieder placed the current victories and contemporary commanders in a row, honouring "heroes" of the Imperial Army going back to the 16th century. For this reason, he commissioned sculptor Ramelmayr to create not just 94 portrait busts of famous military leaders and soldiers, but also 22 busts of the Roman-German emperors and Austrian regents, from Emperor Maximilian I (1459–1519) to Emperor Francis Joseph I (1830–1916).
The crypt is the central part of Heldenberg, and in which Pargfrieder was laid to rest between Radetzky and Wimpffen. The victories and military decorations of both military commanders are mentioned there in their honour.
On the occasion of Radetzky’s burial, Pargfrieder gifted the premises to the emperor and was knighted in return. In 1909, they were handed to the Army and, later on, became the property of the Republic of Austria in 1918. A labour camp was added during the governance of Federal Chancellor Schuschnigg.
At the end of the Second World War, the federal estate department took over Heldenberg in 1945. After 1998, the ongoing operation went to the hands of the municipality of Heldenberg. The maintenance of the building, as well as the administration of the property are now in the care of Burghauptmannschaft Österreich.
Occupants:
Municipalty of Heldenberg
Municipality of Heldenberg (Radetzky Memorial Heldenberg)
Burghauptmannschaft Österreich – Departments in charge:
Building Management Department 404 - Ballhausplatz
HVAC Department 404 - Ballhausplatz
Property Management Department 201 - Administration