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62-594: Währing covers 6.28 km2 in northwestern Vienna on the slopes of the Wienerwald between the Gürtel and the Höhenstraße. The district ascends from the steep banks of the (now channeled and enclosed) Währinger Stream on both sides. It is bordered to the north by the 19th District (Döbling), to the east by the 9th District (Alsergrund) and to the south and west by the 17th District (Hernals) . Währing lies between two ridges to

124-580: A 'diversion' from the main task of wearing down the Luftwaffe and bombing German industry" for the Combined Bomber Offensive , and to recommend instead that Crossbow be a secondary priority since "days of bad weather over Germany's industrial targets would still allow enough weight of attack for the rocket sites and the lesser tactical crises." By 10 July, Tedder had published a list of Crossbow targets which assigned 30 to RAF Bomber Command , six to

186-590: A 2001 survey, 52.8% of the population declared themselves Catholic , with significant minorities belonging to the Eastern Orthodox Church , Islam , and Evangelic churches. The five Roman Catholic parishes in the district make up the 18th City Deanery . Interesting castles and villas include the Geymüllerschlössel, the Schloss Pötzleinsdorf with its extensive parks, and numerous villas in

248-577: A French curriculum school, is located in Alsergrund. 48°13′31″N 16°21′25″E  /  48.22528°N 16.35694°E  / 48.22528; 16.35694 Operation Crossbow Sorties/bomb tonnage: Total : 68,913/122,133 RAF : 19,584/72,141 V-1 launches: 9,251 (8000 targeting London, 2,448 targetting Antwerp) Airmen/aircraft: British civilians killed/seriously injured: V-1: 4,261 destroyed by AA guns (1,878) barrage balloons (231) and fighters (1,846) Crossbow

310-502: A V-1 was on 14/15 June. Moreover, anti-aircraft guns increased the rate of downed V-1s to 1 per 77 rounds fired after the introduction of proximity fuses . Despite the defences, by 27 June, "over 100,000 houses had been damaged or destroyed by the V-1 ;... and shattered sewage systems threatened serious epidemics unless fixed by winter." Of the 638 air-launched V-1s that had been observed, guns and fighters brought down 403; 66 fell in

372-548: A V-2 made aircraft interception an impossibility. Happenstance instances of Allied aircraft encountering launched V-2 rockets include: 29 October 1944, Lieutenants Donald A. Schultz and Charles M. Crane in a Lockheed P-38 Lightning attempted to photograph a launched V-2 above the trees near the River Rhine , 1 January 1945, a 4th Fighter Group pilot aloft over the northern flightpath for attacking elements of five German fighter wings on Unternehmen Bodenplatte that day, observed

434-402: A farmer can work for a day) origins. It could also come from Werigandus, the first abbot of Michaelbeuern Abbey . The name could also go back to Slavic land acquisitions: Döbling from toplica , warm stream, and Währing from varica , dark stream. At the 2008 census the population of Währing was 47,861, down from a high point of 87,658 in 1910. The average age is slightly above that of Vienna as

496-726: A quarter of the Combined Bomber Offensive's tonnage of bombs were used against V-weapon sites in July and August; many of the attacks were ineffective, as they were against unused sites rather than the launchers themselves. Spaatz unsuccessfully proposed that attacks concentrate on the Calais electrical grid, and on gyrocompass factories in Germany and V-weapon storage depots in France. The gyrocompass attacks, along with targeting liquid oxygen tanks (which

558-456: A whole. In 2001, the proportion of people over 60 was about 25% in Währing compared to 22.2% in the city as a whole. In 2005 the proportion of expatriate residents stood at 23.7%, up from 17.9% in 2003. The greatest number of expats came from Serbia & Montenegro , 6.4% of the total population. Another 3.1% were Nigerian citizens, 1.6% Turkish , 1.4% Polish and 1.1% Eritreann . According to

620-619: Is a notable church building from the 1960s. Currently there are three small stages in the district, the “Theater des Augenblicks”, the “Rampenlicht-Theater” and the “Theaterlabor”. Währing’s most important museum is a branch of the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in the Geymüllerschlössel in Pötzleinsdorf. There is also the Währing District Museum and the Österreichische Sprachinselmuseum. Währing has several large parks. The best known are

682-471: Is the birthplace of Romantic composer Franz Schubert . Classic music composer Ludwig van Beethoven died here in his apartment at Schwarzspanierstraße 15. Berggasse 19 is the former residence and office of Sigmund Freud . It was Freud's home from 1891 until his flight to England in 1938, and is currently the site of the Vienna Sigmund Freud Museum . Most of the patients Freud treated during

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744-499: Is the ninth district of Vienna , Austria ( German : 9. Bezirk, Alsergrund ). It is located just north of the first, central district, Innere Stadt . Alsergrund was incorporated in 1862, with seven suburbs. As a central district, the area is densely populated. According to the census of 2001, there were 37,816 inhabitants over 2.99 square km (1.15 sq. mi). Many departments of the University of Vienna (main university), TU Wien and

806-789: The Air Corps Proving Ground . A mid-1944 plan for US Marine Corps aircraft to attack V-1 launch sites from aircraft carriers fell victim to inter-service rivalry – being opposed by the Army. V-2 facilities were also bombed in 1944, including smaller facilities such as V-2 storage depots and liquid oxygen plants, such as the Mery-sur-Oise V-2 storage depot on 4 August 1944, and, by the Eighth Air Force , which bombed five cryogenic liquid oxygen plants in Belgium on 25 August 1944, but aborted

868-726: The Austrian resistance group around the priest Heinrich Maier . This also included the production sites such as the Raxwerke . When reconnaissance and intelligence information regarding the V-2 became convincing, the War Cabinet Defence Committee (Operations) directed the campaign's first planned raid (the Operation Hydra attack on Peenemünde in August 1943). The works in France were

930-786: The Haagse Bos on 3 March, the RAF attacked the Holland V-1 sites with two squadrons. An RAF Fighter Command unit used Spitfires against Ypenburg on 20 and 23 March, while a RAF Second Tactical Air Force unit used Hawker Typhoons against Vlaardingen on 23 March. Counterattacks on Holland's V-1 and V-2 sites ended on 3 April, and all Crossbow countermeasures ended on 2 May with the end of World War II in Europe . On 2 January 1944, Air Marshal Roderic Hill , Air Officer Commander-in-Chief of Air Defence of Great Britain submitted his plan to deploy 1,332 guns for

992-511: The London Civil Defence Region and 169 in other places, including Southampton on 7 July and one as far north as Manchester . The British intelligence services (Secret Intelligence Service and Air Ministry's Scientific Intelligence Office) were monitoring German rocket artillery research and information received by bugging high-ranking German prisoners-of-war increased focus on activities at Peenemunde. In response to discussions by

1054-616: The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) are located in Alsergrund. Until 2013 the University of Economics and Business ( Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien ) was also located in the 9th district, but eventually moved to the 2nd district . There are also many large hospitals, including the biggest in Vienna, the AKH ( Allgemeines Krankenhaus , "General Hospital"). Alsergrund is associated with many notable names of Viennese art and science. It

1116-628: The Vienna Woods reach into Alsergrund. In the Middle Ages, these were used for vineyards. The Alsergrund was formed, in 1850, from seven suburbs. The names of the suburbs have remained in section names but also in the awareness of many residents. In the northeast area of the district is the Althangrund, mostly with public facilities and infrastructure constructions built, such as the Franz Josef station,

1178-553: The Zentralfriedhof in Vienna in 1888, but there remains a bust of Schubert in memory of his original resting place. This bust was made by sculptor Josef A. Dialer. The epitaph written by Franz Grillparzer reads in German: Die Tonkunst begrub hier einen reichen Besitz aber noch viel schönere Hoffnungen (The art of music buried here a rich possession and yet much finer hopes.) The Jewish Cemetery, Währing , opened in 1784,

1240-654: The vice-chiefs of staff on the subject of German long range rocket developments, in April 1943 Duncan Sandys was given the responsibility of investigating how far Germany had progressed. Under the codename Bodyline, investigations by SIS, the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre, and the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit were able to confirm existence of rocketry activities at Peenemunde and Sandys reported his findings to

1302-688: The "Noball" code name used for the targets (e.g., 'Noball 27' was the Ailly-le-Vieux-Clocher ;[ sic ] site, "Noball No. 93" was in the Cherbourg area, "Noball No. 107" was at Grand Parc, and "Noball V1 site No.147" was at Ligescourt ). The US formed its own Crossbow Committee under General Stephen Henry (New Developments Division) on 29 December 1943, and the US subsequently developed bombing techniques for ski sites in February/March 1944 at

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1364-570: The 1880s, it was partially destroyed during the time of the Third Reich , and is now only partly accessible due to its increasing decay. A long-running debate over the restoration of the cemetery has been taking place since 2006 between politicians of the federal and local levels as well as experts. The asteroid 226 Weringia was discovered in 1882 from Währing and named in its honor. Alsergrund Alsergrund ( German pronunciation: [ˈalzɐˌɡrʊnt] ; Viennese : Oisagrund )

1426-649: The Allies knew the V-2 needed), might have been very effective against the missiles. On 25 August 1944, the Joint Crossbow Target Priorities Committee (established 21 July) prepared the "Plan for Attack on the German Rocket Organization When Rocket Attacks Commence" – in addition to bombing of storage, liquid-oxygen, and launch sites; the plan included aerial reconnaissance operations. Following

1488-484: The British government, in near panic, demanded that upwards of 40% of bomber sorties be targeted against the launch sites. The Crossbow attacks were not very successful, and every raid carried out against a V-1 or V-2 launch site was one fewer raid against other targets in the Third Reich . The diversion of Allied resources from other targets represented a major success for Hitler. In May 1943 Allied surveillance observed

1550-828: The Cottageviertel. The Baroque churches in the district are Ägydiuskirche (St. Giles' church) in Pötzleinsdorf, the Johannes Nepomuk Chapel in Gersthof and the Währinger Pfarrkirche, which was greatly expanded in 1934. Several churches were built in the historicism style: the Gersthofer Pfarrkirche, Lazaristenkirche, the Lutherkirche and the Wienhauser Pfarrkirche. The Pötzleinsdorfer Pfarrkircher

1612-555: The Danube played a significant part in shaping the general lay of the land. The waterfront edge is still recognizable, through the waste ground between the Nußdorfer Straße, Währinger Straße, and Lichtenstein-Straße. There are also minor rivers: Wienerwald streams, all of which were bricked over in the 19th century. The main stream, the Als, used to cause frequent flooding. The foothills of

1674-776: The German "Site System 1" which was to be 96 fixed launching sites with storage bunkers (the 'ski' shapes) and outdoor ramps. Site System 2 (a reserve) and System 3 were planned. There were also four larger Wasserwerk ("Waterworks") bunker sites: Siracourt , Lottinghen , Nardouet, and Brécourt . Intended for use in January 1944 actual progress in construction, training and supply of V-1s was behind when inspected by German high command in October. French reports and detailed aerial reconnaissance linked with reconnaissance of Peenemünde indicated possibility of 2,000 missiles per day against England. Over half

1736-753: The Jewish cemetery. Even the Palais Liechtenstein belongs to Rossau, not northern Lichtental, a residential area in the parish. In the south is the Alser suburb, whose southern part was added to the 8th district, Josefstadt. The district is established, in large part, with academic institutions such as the Old AKH and the Medical University of Vienna. In addition, in the suburb Alser, are the Vienna University and

1798-573: The Maier group provided information about the mass murder of Jews very early on through their contacts with the Semperit factory near Auschwitz. There are memorial plaques both at the parish church and in Hasenauerstrasse. The first mention of Währing is in documents from around 1170, as Warich . The name could plausibly come from Slavic ( var for a warm spring) or Germanic ( werich for a plot of land that

1860-570: The Pötzleinsdorfer Schlosspark, Türkenschanzpark, and the Währingerpark (formerly a cemetery). The Schubert Park (see below) and the non-public Sternwartepark (“ Observatory Park”) are also noteworthy. Währing has two cemeteries of note. The cemetery, Währing Cemetery; now known as Schubert Park; is the site of the original burial places of composers Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert . The graves of both composers were moved to

1922-620: The River Als in the 9th District . By the end of the 19th Century it had been completely transformed into a drain. The last open-flowing part of the stream system is a stretch of the Dürwaring Stream, near Schafbergbad south of the Ladenburghöhe. The district was formed in 1892 from six previously independent outer suburbs, of which Salmannsdorf and Neustift am Walde were annexed to the neighbouring 19th District in 1938. From east to west

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1984-977: The St. Anna Children's Hospital. In the east is the part of the Michelbeuern , whose southern part is taken almost entirely by the Vienna AKH , north of Himmelpfortgrund. The district is almost exclusively populated residential houses and also the Hera Sanatorium. A breakdown of the district area is also in the Zählbezirken of the official statistics, in which the census district of the municipality are combined. The six Zähl areas in Alsergrund are Lichtental-Spittelau, Rossau, General Hospital, Nußdorferstraße-Volksoper, Liechtenstein Street, and University Quarter. Gymnasium Wasagasse , an Austrian secondary school Lycée Français de Vienne ,

2046-628: The Vienna University of Economics, the geosciences, mathematics, pharmacology and biology faculties of the University of Vienna, the Transport and postal and Telegraph Directorate. In the north is also the Spittelau with the incinerator Spittelau. South of Althangrund, joins the Rossau, which is mostly covered with residential buildings. Among the main installations include Rossauer barracks, the Servitenkloster,

2108-555: The chiefs of staff that the Germans were developing rockets, were probably well-advanced and countermeasures should be studied The Bodyline Scientific Committee (19 members, including Duncan Sandys , Edward Victor Appleton , John Cockcroft , Robert Watson-Watt ) was formed in September 1943 regarding the suspected V-2 rocket. After the 1944 crash of a test V-2 in Sweden , "transmitters to jam

2170-452: The code name Bodyline . On 15 November, a larger operation was set up under the name Crossbow . Post-war , Crossbow operations became known as "Operation Crossbow" particularly following the 1965 film of the same name . Crossbow included strategic operations against research and development of the weapons, their manufacture, transportation and attacks on their launch site, and fighter intercepts against missiles in flight. At one point,

2232-574: The construction of the first of eleven large sites in northern France for secret German weapons, including six for the V-2 rocket . In November it discovered the first of 96 "ski sites" for the V-1 flying bomb . Officials debated the extent of the German weapons' danger; some viewed the sites as decoys to divert Allied bombers, while others feared chemical or biological warheads. The Allies received detailed information about V-1, V-2 and Peenemünde research site from

2294-417: The defence of London , Bristol and the Solent against the V-1 "Robot Blitz" (the "Diver Operations Room" was located at RAF Biggin Hill ). Against V-1s attacks there were belts of select units of Fighter Command ( No. 150 Wing RAF ) operating high-speed fighters, the anti-aircraft guns of Anti-Aircraft Command , and approximately 1,750 barrage balloons of Balloon Command around London. "Flabby"

2356-422: The development of his theories of psychoanalysis visited him at his Alsergrund office. In addition, the park in front of the Votivkirche , on the corner of Währingerstrasse and Schottenring, was named after Freud, in memory of his frequent visits there. Alsergrund is situated in north-central Vienna. It covers 2.99 km (1.15 sq mi) making it the seventh smallest district of Vienna. North to South

2418-448: The district covers 235 km (146 mi) from the northernmost point of the Gürtel boulevard down towards the first district. The main east–west axis is located between Augarten Brücke and Zimmermannplatz (2 km (1.2 mi). The district is delimited by: Gürtel in the west, the Danube Canal in the east, as well as the Maria-Theresien-Straße, Universitätsstraße and Alserstraße in the south. Neighbouring districts are Döbling in

2480-404: The district: woodland 14.4%, parkland 7.9%, meadows 3.0%, allotments 2.9%, sports fields 1.3% and agriculture ( vineyards ) 0.6%. Third come transport areas, which make up 16.2% of the total land area. The most spectacular individual group of the Austrian resistance against National Socialism during the Second World War was that of the Währing priest Heinrich Maier . The center of the group was on

2542-402: The earlier attacks on the sites had eliminated the danger. The British, who had not expected German bombing of Britain to resume so late in the war, were especially upset. Some suggested using gas on the launch sites, or even executing German civilians as punishment. Carl Spaatz , commander of U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USSTAF), responded on 28 June to "complain that Crossbow was

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2604-476: The end of December 54 sites had been attacked and seven were destroyed. The bombing continued – by end of 9 March destroyed and 35 seriously damaged, by 24 May destroyed and 58 seriously damaged. Following Operation Hydra, a few Crossbow attacks were conducted on the "Heavy Crossbow" bunkers of Watten (V-2) and Mimoyecques (actually V-3 rocket cannon ) from August and November 1943 respectively. "Crossbow Operations Against Ski Sites" began on 5 December with

2666-489: The first V-2 attack and included a large 17 September raid on Dutch targets suspected as bases for Heinkel He 111s , which were air-launching V-1s. Modified V-1s (865 total) were air-launched from 16 September 1944, to 14 January 1945. The British had initially considered that an earlier 18–21 July 1944 effort of 50 air-launched V-1s had been ground-launched from the Low Countries , particularly near Ostend . In addition to air-launched V-1s, launches were from ramps built in

2728-401: The guidance system of the rocket" were prepared. A British sound-ranging system provided "trajectory [data] from which the general launching area could be determined", and the microphone(s) in East Kent reported the times of the first V-2 strikes on 8 September 1944: 18:40:52 and 18:41:08. In November 1943, the Bodyline committee handed over the tasks to the Air Ministry as the extent of

2790-425: The issue became clear. On 21 March 1945, the Pile's plan for the "Engagement of Long Range Rockets with AA Gunfire" which called for anti-aircraft units to fire into a radar-predicted airspace to intercept the V-2 was ready, but the plan was not used due to the danger of shells falling on Greater London. Unlike the V-1, which had a speed similar to the fastest available fighter planes, the velocity and trajectory of

2852-492: The last V-1 launch from France on 1 September 1944, and since the expected V-2 attacks had not begun, Crossbow bombing was suspended on 3 September and the campaign against German oil facilities became the highest priority. The V-1 threat from occupied France ended on 5 September 1944, when the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division contained the German military units of the Nord-Pas de Calais area, with their surrender following on 30 September. Crossbow bombing resumed after

2914-399: The next days attack on plants "at La Louviere, Torte and Willebroeck, Belgium" due to cloud. At the request of the British War Cabinet, on 19 April 1944, General Eisenhower directed Crossbow attacks to have absolute priority over all other air operations, including "wearing down German industry" and civilian morale "for the time being", which he confirmed after the V-1 assault began on

2976-413: The night of 12/13 June 1944, saying to Arthur Tedder "with respect to Crossbow targets, these targets are to take first priority over everything except the urgent requirements of the Overlord [invasion of Normandy] battle; this priority to obtain until we can be certain that we have definitely gotten the upper hand of this particular business". The launches surprised the Allies, who had believed that

3038-444: The north and south. The hills of Schafsberg and Michaelerberg belong to the Wienerwald and form part of the boundary of the Vienna Basin . The hills in Währing consist of multi-layered sandstone alternating with clay , except for the high grounds of Pötzleinsdorf and Türkenschanze, which are of sands. In the lower parts of the district one finds deposits of the stone tegel; at higher elevations mostly hard sands, rocks and boulders. On

3100-421: The north, Währing and Hernals in the west, Josefstadt and Innere Stadt in the south. In the east, Alsergrund is separated by the Danube Canal from Brigittenau and Leopoldstadt . The natural topography of the district area has been covered by centuries of construction. Alesergrund's lowest point at 163 meters can be found near Bauernfeldplatz, its highest near Michelbeuern (202 meters). The branches of

3162-408: The one hand the parish church of St. Leopold in Gersthof and the villa of Franz Josef Messner on Hasenauerstrasse. This very successful Catholic resistance group very successfully passed on plans and production facilities for V-1 , V-2 rockets , Tiger tanks and aircraft ( Messerschmitt Bf 109 , Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet , etc.) to the Allies. The resistance group, later discovered by the Gestapo ,

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3224-477: The plateau of Türkenschanze. The Ladenburghöhe, which border Pötzleinsdorfer Schlosspark to the south, lie between the two ridges and run parallel to and northeast of the Schafberg range. In the 19th Century the district was still defined by the Währinger Stream, which rises in Pötzleinsdorfer Schlosspark. Originally this stream was in a deep valley along the route of the streets Pötzleinsdorfer Straße, Gersthofer Straße, Gentzgasse and Währinger Straße, and flowed into

3286-418: The province of South Holland , the Netherlands in 1945. Allied reconnaissance detected two sites at Vlaardingen and Ypenburg , and along with a third at Delft , they launched 274 V-1s at London from 3–29 March. Only 125 reached the British defences, and only thirteen of those reached the target area. Three additional sites directed their fire on Antwerp. After using medium bombers against V-2 launch site in

3348-562: The remaining suburbs were Währing (the original, eponymous outer suburb), Weinhaus, Gersthof and Pötzleinsdorf. An alternative subdivision of the district is given by the census areas used for official statistics. For Währing these are Währinger Cottage, Gentzgasse, Kreuzgasse, Gersthof and Pötzleinsdorf (with Gersthof and Pötzleinsdorf on this list having different boundaries from their respective historical suburbs). Währing comprises 53.6% built-up areas (compared to 33.2% Vienna-wide), of which 92.83% are residential. Green space occupies 30.2% of

3410-444: The road Schafberggasse limestone was uncovered during construction of a canal: due to the former location of the Tethys Ocean , various remnants of marine life can be found beneath the district. Numerous sand quarries in the area provided building material for centuries. Währing is enclosed between two elongated ridges extending from the northwest to the south and forming the valley of the Währinger Stream. The Schafberg range lies to

3472-403: The sites were completed by December but Allied intelligence had identified all 96 by end of January. The first bombing of sites was by USAAF Martin B-26 Marauder medium bombers in early December with RAF Bomber Command starting night-time attacks shortly after but the greater inaccuracy of night bombing against small targets led the Joint Chiefs of Staff to use US heavy bombers in daylight. By

3534-421: The south, running from the largely forest-covered Schafberg (390 m) through Kleiner Schafberg (305 m), Mitterberg and Ganserlberg up to the Gürtel. To the north the district is bordered by spurs of the Michaelerberg (387 m), which lies on the western border with the 17th District and is almost completely forested. Its spurs extend through the Pötzleinsdorfer Höhe and the Windmühlhöhe to the southeast until they reach

3596-505: The tactical Allied Expeditionary Air Force , and 68 to Spaatz's USSTAF; after which Spaatz again complained, so Eisenhower allowed "spare" bombing of non-Crossbow targets: "Instructions for continuing to make Crossbow targets our first priority must stand, but ... when ... the entire strategic forces cannot be used against Crossbow , we should attack – (a) Aircraft industry , (b) Oil , (c) ball bearing (German) : Kugellagerwerke , (d) Vehicular production" (Eisenhower, 18 July). Over

3658-408: Was in contact with Allen Dulles , the head of the US OSS in Switzerland. With the location sketches of the production facilities, the Allied bombers were able to carry out precise air raids and thus protect residential areas. The information was important to Operation Crossbow and Operation Hydra , both preliminary missions for Operation Overlord . In contrast to many other German resistance groups,

3720-432: Was the code name in World War II for Anglo-American operations against the German long range reprisal weapons (V-weapons) programme. The primary V-weapons were the V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket , which were launched against Britain from 1944 to 1945 and used against continental European targets as well. Initial intelligence investigations in 1943 into the progress of German long range weapons were carried out under

3782-404: Was the code name for medium weather-conditions when fighters were allowed to chase flying bombs over the gun-belt to the balloon line, and during Operation Totter , the Royal Observer Corps fired "Snowflake" illuminating rocket flares from the ground to identify V-1 flying bombs to RAF fighters. After the Robot Blitz began on the night of 12/13 June 1944, the first RAF fighter interception of

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3844-431: Was the main burial site for members of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien and formerly lay within the border of Währing. (Today, however, due to boundary changes, the cemetery, despite its name, is no longer part of the 18th Vienna district of Währing, but belongs to Döbling , the 19th district.) Besides the St. Marx Cemetery it is the last remaining cemetery of Vienna in the Biedermeier style. After its closure in

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