10 October Street – 12 November Street – 8 May Street

Street names in their function as sites of remembrance

Street names serve not only the purpose of facilitating orientation in public spaces, but also as sites of remembrance, when they are meant to keep the memory of famous historical personalities or important historical events alive. In times of political upheaval, these signs of remembrance were often renamed for purposes of propaganda, to demonstrate the presence of new power structures. After 1945, street names which were directly related to the NS era were changed again. Some historically charged signs of remembrance, however, remained. In recent years, they have led to debates and the demands for renaming throughout Austria.

10. Oktober Straße, Bodensdorf am Ossiacher See
10. Oktober Straße, Bodensdorf am Ossiacher See Brigitte Entner

While there are now hardly any historical events reflected in street names in the rest of Austria, streets and paths in all Carinthian district capitals and 23 other Carinthian communities commemorate 10 October. This street name is most common in the districts of Völkermarkt, St. Veit an der Glan and Spittal an der Drau. In Klagenfurt, 10 October Street is intersected by 8 May Street in a very prominent location. 12 November Street, on the other hand, which commemorates the proclamation of the First Republic, is in a rather remote neighbourhood. Only Villach and Ferlach continue to commemorate 8 May, and therefore the capitulation of the NS regime.

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