The Nibelungen Bridge in Linz is a central, frequently used connection between the main square in Linz and Urfahr. Many people, however, are unaware that the Nibelungen Bridge was built by the Nazis immediately following the “Anschluss” of Austria to the German Reich. The bridge was not only intended to serve as a crossing over the Danube River, but also as a symbol of Nazi ideology. Named after the heroic saga of the Nibelungs, the bridge was stylized as “German” and four monumental sculptures from the Nibelung saga were to be erected at the ends of the bridge. The bridge was also built with granite from quarries at concentration camps in Mauthausen and Gusen and constructed using POW and forced labor. To date, there is still no plaque, memorial, or sign referring to the bridge's history.

At the start of the 2023/2024 Winter Semester and as part of a “Public History” course, Birgit Kirchmayr (JKU Institute of Modern and Contemporary History) began a research study and exhibition about the bridge’s history. As part of the JKU's joint Bachelor's degree program in Cultural Studies with the Linz University of Art, the project continued and grew during the 2024 Summer Semester in collaboration with Angela Koch and Wiltrud Hackl (Institute of Media / Department of Media Aesthetics at the Linz University of Art).

The students' academic and artistic approach to the history of the Nibelungen Bridge is now on display as an exhibition that opened to considerable public interest on November 20, 2024, and will remain on display free of charge until December 18, 2024. There is also a supporting program featuring three presentations, and discussion sessions, opens a file.

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Location: Linz University of Art, Hauptplatz 6, Exhibition design and graphics: Lena Heim, Rosalie Siegl. Financial support provided by the Kunstuni Linz, JKU, and the Linzer Hochschulfonds.