The History of Austria 25returned to the city eventually, but periodically faced more
repression, culminating in further expulsions. Empress Maria
Theresa was an outspoken anti-Semite on religious grounds,
but she chose to overlook the fact that many of her financiers
were Jewish, as was Josef von Sonnenfels, one of her most
important advisors. Dr Karl Lueger, the Christian Social Party
mayor of Vienna from 1897 to 1910, was also famous for his
anti-Semitic rhetoric. Because of his harsh comments and
policies, he was prohibited three times from taking his post
by Emperor Franz Josef. One of Lueger’s admirers was Adolf
Hitler, who praised him in Mein Kampf. While most high-
ranking Nazis were German, Hitler himself was Austrian.
World War II
Austria was spared most of the fighting until near the end
of World War II. The Allies carried out a massive bombing
raid that culminated with major damage to the State Opera
House, National Theater and Saint Stephen’s Cathedral on
12 March 1945. The Battle of Vienna between the Germans
and the Soviets (4–13 April) was the worst seen on Austrian
Flak towers, like this one in the Augarten, were built in Vienna by the Nazis
to protect anti-aircraft artillery. They cannot be destroyed without damaging
nearby buildings due to their 10-feet thick concrete walls.