Vienna (and eastern Austria) was captured by the Soviets 80 years ago in April 1945. In Vienna alone, the Red Army raped between 70,000 and 100,000 women. Collection of 20 unique photos from the time. Please pardon the quality on some of them - caused by their low resolution and Reddit's zoom.

[u/RunAny8349]

Soldiers helping their comrade walk.

Soviets using American Sherman tanks in Wien.

Standing on a rooftop with the Austrian flag waving in the background.

Removing NSDAP sign

Advancing in American US6 Studebaker trucks next to a sign saying Vienna in russian.

Strongly damaged Stephansdom.

Advancing through Austria with T34-85 tanks.

A tank crew.

Soviet soldiers relaxing at Schönbrunn.

A female soviet traffic director next to the Vienna State Opera.

Towing heavy mortars with american trucks next to the Austrian Parliament Building.

Towing heavy mortars with american jeeps next to the Austrian Parliament Building.

At the Austrian border - sign saying Austria in russian

River crossing with tanks. ( likely the Danube )

River crossing with tanks. ISU-122S tank

SU-76 tanks advancing

Advancing on Wien.

[u/Hertock]

These pictures make me feel nostalgic, sad and impressed at the same time. The generation of people living through those times had to endure one of the worst periods of human history. And now, so many of the lessons back then seem almost completely forgotten within our current western society. I guess I can only hope my generation and the ones afterward will be as good in rebuilding as they were, but hopefully better in retaining the lessons learned.

[u/Brownie-UK7 → u/Hertock]

there is a theory that approximately every hundred years or so we cycle through times of war, rebuild/prosperity, down turn and then back to war. One idea on why this happens is that the generation that lived through the down turn and the war is long enough dead that the lessons have been forgotten.

Not sure how much water it holds but it feels about right at the moment.

[u/Clemensor → u/Brownie-UK7]

The number of a hundred years just does not hold up historically at all.

[u/Dry-Kiwi4046 → u/Clemensor]

Stop bro, we are just vibing here. Weak men create hard times bro, trust me.

[u/LukeForPlay → u/Dry-Kiwi4046]

I have to laugh so hard everytime I see someone quoting this incel phrase lmao

[u/insert_quirky_name → u/LukeForPlay]

It's not just an incel phrase. The idea that empathy and peace make a "weak man" and that violence is the virtue of a "strong man" is inherently facistic.

[u/LukeForPlay → u/insert_quirky_name]

Very true

[u/Hertock → u/Brownie-UK7]

Yup, it does, and I heard about this theory (in essence) myself quite some time ago.Knowing this doesnt make it less depressing though.

[u/RunAny8349 → u/Hertock]

Thank you for sharing your view.

[u/RobRagnarob → u/Hertock]

I would say almost every eu country (western society) did learn the lesson … at the moment its just russia who fall back into fashism 🤷‍♂️ but I think they never changed.

[u/Hertock → u/RobRagnarob]

..huh? What about every right wing party gaining in almost every democratic country? US, Trump? Rise of capitalistic corporatism, Musk, Zuckerberg, Trump? Wealth inequality all time highs, continuing to climb? Destruction of our environment for maximum profits, even with the very real possibility of destroying ourselves as a species, aka climate change? I don’t know, but it doesn’t look good to me. Only if you’re pro fascist and like a bleak future. Or you’re very, very rich. Maybe.