Diariklub - The Lockerwiese - A Socialist Triumph

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The Lockerwiese - A Haven of Socialist Values

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The Lockerwiese in Vienna is a haven of socialist values. Built in the 1920s by the Viennese architect Karl Schartelmüller, this housing estate which was named after the loose earth of the meadows it was built on was remarkable for its revolutionary achievements. Every single living unit was not only dry and light, but was provided with the luxury of having its own bathroom, WC and kitchen as well. And, there was more. Every house had its own little garden as well. This was one of the first such estates of its kind in the world. But, the real secret of its success lay in its comfort of living. And, this was in its design.

All the streets were either curved or “S” shaped, meaning that there was not only the quality of good feeling, but the chance of pleasant surprises as well. And, the street life was perfect. Everyone knew everyone else. There were friends on every corner. And the many small greens provided a paradise for children. And, the Lockerwiese had a heart, too!

And, this was its square. Here was all that was needed. There was the Konsum, a co-op which sold every thing imaginable. There was a small health centre, a library, a kindergarten, a cinema and a coffee house and bar. But, the estate's blocks of flats had their reasons for being as well.

And, these were the reasons of triumph! The entrance to the estate on its northern side was built as an arch through the middle of an apartment house. And, this was power. And, this was the Lockerwiese. A socialist triumph with the feeling of Middle Ages safety and peace.

And, it is still the same as it always has been. A quality of life in the green for a reasonable price, which is, when you think about it, how life should be. A victory for man! And, what could be better?

Selected Vocabulary

arch – Bogen

built – gebaut

every single – jeder Einselen

green – Grünfläche

haven - Zufluchtsort/Paradies

housing estate - Wohnsiedlung

imaginable – vorstellbar

living unit – Wohneinheit

loose – locker

meadow – Wiese = Lockerwiese

Middle Ages – Mittelalterliche

peace – Frieden

reason for living – Grund zu sein

square – Platz

success - Erfolg

values – Werte

victory - Sieg

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