The Vienna City Council, dominated by the Social Democratic Party of Austria, has withdrawn its approval for the construction of a monument to the Polish king John III Sobieski on Kahlenberg Hill, arguing that the monument could promote xenophobia, Islamophobia, and anti-Turkish sentiment. The decision has sparked diplomatic disputes and criticism from the opposition, highlighting the historical significance of the victory at the Battle of Vienna.
The monument to John III Sobieski, intended to commemorate his key role in saving Vienna from the Ottoman siege during the Battle of Vienna on 12 September 1683, remains blocked by the authorities of the Austrian capital. The initiative, launched by Poles in 2013 on the 330th anniversary of the battle, envisioned placing a sculpture by Czesław Dźwigaj on Kahlenberg Hill, from where the king began the decisive cavalry charge. The sculpture depicts Sobieski on horseback with winged hussars in the background and defeated Turks beneath the horse’s hooves, which critics say carries an “anti-Islamic” message. Despite a prepared pedestal and initial approval in 2018, the monument has not been installed – instead it has been exhibited in Poland, including in Kraków and Gliwice.
In November 2024, Veronica Kaup-Hasler, Vienna’s cultural affairs councillor from the Social Democratic Party of Austria, stated that Vienna would not allow an event that could be used for “xenophobic agitation and the stoking of Islamophobia and anti-Turkish resentment”. The decision was supported by Aslıhan Bozatemur, a councillor from the Social Democratic Party of Austria of Turkish origin, who said that “there is no place in Vienna for a monument promoting xenophobia, Islamophobia, or anti-Turkish rhetoric that leads to discrimination or incitement to hatred”. Vienna’s mayor, Michael Ludwig, added that he did not want to risk controversy or attract right-wing extremists. The City Council rejected the motion to erect the monument in early 2026, proposing instead the pedestal alone as a form of “commemoration”.
The opposition sharply criticized the decision. Caroline Hungerländer from the Austrian People’s Party stressed that “the defense against the Turkish siege is part of Vienna’s history and must be accepted”, adding that integrating immigrants also means respecting the culture of the host country.
Maximilian Krauss, leader of the parliamentary group of the Freedom Party of Austria, described the position of the Social Democratic Party of Austria as “ideological blindness and historical amnesia”, arguing that without Sobieski “Vienna would not exist in its current form”. Dagmar Belakowitsch from the Freedom Party of Austria called the refusal “scandalous” and “unworthy”, urging a dignified commemoration.
Piotr Zapart, chairman of the Monument Construction Committee, told media outlets including “Nasz Dziennik” that efforts would continue in cooperation with the Polish ambassador to Austria. He stressed that the monument is a symbol for all of Europe, which thanks to Sobieski preserved its identity and Christian values. Zapart expressed outrage at attempts to treat an empty pedestal as a monument, adding that the Battle of Vienna halted Ottoman expansion and the Islamization of the continent.
The controversy reflects a broader trend of alliances between the political left and political Islam in Europe, as described by Mario Adinolfi in the book Wokismo e islamismo. Muslims remember the defeat at Vienna – the September 11 attacks were described as a symbolic act of revenge. Online, including on X, activist Gunther Fehlinger called for replacing a Stalin monument with a monument to Sobieski. Internet users also challenge accusations of Islamophobia, pointing out that Muslim Tatars fought on Sobieski’s side. The portal Visegrád24 confirmed that Vienna’s authorities withdrew their promise, citing the sculpture’s “Islamophobic and anti-Turkish” character. The issue has sparked debates about cancel culture and the protection of European heritage from ideological influence.