Open day

Referendum: A look back at the local history museum

Referendum frescoes by Hermann Heller from 1930.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek/Evelyn Hronek Kamerawerk)

The district home museum in Völkermarkt is one of the oldest museum facilities in southern Carinthia. 500 exhibits commemorate the time of the Carinthian referendum from 1918 to 1920. The famous fresco by Hermann Heller (1930), who impressively painted the ballot, speaks volumes. 

"We see ourselves as an important place of identity and remembrance of the contemporary history of Southern Carinthia," says long-time curator Barbara Kassl. For more than 20 years, she has been presenting the history of the town in the local history museum. The history of Southern Carinthia is a very eventful one: "The historical events of that time have had a lasting impact on the entire region," says Kassl. 

Women were allowed to vote for the first time
The museum has been housed at its current location in Faschinggasse since 1984. "There is, of course, a special presentation on the historical events from 1918 to 1920," says the expert.

It is interesting to note that women from the region were allowed to cast their vote for the first time in the referendum on October 10, 1920. In the border region of Southern Carinthia - at that time around 70 percent of the inhabitants in these regions spoke Slovenian - 59.04 percent of the population voted to remain part of Austria. 

The previous year, the forecourt at the town and district home museum was redesigned.

(Bild: Bezirksheimatmuseum)

This is what the ballot boxes looked like in the last century.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek/Evelyn Hronek Kamerawerk)

The referendum bell (copy) can also be seen in the Bezirksheimatmuseum.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek/Evelyn Hronek Kamerawerk)

Historical exhibits
At this crisis-ridden time, the front pages of newspapers read: "Every vote saves a piece of home soil". Urns, posters, flyers, photos, letters and numerous medals from this period can be found in the District Home Museum. "We also have a dozen ballot boxes on display here," says Kassl.

One of the highlights is a copy of the voting bell from 1930. Another eye-catcher: the referendum frescoes by Hermann Heller (1866 -1949), who impressively painted the ballot on October 10.

Open day
Every year, the museum's curatorial team invites visitors to an open day on October 10 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.): "Weeks in advance, numerous school classes come to find out more about this period." The museum also provides information on the Austrian State Treaty and the Carinthian place-name sign dispute: "We see it as our task to pass on the history of our region," emphasizes Kassl. The Bezirksheimatmuseum is open until October 31.