A house with an eventful history

At Margaretenstraße 166 in Vienna's 5th district, the heart of the railway workers' movement has been beating for over 100 years. Generations of colleagues have worked here and fought together for better working and living conditions. Until 2006, the railway workers' home was the headquarters of the railway workers' union, and until 2010 the home of the vida trade union. And even today, the trade union legacy lives on here.

The legacy of the railway workers

On the 4th floor is the vida archive, a true memory of our movement – full of stories that show what solidarity can do. This is also the home of the association "Eisenbahnerheim – Zentrum 166". Association chairman Werner Harrer and his team have dedicated themselves to the task of breathing new life into this historic house. Anyone who enters the railway workers' home immediately senses that history has been made here. This is the spirit of people who believed in a better future – and made it a reality with hard work and solidarity. The vida archive is a treasure for all those who want to know where we come from. There are numerous historical documents, books, photos, films and writings here – including the first issue of our trade union newspaper "Der Eisenbahner" from 1897. With a lot of passion and voluntary commitment, this historical fund is being digitized piece by piece - so that the history of the railway workers will remain alive in the future.

A place where community lives on

But the Eisenbahnerheim is not a place of nostalgia – it is a house full of life. With book presentations, film evenings, exhibitions and lectures, Werner Harrer and his team raise awareness of the values of our movement: cohesion, solidarity, commitment and pride in what we have achieved together. Young people in particular want to be shown that trade union history is not the past – but a mission for the future. Because only those who know their roots can continue to grow.

Stop by the Eisenbahnerheim

The vida archive is open every Monday (weekday) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can find more information and event tips on www.eisenbahnerheim.at