Patriarchat bleibt bei Eisenbahnbrücke
There are 1,152 street names in the city of Linz and only 4% of them are named after women. the new Danube Bridge will open in Linz in 2021 and FIFTITU% has launched a campaign calling for the bridge to be named after a woman*.
For example, the first Austrian Minister for Women's Affairs and bridge builder Johanna Dohnal: "The Dohnal Bridge" for equal rights
The Greens have taken up FIFTITU%'s proposal and submitted a motion to the city council to name the bridge after a woman.
There are plenty of suitable candidates, such as Anna Gröblinger, the well-known resistance fighter and women's political activist. She was awarded the Decoration of Honor of the Republic for her services to the liberation of Austria in the anti-fascist resistance.
The new Danube Bridge could also be named after Ute Bock, a staunch humanist and icon of civil courage. Born in Linz, she often lived humanity at her own expense and was a bridge builder of excellence.
Or after Eugenie Kain, the well-known author and real-life storyteller. The writer from Linz, who died ten years ago, knew how to put people at the center of her social-realist literature. Linz and the Danube also play an important role as central motifs in her works.
Patriarchy remains with railroad bridge
The railroad bridge was an architecturally valuable structure that was opened in 1900! in 2016, after almost 70% of Linz residents voted in favor of a new Danube crossing, the bridge was demolished.
It is incomprehensible why the new bridge built on the same site should now be called the same as its predecessor, as there is no architectural reference to the old structure, nor does a railroad cross the Danube on it.
On the other hand, it is obvious that the majority of local city politicians are afraid of naming this new bridge after a female personality:
Personal names of women* are even seen as "problematic" by the public, as they would only represent a "certain part" of our society.
Mozart, Stifter, Goethe, Bruckner, Gruber, Rudolf and a further 504 (!) streets in Linz are named after men*. In addition, there are countless buildings and statues.
In contrast, 5% of the streets bear a woman's name - but mainly outside the city center of Linz.
The new bridge would finally have been the perfect opportunity to name an important building in Linz after a woman* and show attitude. But instead, the majority of those politically responsible have once again caved in.
By the way: It's Linz 2021.