Vienna - Karl Marx Hof

Karl Marx Hof is the symbol of the 398 housing complexes which were built in Vienna between the wars by the social democratic city council (1919-34) and immortalized in a workers' song as the "little red brick to build a new world". There were 64,000 dwellings in total, but mainly in outlying districts and financed by taxes on luxury items such as the employment of servants and cars, and steep graduation of taxes on housing construction. The tenants, however, paid rents which were well within their means (5-8% of their wages) for the relatively small flats; gas and electricity rates were low and there was no charge for water. The scheme also offered excellent community facilities such as baths, laundries, community rooms, public houses,