Austrian Vienna-Burgtheater Walking Stick Badge Souvenir

Excellent condition silvered Tombac walking stick badge souvenir. Measures 41mm by 32mm and has two nailing holes to be secured to a walking stick. Features the Burgtheater (Castle Theater) in Vienna with the coat of arms of Vienna and NSDAP below.

The Burgtheater (German: literally:”Castle Theater” but alternatively translated as “(Imperial) Court Theater”), originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the national theater of Austria in Vienna. It is the most important German-language theater and one of the most important theaters in the world. The Burgtheater was opened in 1741 and has become known as “die Burg” by the Viennese population; its theater company has created a traditional style and speech typical of Burgtheater performances.

In 1943, under Nazi rule, a notoriously extreme production of The Merchant of Venice was staged at the Burgtheater—with Werner Krauss as Shylock, one of several theater and film roles by this actor pandering to antisemitic stereotypes.