Volksheim (adult education centre)
The Volksheim Ottakring (adult education centre Ottakring) with its branches offered a wide range of scientifically oriented educational work. These adult education centres were an important element in Austro-Marxism’s self-image as an educational movement. Identifying with the goal of popularising and humanising knowledge led to the Vienna Circle’s strong commitment to popular education. Natural sciences and scientific philosophy were taught in numerous lectures and courses.
A second aspect was the economic necessity of finding fields of activity outside the university. In addition to the Volksheim, the activities of members of the Vienna Circle also included the Urania and its branches, extending all the way back to the monarchy. Prime examples of these were the lectures by Ernst Mach and the popular university lectures at the turn of the century.
Joint advertising poster of the Volksheim Ottakring adult education centre and the Wiener Volksbildungsverein (Vienna Association for Adult Education) with reference to scientific courses, 1926
Waismann talks about 11.2.1929 his philosophical course at the Volksheim.
Carnap’s diary, 11 February 1929
Illustration of the adult education centre network as a fortress of education
WBR, F-24603
Waismann, in the evening also Wittgenstein. Wittgenstein strongly against the popularisation of science, Waismann in favour, based on his adult education centre experience. Afterwards both against occultism, Wittgenstein very vehemently.
Carnap’s diary, 6 July 1927
Teaching and lecturing activities of the Vienna Circle at Viennese adult education centres
Physics room in Volksheim Ottakring, c. 1925
Österreichisches Volkshochschularchiv, B-Foto 3/251–500/342
Evening at the Ottakringer Volksheim. 7 o’clock Zilsel "Space and Time in Philosophy", on pure and applied geometry, very good and clear, also mentions my book.
Carnap’s diary, May 25 1929
Working in the laboratory during a chemistry course at Volksheim Ottakring, c. 1930
Verein für Geschichte der ArbeiterInnenbewegung, Inv.-Nr. E12/1144
Volksbildungshaus Margareten, Stöbergasse, my lecture ›The Language of Physics‹ (in the lecture series with the Mach Society); goes well.
Carnap diary, 8 March 1931
Memorandum concerning the prevention of illegal political party activities at Volksheim Ottakring, May 1936
The management of the Ottakring adult education centre protests against the threatened dismissal of Edgar Zilsel, June 1936
The protest of the director of the Volkshochschule was unsuccessful. Leo Gabriel and Erich Voegelin, who had denounced alleged illegal party work in the Volksheim, increasingly took over philosophical courses.