Nazi Rule 1938 – 1945

Many of the measure taken by the Nazi regime were regarded positively by the majority of the population. The „Führer cult“, the illusion of a National Socialist „popular alliance“, social reforms, a tax policy that favoured the „ordinary Joe“ and opportunities for social advancement were largely welcomed. Financing these measures for the population was only possible by dispossessing German and Austrian Jews, and by exploiting countries occupied by the Wehrmacht. It seems that Linz benefited especially from „positive“ measures by Nazi rulers. Named „Patenstadt (adopted home town) of the Führer“ in 1938, incorporations, the settlement of heavy industry and various attractive construction projects such as the Nibelungen Bridge and numerous housing projects led to the city's rapid growth. Thousands of concentration camp prisoners and forced labourers worked in all manner of companies, air-raid protection and to provision the population until the end of the Nazi regime.