April 2025 Wien Museum - "Controlled Freedom": The allied forces in Vienna 🚩🇺🇸🇬🇧🇫🇷🇦🇹

Following Vienna’s liberation in April 1945 by Red Army, the city faced destruction, homelessness, hunger, and cold. Yet cultural life quickly returned—arts events resumed on April 27 under Soviet orders, soon joined by efforts from France, the UK, and the US. This marked an unprecedented influx of international culture. These initiatives supported Austria’s political and economic recovery and helped lay the emotional groundwork for a national identity distinct from Germany. The exhibition Controlled Freedom highlights how postwar cultural activity shaped the emergence of a democratic Austria—an influence that endures today. Toy jeep with Allied military policemen from 50s (From the private collection of Prof.Mag.Rolf M. Urrisk-Obertyński (Wien Museum).

Happy Friday! 🐣🐣🐣

Never-ending battle for my shelves...🤨

Lineol artillery crew with Goso cannon 💣💣💣

Lineol field artillery gun crew operates a Göso tinplate cannon. Old German toys from 30s.

German WW1 Cavalry from Manz 🏇🏇🏇

These 5.4 cm German cavalrymen were produced from a composition material by Manz(Germany) from 1914 to 1918.

Mercedes-Benz 770 from Tipp & Co 🚨🚨🚨

Adolf Hitler’s Mercedes-Benz 770 – Tipp & Co Model (1937, Germany) Tippco’s tinplate military vehicles rank among the finest clockwork tin toys of the pre-war era, standing alongside top-quality makers like Lineol and Hausser/Elastolin in craftsmanship and design. This tinplate toy limousine n934, produced by Tipp & Co in Nuremberg in 1937,represents the Mercedes-Benz 770 "Großer Mercedes" convertible. Originally introduced in 1930 as a state vehicle for high-ranking officials, the full-sized version was famously used by Adolf Hitler throughout the 1930s. The toy features the same license plate, 11A-19357, as Hitler’s actual car, reflecting both its historical accuracy and propaganda significance.Tipp & Co also produced the n934/7 version of this toy model with electric lights. The Adolf Hitler's and Waffen SS figures are produced by Lineol, Tippco and Elastolin (Germany) in 30s/40s.

WW2 German LMG Machine Gunner from different makers 🔫🔫🔫

It was very interesting to compare these three composition figures depicting a marching German soldier with his MG 08/15. These figures from 30s were produced by (from left to right): Kienel, Elastolin (664/15) and Lineol(5/153). In my opinion, Elastolin managed to create the most interesting and detailed version.

China during World War I 🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳

From 1917 to 1918, China took part in World War I as an ally of the Entente Powers. While it did not deploy combat troops abroad, approximately 140,000 Chinese laborers, enlisted in the British Army's Chinese Labour Corps, supported both British and French forces before the war concluded. 7.5 cm Composition Chinese WW1 soldier produced by Manz(Germany) in 1914 - 1918 and the Special Gunpowder Tea.🍵🫖