Fifty years ago, punk caused an earthquake in England—its aftershocks reached Vienna with a slight delay. From 1977 onwards, a small but energetic scene began to take shape, jolting Viennese bourgeois complacency with abrasive music and provocative attitudes. Bands such as Chuzpe, Pöbel, Dirt Shit, a-gen53, and the Dead Nittels got teenagers pogo dancing.
The punks’ main meeting point was the Saturday flea market. The motto was: “Do it yourself!” Outfits were homemade, badges were self-printed, and music was made—often without any prior experience.
This publication brings together 25 interviews with key figures from the scene. Its visual core consists of contemporary photographs—above all those by Mickey Kodak, one of Vienna’s first punks—as well as posters, record covers, fanzines, and other materials charged with subversive energy.
Peter Stuiber is a cultural historian, writer, and curator. He has been working at the Wien Museum for the past 20 years.
