ABSTRACT
Vienna at the beginning of the twentieth century was the metropolis of a state which in area was second largest and in population third largest in Europe. As ‘Imperial Capital and Residence’ of the Habsburg monarchy, as the political, economic and cultural focal point of an enormous empire inhabited by eleven nations, Vienna experienced at this time a rapid increase in population. Between 1900 and 1910 the number of inhabitants rose from 1.6 to 2.1 million. In this respect Vienna stood fourth among the great cities of Europe (behind London, Paris and Berlin), and eighth by world standards.
