Der Standard, May 25, 2021
German original: https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000126879770/die-umstrittene-umbenennung-des-makart-stegs-zum-marko-feingold-steg
The pedestrian crossing in Salzburg is used by some 20,000 passers-by each day, its renaming remains controversial.
Salzburg - Marko-Feingold-Steg has been presenting itself in its current form since 2001. The footbridge with the arched form and a curvature along its longitudinal axis was designed by the Salzburg-based architectural firm Halle 1; some 20,000 pedestrians use the important crossing between the left and right old towns each day. Due to its central location, it is probably one of the most-photographed motives by Salzburg visitors.
The first bridge over the Salzach in this location was erected in 1905. The crossing, which at the time required a toll, was named after Hans Markart, a Salzburger, who had passed away in 1884. Makart was a painter and decorative artist of the so-called Ringstrassen-Epoch and a darling of the Imperial Court. The nearby market place in the right old town is also named after him.
By resolution of the City Senate from September 16, 2020, the pedestrian crossing was renamed to Marko-Feingold-Steg, the corresponding ceremony will take place this coming Thursday.
This is designed to honor the life and work of the long-time President of the Jewish Community Salzburg and Holocaust Survivor Marko Feingold. Feingold was also one of the central officials of the Jewish escape organization Bricha (Hebrew: escape), which enabled the escape of some 250,000 Jews to Palestine.
Controversial Renaming
The renaming of the crossing remains controversial. The Green citizens’ party (Bürgerliste) has been pointing out again and again that the Jewish Community and Marko Feingold’s widow, Hanna, expressed opposition to the renaming of the footbridge. Hanna Feingold would have preferred a street with a postal address.
The Bürgerliste had originally suggested renaming Stelzhamerstrasse, which is in close proximity to the Synagogue in Salzburg’s Andräviertel quarter. The poet of the Upper Austrian state anthem, who passed away in 1874, was a particularly aggressive anti-Semite.
Sixty-four Problematic Street Names
The fact that the majority in City Hall, with some pushing by the People’s Party (ÖVP), did decide in favor of the footbridge prompted some critical commentary in local media. One one hand, skeptics suspect that the Feingold name will not catch on in spite of, or because of the prominent location of the bridge. The bridge was, after all, officially named Musemssteg since the 1920, until it got its de-facto name Makartsteg reinstated in the 1990s.
In addition, many suspect that the ÖVP did not want to create a precedent for renaming a street. The discussion over renaming 64 Salzburg streets named after Nazis or NS favorites has been ongoing for decades. ÖVP and SPÖ (Social Democrats) have been preventing this.