After the First World War the former imperial city of Vienna elected a stable Social Democratic majority. Throughout the 1920s and into the 1930s, "Red Vienna" (as it was derisively called by its critics) became the site of successful large-scale experiments in public housing, hygiene, and education, while still maintaining its world-class contributions to music, literature, art, culture, and science. Though Red Vienna eventually fell victim to fascist violence, the era left a rich legacy that has the potential to influence our own tumultuous time.

Red Vienna...