'I wanted to reveal the soil, milieu, or social sphere and situation, from which the contributions of Vienna to European civilisation have sprung... I hope it is not my incurable love for my native city which makes me believe that Vienna is still important in the world of today, through all that is alive in its past, present and future...' Ilsa Barea, from her Preface (1966)

This fascinating, learned yet highly personal survey explores the legend of Vienna, from frontier fortress and melting pot to the culturally rich centrepiece of the Hapsburg Empire, through two world wars and the grave damage inflicted by Hitler.

'A fascinating account, so rich in texture, a book in which history and landscape, personalities and politics and culture combine to produce a living picture.' C.V. Wedgwood

'Neither the treacly legend, nor the acid anti-legend, but a delicate and scholarly panorama.' Arthur Koestler