Ostarrichislam -Turkish Stone at Laudon Tomb
Catalogue: Ostarrichislam - Fragmente achthundertjähriger gemeinsamer Geschichte. Amena Shakir / Gernot Galib Stanfel / Martin M. Weinberger 2012 Vienna: Al Hamra
Can it be that a Muslim dignitary was buried in a Vienna Forest?
When approaching the site Islamic inscription and calligraphy strike the eye and also a tughra, the official seal of the Ottoman sultans, is shown. Looking closer it becomes obvious that something is wrong, however: the stone was placed the wrong way round with the inscription turned upside down.
This tombstone had originally been erected on the property of Baron Ernst Gideon Laudon in the 14th district. As field marshal in the Habsburg army Laudon had conquered Weissenburg (Belgrade) during the Ottoman wars and decided to have the tombstone of Ali Riza Pasha, the former governor of Weissenburg, transferred to his later tomb to demonstrate his triumph. He should never discover that his trophy had not been the tombstone of Ali Reza and would moreover be erected the wrong way round because of the ignorance of his survivors.
