America House Innsbruck and the AAS Tirol
The AASTirol developed out of the Amerikahaus established in Innsbruck on 19 September 1949 in the former Café München, Erlerstraße 17 on the corner of Meranerstraße 7. Café München had been until the mid-1930’s an “it” gathering spot for higher society, holding daily concerts by the resident house band, hosting a chess club and having a casino. After the Anschluß it was appropriated (aryanized) and sold at auction.
Anichstraße showing Café Maximilian above the righthand corner
The building was damaged by U.S. bombs in December 1944. During Allied occupation, U.S. troops established in 1949 a U.S. information Center in the patchwork structure, which was renamed Amerikahaus and moved in 1953 with the AASTirol (formally established 1950 and listed with its seat in the Hofburg) to the Café Max, on the first floor up at Anichstraße 2.
“Cafe München”
Bombed out “Cafe München”
After the end of Allied occupation and the enactment of Austria’s State Treaty in 1955, the America House Innsbruck was officially closed. The AASTirol remained, assuming the responsibilities and some of the library, while most of the library holdings were gifted by the U.S. to the University of Innsbruck for the founding of the Department of American Studies. The AASTirol continued the cultural exchange and promotion of U.S.-Austrian social, educational and business ties, moving to space in the Palais Trapp, Maria-Theresienstraße 38 and then to Seilergasse 13 in the Old Town.