Official name: Republic of Austria
Capital Vienna
Population 8,169,929 (July 2002 est.)
Languages German
Time GMT+1 in winter and GMT+2 in summer
Independence 1156 (from Bavaria)
National holiday National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State
Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and the passage
of the law on permanent neutrality
Currency euro (EUR)
Temp Summer Temp: 20º C / 25º C
Winter Temp: -2º C /5º C
Ethnic groups German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians,
Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2% (includes those
who have lived in Austria at least three generations)
Religions Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%
Located in Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Total Area: 83,858 sq km
land: 82,738 sq km
water: 1,120 sq km
Land boundaries total: 2,562 km
bordering countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km,
Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland
164 km
Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in
lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
Terrain: in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and
northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Elevation extremes:
lowest: Neusiedler See 115 m
highest: Grossglockner 3,798 m
Natural resources: iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper,
hydropower
Natural hazards landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
Food
Vienna boasts one of the world's most famous culinary traditions. A diverse
yet delectably harmonious range of dishes reflects the city's mix of nationalities
and food cultures through the centuries, and inspires visitors from all over
the globe. Below you will find recipes for some of the most famous Viennese
specialities. Why not try out a few for yourself? And, maybe you will soon be
eating the originals at a traditional inn or cosy coffee house in Vienna!
Weiner Schnitzel-A speciality originating from the Italian "costoletta
milanese"-bread-crumbed and fried veal escalope, frequently served with
Erdäpfel Salat-A delicious side dish made from potatoes.
Tafelspitz-Choice pieces of boiled beef with classic garnishes
Kaiserschmarrn-A legend says that this dessert of shredded pancake and stewed
fruit was invented for Emperor Franz Joseph.
Cheese danish joins apple strudel as one of the most famous
specialities - wafer-thin strudel pastry filled with sweet cheese and raisins.
Apfelstrudel-If you want to bake a delicious Apfelstrudel the dough has to be
rolled out very thin. You can also buy the finished dough which tastes good
as well.
Salzburger Nockerln are not an easy dish, but they are worth
the effort!
Sachertorte-The recipe of the original Sachertorte is a secret but this cake
tastes almost the same.
Getting there
Vienna is Austria's main airport, but you can also fly to Linz, Salzburg, Klagenfurt
or Graz. Austrian Airlines (AUA), is a holding company that includes Lauda Air
and Tyrolean Airlines and flies to numerous international destinations.
The Austrian rail network is comfortable, modern and reliable, there are international
bus options available which are cheaper but also slower and less comfortable.
The network of roads and motorways is excellent and well-maintained. You can
cross the border 24 hours a day at major crossing points.
Once the centre of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was
reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. After which Austria's
status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the
occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with
Germany. A constitutional law of that same year declared the country's "perpetual
neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality,
once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into
question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the European
Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union
in 1999.
Topography:
Most of country is Alpine or sub-Alpine; heavily
wooded mountains and hills with valleys of fast-flowing rivers. Plains around
Vienna and Danube Valley in the northeast only lowland areas and contain most
of population. The Danube flows east through northern provinces and Vienna.
Of the total area, 20 percent is arable land, 29 percent is pasture, 44 percent
is forest, and 7 percent is barren.
Austria is a small, predominantly mountainous country located in south-central
Europe. The landlocked country shares national borders with Switzerland and
the tiny principality of Liechtenstein to the west, Germany and the Czech Republic
and Slovakia to the north, Hungary to the east, and Slovenia and Italy to the
south.
The westernmost third of the somewhat pear-shaped country consists of a narrow
corridor between Germany and Italy. The rest of Austria lies to the east and
has a maximum north-south width of 280 kilometers. The country measures almost
600 kilometers in length, extending from Lake Constance on the Austrian-Swiss
border in the west to the Neusiedler See on the Austrian-Hungarian border in
the east.
Seven of Austria's nine provinces have long historical traditions predating
the establishment of the Republic of Austria in 1918: Upper Austria, Lower Austria,
Styria, Carinthia, Salzburg , Tirol, and Vorarlberg. The provinces of Burgenland
and Vienna were established after World War I. Most of Burgenland had been part
of the Kingdom of Hungary, but it had a predominantly German-speaking population
and hence became Austrian. Each province has a provincial capital with the exception
of Vienna, which is a province in its own right in addition to being the federal
capital. In Vienna, the City Council and the mayor function as a provincial
parliament and provincial governor, respectively.
Vienna
Vienna's history can be traced back to Roman times. Like many cities throughout
Europe, it is based on a former Roman military settlement called Vindobona.
After the decline of the Roman Empire, the remains of this camp developed in
to a town under the reign of the Babenberger dynasty. In 1492 it became the
seat and capital of the Habsburger's Holy Roman Empire and began its development
in to the city it is today.
Nowadays, Vienna is the capital of the Austrian Republic, the seat of government, home to approximately 1,7 million people and place of work for many Austrians from the surrounding area.
Vienna offers a variety of sightseeing options. The St. Stephan's
Cathedral is one of the City's oldest buildings, combining, as a result of its
lengthy construction time, a number of different architectural styles. The Ringstrasse,
the former encircling border of the city centre was turned into a magnificent
boulevard in the 19th century and is definitely worth a walk. A must for tourists
is the Schloss Schönbrunn, the former summer seat and residence of the
Habsburgs, with its parks, palm house, butterfly house and world renowned Zoo.
Vienna is a melting pot for what used to be a multinational empire during the
Habsburg monarchy. The immigration of Hungarians, Czechs and Poles and other
ethnic groups has left its influence everywhere, especially on the surnames
of many Viennese inhabitants.
Vienna is not only the political, but also the cultural capital of Austria. The city offers a wide variety of theatre, music, art and cinemas and its cultural tradition of high art is well known worldwide. Vienna has been home to many famous musicians, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Falco. It is still a very popular place to live for artists from all over the world.
Innsbruck
The Inn valley has always been strategically important due to its geographical
and central location. The first settlements date back to the Bronze Age. As
the Roman Empire expanded to the North, the valley became an important military
transportation route. They built a fortified road fort, Veldidena, which is
now Innsbruck's district of Wilten. With the settlements of the Bajuwaren, the
area became Bavarian and was later given to the Bishops of Brixen, who lost
more and more control of the area to the native Tyrolean counts. In the year
1187 the name "Innsbrucke", which means Bridge over the River Inn,
is first mentioned. Soon they built Innsbruck as the center of their domain.
In the 15th century the emperor Maximilian I made the city the centre of his new administration, culture and financial politics. He erected the "Goldene Dachl" in the core of Innsbruck's now historic center, a renaissance oriole, decorated with gold painted copper shingles. In 1665 Empress Maria Theresia built the Triumph Gate and expanded the "Hofburg", the residence of the Habsburgs in Innsbruck.
Nowadays, the architecture of this period still characterises
the cityscape.
In 1805 Napoleon's armies defeated Austria and Tyrol was given to the Bavarians.
The Tyrolean resistance fighter Andreas Hofer managed to free Tyrol from the
German and French troops for a while an in 1814 it was returned to the Austrians.
Andreas Hofer is a Tyrolean National hero and a large painted round panorama
picture, the "Rundgemälde", was dedicated to his fight on the
Mount Isle.
Nowadays Innsbruck, with its 150.000 inhabitants, is, as a result of its favourable position in the Alps, an international centre for winter sports and was the host of the Olympic Winter Games twice, in 1964 and 1976. It is also kind of an unofficial capital for snowboarding in Europe.
Salzburg
The establishment of the town of Salzburg can be precisely traced to the year
696 when the missionary St. Rubert arrived in the area and founded the Benedictine
Monastery of St. Peters. The town merged into an independent church state, ruled
by a sovereign, the Archbishop. He was not only the spiritual leader but also
possessed many worldly powers. The organisation of the city was in a Vatican-like
style and Salzburg was not called the "Rome of the North" on a whim.
The city is nestled between two mountains Kapuzinerberg and Mönchsberg and the River Salzach. It is a picturesque city with small alleyways, quaint colourful town houses, rich castles and palaces, with styled gardens and a large number of churches and monasteries.
The Fortress of Hohensalzburg, a 900 year old building which cannot be missed, is considered to be the most well-maintained Medieval Fortress in Europe.
St. Sebastian is the city's most impressive church, built in the Gothic style, with a well-tended cemetery. The city of Salzburg displays proof of the wealth and power of the Archbishop and the Catholic Church and is today home to approximately 150.000 inhabitants.
Salzburg is most certainly a city of music. It was the home and birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the memorial to him at the Mozart Square honours the city's most famous son. Salzburg has a long history of being a popular destination for musicians, harboured by the many Archbishops fondness for music. This city has retained its charm and character through the centuries. Today Salzburg is known for its annual cultural Festival (Salzburger Festspiele), which offers a variety of operas, concerts and theatrical plays, ranging from classical to contemporary styles. The city is also a very popular place to study for a solid musical or theatrical education and as a result, many students from around the world enrol at one of the many different schools in Salzburg every year.
Linz
Like most cities in Austria, the city of Linz is based on the Roman expansion
to the North. The bending of the River Danube made this territory a strategic
point and a small castle fortified it. The castle and its settlements where
named Lentia. Linz was first mentioned in 799 AD, when the Bavarians expanded
to the South and this area was transformed into a trading hub.
Starting at the beginning of the 16th century the ideas of the Reformation reached
Linz and where happily welcomed. By 1542, the first protestant major was elected
and the Landhaus was erected. In 1600 the Habsburgers initiated the Counter
Reformation. By 1700 the city's layout was formed and remains to this day, with
Baroque buildings and the erecting of different monasteries. A wool fabrication
plant was built, giving work to up to 50.000 people, making Linz Austria's main
textile factory and a center of trade.
With industrialisation in the early 19th century Linz grew more and more into
an commercial city, which made it an aim for above average air raids during
World War II. In 1966 it became a university city with the construction of the
Johannes Kepler University.
For decades Voest Alpine industries and Chemie Linz have been major players in the city's economy. After severe troubles both enterprises are sound once more and provide jobs for a significant number of people. For a long time Linz was considered to be an industrial city , with all the negatives that go with it: dirty, smelly and devoid of cultural activities. However, with internationally renowned institutions like the Brucknerhaus and ARS Electronica Center and many other activities Linz has managed to shed this image and attracts a large number of tourists and guests. In 2003 a spectacular museum was built on the banks of the Danube. Lentos is an impressive modern building and houses a good collection of contemporary art featuring works by Kokoschka, Schiele, Klimt, Attersee or Hrdlicka.
Nowadays, Linz is the second largest city in Austria and a very important location for industry. It is home to approximately 200.000 people and host to the annual Bruckner Festival and the Ars Electronica, a fair dedicated to technology and contemporary electronic art.
Graz
Graz is the capital of Styria, a county in the southeast corner of Austria.
The city is located in between rolling hills, to the north, east and west, only
open to the south. The first settlements date back to 800 AD and through the
medieval times, the Styrian landowners, took over the town and turned it into
a flourishing trading center. Because of its easily fortified and nearly invulnerable
Schlossberg in the heart of the city, Graz has always been a very important
strategic location. Throughout the reign of the Babenbergers and the Habsburgs,
the city was considered to be the second capital of Austria.
The city's architecture is dominated largely by the struggle of the Reformists and the Habsburgs' Counter Reformation. Protestant buildings like the Landhaus and many different palaces encounter buildings like the old University, the Mausoleum and the Minoritenkirche, erected to represents strict Catholic beliefs. The Counter Reformation was very successful in placing Protestants in the minority, a trend which remains to the present day.
The most important example of Baroque architecture in Graz is without doubt the Schloss Eggenberg. A very significant landmark of the city is the romantic Uhrturm, a tower still using its original mechanism from 1712 and a traditional location for local's first kiss. The fortress on the Schlossberg has had a big influence on the layout of the city and contains the largest collection of early modern weaponry and suits of armour to be found in Europe. In the 19th century Graz grew to be a large city and many buildings that are representative of this development e.g. the Karl-Franzens-University, the City Hall and the opera house were erected.
Today Graz is the second largest city in Austria and home to
around 230.000 people. It offers a great deal of cultural opportunities, like
the Styriade, an annual exhibition, dedicated to contemporary art, theatre and
performance art.
Bregenz
The town of Bregenz is located on the Bodensee close to the four-border corner
of Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The roots of this capital of Vorarlberg
can be found in Roman times. Bregenz was the military fort and base of trade
known as Brigantinum. Around 610 AD it was conquered and destroyed by the Allmanni.
From the 10th century onwards Bregenz became the seat of Count Uldarichinger
and started flourishing and extending in the 13th and 14th centuries. Bregenz
was acquired by the Habsburgs in two halves one in 1451 and one in 1523. During
the 18th to the 19th centuries the transport network was expanded enormously
through rail and steamship connections. In 1923 Bregenz became the capital of
Vorarlberg and in 1945 it was severely damaged by French troops, around 72 homes
were destroyed.
Today, Bregenz is home to around 27,000 people. With its location on the Bodensee and in the Alps it has bi-seasonal tourism with around 230,000 people from all around the world staying in the town. The economy is dominated by small businesses, especially in the textile industry.
The Upper town district is the oldest, with buildings from the
13th through to the 16th century. In this part of town you can still find parts
of the original fortifying town walls. The Martin's Tower is the landmark of
Bregenz, a building with a late Roman core and mainly baroque style architecture.
The fresco in the chapel dates back to 1362. A further very impressive building
is the gothic parish church of St. Gall, with a Roman-Romanesque foundation
dating from before 1380 and a Baroque altar.
The biggest cultural event is the Bregenz Festival in the summer, with operas
and plays, held on a stage build on the Bodensee itself.
Klagenfurt
According to legend, the area around Klagenfurt was haunted by a special kind
of dragon, a 'lindwurm'. A very brave man killed it and as a result Klagenfurt
was founded.
Klagenfurt is Carinthia's capital. The main sights include a huge statue of
the 'lindwurm' at the centre of the 'Neuer Platz', Klagenfurt's major square
which also houses its city hall.
'Landhaus' is the seat of the Carinthian parliament and features an impressive
hall adorned with ancient coats of arms.
The Klagenfurt cathedral is a spectacular building and is decorated
in a baroque style. A simpler example of baroque architecture is the city's
central parish church with a tower which serves as a highly visible landmark.
'Minimundus', is also a major attraction: housing a collection of small scale
models of famous buildings from all over the world (including the Eiffel tower,
Taj Mahal, St. Peter's cathedral etc.)
Lake 'Wörthersee' and the town itself are connected by an artificial waterway:
'Lendkanal'.
Located nearby is the Romanesque Gurk cathedral, the impressive Hochosterwitz
fortress and an astonishing number of smaller castles.
Skiing
Skiing is one of the most popular sports in Austria and is famous throughout
Austrian history. An Austrian citizen with no skiing ambitions cannot be considered
a true Austrian. Austrian professional skiers are at the top of world rankings
and Innsbruck was not host for the Olympic Winter Games in both 1964 and 1974
by accident. Many different skiing resorts in the Alps are well known throughout
the world and attract tourists from almost everywhere. Because the Austrian
Alps are well inhabited , there was no reason to create new and artificial skiing
resorts, instead existing towns shifted to skiing tourism. To maintain the local
atmosphere enjoyed by all foreigners, the small valleys were adapted very modestly
to accommodate modern mass tourism, whilst still offering high tech lifts and
tracks and accommodation ranging from basic to luxury.
The skiing areas are very well organized, offering all sorts of transportation
and many valleys are connected to one another. It is not rare that you start
skiing in one valley in the morning and end the day in a totally different one.
Some areas offer so many lifts and tracks, that even after a week you have not
seen them all. Another very important fact is the snowboarding friendly environment,
allowing boarders the use of all lifts and tracks. Many areas host big international
skiing and snowboarding competitions and Innsbruck is considered to be the "snowboarding
capital" of Europe.
Nowadays skiing holidays are no longer limited to skiing. More and more skiing
resorts also offer exciting nightlife options, parties and other fun activities.
Towns like Kitzbühel are meeting points for high society and party areas.
A very positive experience for tourists is the very friendly climate and the
welcoming inhabitants
One of the most popular skiing areas is Arlberg, reaching from Vorarlberg to
Tyrolia With its small villages and quaint towns like Lech, St. Anton, Stuben
and Zürs this region attractes skiers from all over the world. The Arlberg
is also known for its luxurious accommodation and long skiing history. Because
of the altitude of its tracks at around 2200m, good snow conditions are almost
guranteed from December through until April. It is also a very popular skiing
resort for the Royal British Family.
Kitzbühel and its neighboring towns Lechberg, Kirchberg and Mittersill
offer skiers a large and modern skiing area. The famous "Hahnenkamm"
race, one of the most important skiing events, has been held here once a year
since 1931 and its the reputation as an Apres Ski town, makes Kitzbühel
a very popular and exclusive skiing resort. Additionally, parts of the 1965
movie "Help!" starring the Beatles were filmed in Kitzbühel.
The towns of Saalbach and Hinterglemm in Salzburg offers 200km of tracks and
around 60 lifts. Like many of the Austrian skiing resorts, Apres Ski and Nightlife
are offered to tourists as a refreshing change at the end of a gruelling day's
skiing and snowboarding.
The Alps
The Alps are Europe's major range of mountains, spanning from the Mediterranean
coast of France via Switzerland, N Italy and Austria to Slovenia. As such, a
considerable area of Austria is part of this mountain range, accordingly hiking,
skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing rate highly among Austrian's favourite
pastimes.
The clean air, spectacular sights, lakes and glaciers and well-tended
trails and hikes contribute to the Alps allure and attract numerous tourists
and visitors.
The Alps flora and fauna is unique as well: the Edelweiss, Austria's national
flower, and Gentian ('Enzian') may be rare, but they have shaped the worlds
image of Austria and the Alps. Local animals such as chamois, marmots and ibexes
are well adapted to the alpine habitat.
Mt Grossglockner is Austria's highest peak featuring a spectacular glacier ('Pasterze')
and a 50 km long panoramic road, which is easily accessible in summertime and
offers some of the most spectacular views in Austria. The 'Hohe Tauern' National
park was established to protect the fragile ecosystem of the most fantastic
areas surrounding Mt Grossglockner.
Eisriesenwelten are the largest accessible ice caves in the world. Its frozen
waterfalls and elaborate ice formations can be admired on guided tours taking
you for 75 minutes into a fascinating world . Its caves and passages adorned
with frozen stalagmites and other ice formations are named after famous characters
in Norse mythology.
The enormous caves are located in the proximity of Werfen, an easy distance
from Salzburg.
Culture-Classical Music
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791
At the early age of 4 years Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart started to receive his musical
education and was taught by his father. At the age of 5 he was presented as
an infant prodigy and performed his first musical tour through Europe. Mozart's
career was closely linked to the city of Vienna. Aged 6, he performed for the
Austrian royals at the Hall of Mirrors at Schloss Schönnbrunn and enchanted
Empress Maria Theresia and her family with his talent and his liveliness. On
this tour through Europe it became clear that Mozart was not only an excellent
performer, but was also interested in composing music. In 1765, his first Sonatas
were published in Paris in 1765.
Mozart moved to Vienna in 1781 aged 25. In the House of the Teutonic Order he
fell out with his employer, the Archbishop of Salzburg. Mozart resigned his
secure employment at Salzburg and opted for a freelance career in Vienna.
Mozart's first months in Vienna were spent in a small pension in the direct
vicinity of St. Peter's Church, a beautiful baroque church in the first district.
There, the composer fell in love with Konstanze Weber, daughter to the establishment.
The success of his opera "The Abduction from the Seraglio" enabled
him to marry - at St. Stephen's Cathedral.
2 years later, Mozart and his family moved into the "Mozarthaus" into
a spacious apartment. Mozart was respected and successful as a musician and
happy in his marriage. His years at 'Mozarthaus' would be the most productive
period in his live. He composed piano concerti, chamber music works and the
opera "The Marriage of Figaro".
A year before his death, Mozart and his family moved into another first district
apartment. In spite of his success the family was heavily in dept and Mozart
worked frantically to earn more money. "The Magic Flute" was composed
in this time and the famous unfinished Requiem, unfinished as Mozart suddenly
took ill and died on the 5th December 1791. His remains received his last blessings
in the 'Kruzifixkapelle' in St. Stephen's Cathedral. Parts of the Requiem were
performed for the first time during the wake at Michaelerkirche. Then, Mozart
was buried at St. Marx Cemetery. 60 years after his death a monument was erected
at the grave yard to commemorate the great musician, 100 years after his death
this memorial was moved to the graves of honour. First district's Burggarten
features an impressive Mozart memorial!
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770-1827
Ludwig van Beethoven received his musical education by his father Johann, who
was a singer and instrumentalist in the service of the Elector of Cologne at
Bonn. In 1787 Beethoven moved to Vienna where he worked and studied with Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart and Joseph Haydn. In 1795 he made his first public appearance
at the Vienna Burgtheater. He was strongly bound to aristocracy and the Viennese
society and Beethoven often dedicated his work to them. Their support or employment
left Beethoven a lot of time to life and work as a free artist.
In 1794 he first noticed an impairment in his hearing, which was diagnosed incurable in 1802. Around this period he composed the "Eroica Symphonie" and the "Symphonie No.5" Beethoven hearing problem increased rapidly from 1801 to 1818. In 1814 he presented his one and only opera "Fidelio", in 1815 he conducted his last concert and around 1818 he went completely deaf. In his late period, nearly deaf he composed the "Choral Symphony, No.9".
Joseph Haydn 1732-1809
At the age of 8 Joseph Haydn was sent to Vienna as a choirboy at St. Stephen's
Cathedral. Until 1750 he studied violin and different keyboard instruments and
started to compose his first work.
By 1766 he was assigned Kapellmeister for the Esterhazys in Eisenstadt, one of the leading Hungarian Families, where he was in charge of around 20 musicians. After the death of Prince Nicholas in 1790 and the dissolving of the Esterhazy orchestra, Haydn moved back to Vienna, where he became one of the leading musicians. From 1791 to 1792 he stayed in London, where Oxford University awarded him an honorary doctor of music.
In 1795 the Esterhazy orchestra was resurrected by Prince Nikolaus
II and Haydn was given a lot of freedom, to work as a musical director. During
this time he composed the string quartets "Rider" and the "Emperor
Quartet" and the world famous song "God Save The Emperor Franz",
today known as the German national anthem.
Franz Schubert 1797-1828
Throughout his childhood Franz Schubert developed a dedication to music and
studied piano, organ, violin and singing. By 1814 he had already produced a
lot of work, including piano pieces, string quartets, his first symphony and
a three act opera.
Although Schubert was forced by his family to take on a job as a teacher in
his father's school, he still continued to compose and he managed to produce
more music. During this period he gathered with friends for domestic evenings
dedicated to Schubert's music, later known as the "Schubertiads".
Song like "Der Wanderer" and "Die Forelle" where introduced.
In 1822 he got infected by syphilis and was in deep financial
needs, marking this time as a dark period. But Schubert still kept creating
new work like "Schöne Müllerin" the "Eighth Symphony
("unfinished")" and a string Quartet d Minor ("Death and
the Maiden"). Although he was known at his time as a songwriter, his work
included a lot of Symphonies, String Quartets, piano sonatas and more.
Johann Strauss Jr. 1825-1899
Johann Strauss Jr. was born on the 25th of October 1825, as the first son of
Johann Strauss Sr. Although his father, a famous musician himself, forbid him
a musical career, he rather cared for violin lessons, than his schoolwork. In
1844 he performed his first concert at the Dommayer in Hietzing and soon, he
was the most dangerous competitor to his father.
When his father died in 1849, Strauss Jr. had already established himself as the Viennese Waltz King. He conquered big crowds of fans with his tours through Europe and America and trigged a world wide Strauss hysteria.
Jaque Offenbachs operettas inspired Johann Jr. to drift towards
stage-work himself titling his work as comical operas. His first operetta "Die
Fledermaus" had its premiere in 1871, and in 1874 he released "Der
Zigeunerbaron". He was married three times, he wrote 17 operettas and an
uncountable amount of waltzes and his "Schöne Blaue Donau" is
kind of an unofficial anthem for Austria to this day.
Johann Strauss Sr 1804-1849
Johann Strauss Sr. was born on the 14th of March 1804, as the son of an innkeeper.
The location of his father's inn at the Danube Channel and the neighbouring
harbour with it's rafts and boats from different countries and the music played
by the sailors, influenced Johann Sr. enthusiasm for popular dance music.
After the death of both parents he began working as an apprentice
for bookbinding in 1816 and started studying the violin. He got hired for the
chapel of Michael Pamer as violin player but soon Strauss decided to become
independent with his own orchestra and after a longer period of existential
and financial problems he managed his breakthrough. He started to tour through
Europe where he celebrated his popularity and he even played at the crowning
of Queen Victoria in London.
His success was enormous and he became conductor of the first civil regiment,
where he composed the "Radetzky Marsch".
Johannes Brahms 1833-1897
Johannes Brahms was born near Hamburg and as a son of a musician, he obtained
a musical education. Brahms was travelling around Europe and gave concerts of
his own music and after he became the manager of the Vienna Singers' Academy
in 1862 and in 1868. He settled in Vienna for permanent, which became his second
home.
From 1872 to 1875 he conducted the "Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien".
Although Brahms was employed a lot of times, he rather praised the life of a
free musician, like most of the composers at this time. His work includes 4
Symphonies, 2 Serenades, vocal pieces with orchestra and a lot of chamber music.
Modern Music
Falco 1957-1998
Falco was born in Vienna as Johann Hölzl. Starting at an early age, Falco's
interest was turned to music. After playing in different bands like Drahdiwaberl
and the Spinning Wheel he decided to start a solo career and his first album
in 1982 "Einzelhaft" was a bestseller at once. His musical style was
unique in the Austrian music scene and he managed to combine German lyrics with
the starting arising rap music from America. Although his follow up album "Junge
Römer", released in 1984 was highly critical acclaimed, he actual
world wide breakthrough came with his third album "Falco 3" in 1985.
Including the single "Rock Me Amadeus", with was a number one hit
in Austria, Germany, the UK and the USA, it was his best-selling album ever.
In 1986 he released his new album "Emotional", which turned out to
be an enormous success too. While his fame was rising, Falco's personal life
went downwards, rattled with marriage, alcohol and drug problems. In 1992 he
managed a midsize come back with the album "Nachtflug". In 1996 he
fled the Austrian media and life and moved to the Dominican Republic. After
releasing two hit singles and just having finished his new album, Falco died
in a car crash on the Dominican Republic in 1998. His last album "Out Of
The Dark" was released posthumously.
DJ Ötzi 1971-
DJ Ötzi was born as Gerry Friedle in St Johann in Tyrol. After his mother
gave him up for adoption, he was raised by his grandmother. In school he was
always an outsider and after he failed the School of Agriculture, he started
an apprenticeship as a cook. At the age 19, DJ Ötzi decided to conquer
the world and soon ended up homeless, living on the street. After four months,
he pulled himself together and started a career as a DJ in the local dance club
scene. Soon he started DJing all around Tyrol and Mallorca, working himself
up as a star in rural Austria. Even the diagnosis of testicle cancer in 1998,
which DJ Ötzi was healed of, couldn't slow down his career. His friend
and producer Claus Marcus talked him into singing "Der Anton aus Tirol",
DJ Ötzi agreed and landed a hit at once. DJ Ötzi was on top of the
Austrian, German and UK charts. All his follow up singles have been hits. DJ
Ötzi's singles are less significant for an interesting musical styles,
but for easy listening party and drinking music. Right now, DJ Ötzi is
one of the most successful Austrian musicians ever.
Traditional Dress
In earlier times, each 'tracht' identified a person as belonging to a particular
group in terms of social and legal status (married, single), origin or trade.
Today, the term is used to describe any garment reminiscent of the attire of
rural communities. Regional varieties are pronounced.
Women's attire, the dirndl, consists of a closefitting bodice combined with an apron in a different colour. Sometimes its sleeveless and worn with a cotton and lace blouse, sometimes it features sleeves and a high neck. Hats are often costly and elaborate. They vary according to occasion and region: 'Goldhauben' (Upper Austria) and 'Bollenhut' (Black Forest region, Germany) are only worn on festive occasions.
Man's traditional clothing is made from leather, linen and wool. 'Lederhosen', knee-length trousers or short-pants made from leather are worn with rustic shoes and wool socks. Again, jackets and hats vary according to region and occasion. The traditional 'Steireranzug' a greyish garment made from loden with green embroidery has managed to become a semi-official tracht all over Austria and can be worn to all sorts of official occasions from formal dinner, ball or political meeting.
In Austria, people still enjoy wearing 'tracht' on official occasions like weddings, festivals, etc. Contemporary fashion adapts traditional elements, the production of dirndl and lederhosen is a thriving economical branch with Sportalm, Geiger or Tostmann being favourite brands.
There are many societies dedicated to 'tracht' revivals. Often, those efforts coincide with an interest in traditional crafts, like porcelain, glass-making or wood carving and traditional folk music and dancing.
With the great success of the Trapp family in the States and the even greater success of 'The sound of music' tracht became famous in the states, too!
Customs
Advent
Advent season ('Advent') starts four full weeks prior to Christmas. On four
subsequent Sundays the family joins around the traditional advent wreath with
four candles ('Adventkranz'). Each Sunday one more candle is lit to mark the
advent of Christmas. Often this time is used for singing Christmas carols and
generally getting ready for Christmas. This might include reading stories, drinking
tea and getting a first taste of delicious Christmas cookies. (Strictly speaking
'Advent' is a season of fasting but it is a save bet that at least as many people
nibble cookies as manage to refrain.)
An advent calendar ('Adventkalender') features 24 little bags or windows that
you can open one by one starting at the 1st of December. The bags contain little
presents; the windows contain either images or chocolate. When you open the
last window/bag Christmas Day has arrived.
Children are asked to compose a list of wishes addressed to the 'Christkindl',
which fetches all lists from the windowsill and leaves a small surprise present.
Speaking of the 'Christkindl': Christkindlmärkte are another fascinating
aspect of advent season.
5th and 6th December
‘Krampus' and 'St. Nikolaus' play an ancient game of 'good cop bad cop'
with the 'Krampus' aiming to punish your wrongdoings and 'St. Nikolaus' making
amends the day after. Actually, traditions vary all over Austria: you might
find both of them making house visits on the 6th of December, you might find
the local youth dressing up as gangs of 'Krampusse' and haunting the streets
a day before St. Nikolaus visits the families.
Here's what they look like: St. Nikolaus is clad in red with an shock of white
hair and an enormous beard. He carries a bountiful bag filled with presents.
If you see him recite a poem to get presents. A 'Krampus' hides beneath a special
suit of fur and a (carved) mask or painted face. He often carries cowbells and
always a birch. If you see him run!