Study of Austrian Culture

In less then 2 weeks I will be making my 3rd trip to Europe to visit my cousin Marc and brother Andres. I'm very excited since I will be setting foot in new territory in Central Europe, visiting the cities of Vienna, Brno, and Prague. I will later visit my brother's domain back in Scandinavia this time in Stavanger, Norway (also new territory). The trip will be broken up into three phases; arrive in Vienna for a couple days, spend a few days in the Czech Republic, and then spend a few days in Norway. So in this post I would like to make a deep dive into better understanding Austrian culture.

The first thing that comes to mind for me when I think of Austria is the great musician, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. As a young kid I was introduced to Mozart mostly thru the movie Amadeus. He was born in the city of Salzburg and later moved to the capital of Vienna, "city of music" where he found great success in operas. It was in this movie that I first came to understand Mozart's life and music, but also the thriving artistic city of Vienna. So I truly hope I can visit a museum or some site that gives homage to the greatest composer of all time. It should also be noted that Austria was home to many great classical musicians such as Franz Schubert, Joseph Haydn, Gustav Mahler, Johann Straus II, and Arnold Schoenberg. 

Despite it's tight association to German and Hungarian identity, Austria has it's own rather unique culture and history. Aside from it's very rich musical influence, Austria was home to many great thinkers, such as the founders of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. Also one of the greatest of painters in Gustav Klimt, known for his original style of golden leaf. They are best known for their wiener schnitzel, strudels, and of course their beer. Outside of the classical architecture seen in cities such as Vienna and Salzburg, is a breathtaking landscape like a beautiful valley of green pastures submerged in the Alps. It's no wonder the city of Vienna has inspired such great minds and artists alike.

Austrian History

The region of present day Austria was made up of three provinces during the Roman Empire; Raetia in the west, Noricum in the center, and Pannonia to the east. All regions were bordered by the Danube River to it's north which served as a defensive line against the German barbarians. During this time Austria's iconic cities of Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck were built by the Romans. Christianity took root throughout Austria by the 2nd century. The region began to collapse by 400 AD at the hands of various Germanic tribes such as the Goths, Vandals, Visigoths, and Ostrogoths. 

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the region of present day Austria was inhabited by a Germanic tribe known as the Bavarians. The territory was a part of the barbarian Frankish Empire on it's furthest eastern border. The region was ruled by the Agilofings noble family from 550-788 AD until it was swallowed by the rising Carolingian dynasty. In 800 AD the Frankish King Charlemagne established the Holy Roman Empire which united much of central Europe with a devotion to Christianity. The Duchy of Bavaria was a part of this kingdom later referred to as Austria by 976, which was a German word for "eastern realm". 

In 1156 the Duchy of Austria became an independent domain within the Holy Romain Empire. The region was later acquired by the Kingdom of Germany in 1273 by King Rudolf I. This marked the beginning of the Habsburg Dynasty that would reign over Austria, Germany, and much of Europe until the 20th century. By 1453 Austria had managed to separate themselves from Germany and the city of Vienna became the home of the new Holy Roman emperor, Frederick III. From this stage on the duchy of Austria became a new rising power in Europe. During this time the Habsburg monarchy fought against the Ottoman Empire for control of Hungary and Transylvania (modern day Romania). 

During the 1600s Austria was caught-up in the religious conflict sweeping thru all of Europe due to the Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation. The Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II waged the Thirty Years War in 1618 as an effort to re-establish Catholicism throughout central Europe. It was one of the bloodiest wars in European history, much of which took place in Austria and Germany. The outcome did not change all the much and Protestantism continued to spread. However Austria also continued to grow as a power under the leadership of Frederick III and Leopold I. By the early 1700s Vienna had arrived as a central stage in the Age of Enlightenment which gave way to the artistic Baroque Era. 

Austria achieved further success against the Ottomans in the Turkish Wars which expanded the Habsurg territory beyond Transylvania and into the southern Balkans. They then engaged in various European conflicts of power, such as the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1715) and the War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748). The Austrians eventually lost much of their northern region to King Frederick the Great's Prussia, however still retained it's powerful stance in Europe. The Austrian conflict with Prussia continued in the Silesian Wars and Seven Years War. 

In the year 1780, the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty ushered in a new golden age of enlightenment throughout Vienna, Austria. As a patron 89of the arts he brought on a policy of "Josephinism" to reform Austria into enlightened ideals. This included new renovations to the country's infrastructure, education, medicine, architecture, and especially the musical arts. It was during this period that Vienna hosted some of the world's most renown musicians such as Mozart, Joseph Haydn, and Beethoven. However this golden boom was somewhat short-lived due to the French Revolution that occurred in 1789 and stirred fear throughout much of Europe. 

Francis II took to reigning the Holy Roman Empire in 1792 during a time of much uncertainty due to the revolutionary ongoing  in France. Much of Joseph II's reform was repealed back in order to strengthen the monarchy's hold of power. The Holy Roman Empire sided with Britain, Prussia, Russia, and all other European nations in favor of the monarchy against the newly formed French republic. Napoleon reshaped his army and became the new French emperor in 1804. It was in the War of the Third Coalition that his French army defeated the monarchists that lead to the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. However this was by no means the end of King Francis' reign he simply transformed the Holy Roman Empire into the Austrian Empire. 

Following the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 Austria was able to regain much of it's conquered land at the international Congress of Vienna. Austria was once again restored to a European power aside Great Britain, France, Prussia, and Russia. However the anti-monarchist fervor continued to spread throughout Europe, and the Austrian Empire did not make make any significant gains in the 19th century. The empire was soon dismantled from within by the Revolutions of 1848, that brought an end to absolute monarchism and the dawn of democracy in Austria. However their troubles continued with new territorial claims from Italy and Hungary. In 1866 Hungary was able to enlist the support of the mighty Prussia and draw the Austrian Empire into war. 

The Austro-Prussian War of 1866 only lasted a month, and marked a sharp downfall for the Austrian Empire and the rise of the German Empire. Austria was reformed into the Austrian-Hungarian Empire which was more-or-less a puppet state to the German Empire. Under the leadership of emperor Franz Joseph I for 70 years Austria underwent a peaceful era with some good times during the Belle Epoque yet also an era of submission and tragedy. The emperor's brother in Mexico was executed, his wife was assassinated, his son committed suicide, and his heir-apparent nephew Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand led to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire declaring war on the Kingdom of Serbia. In turn Russia, England, and France sided with Serbia, while the German Empire sided with Austria-Hungary. This marked the beginning of WWI, a European war of alliances between the allied powers and the central powers.

Although Austria-Hungary and Serbia initiated the war, it was more so a battle of the elder brothers, pinning the mighty Britain against the industrial might of Germany. France was quickly subdued by Germany, and Russia had to bow out due to their own domestic revolution. However Britain was able to stand up against Germany in a modern day trench-warfare. The British were later aided by the Americans and in 1918 able to defeat the Central Powers. The Treaty of Versailles marked an end to all empires and the beginning of republic democracies. From 1918-1919 the Austrian-Hungarian empire was partitioned into the German-Austria Republic. A year later it was transformed into it's own soveringty as the First Austrian Republic. 

The First Austrian Republic was also short-lived and caught-up in the whirlwind of European politics such as communism and fascism. Despite it's intention to become it's own nation, Austria was still very much in the shadow of Germany and by the 1930s they were consumed by an Austro-fascism fervor pertaining to the rise of Adolf Hitler. Despite various efforts and civil conflicts by the Austrian government to squash this political upheaval they were eventually swallowed up by Nazi Germany in 1938. The Anschluss marked the official annexation of Austria by Adolf Hitler despite international laws forbidding the reunification of Austria and Germany. While their was some upheaval within Austria the majority of the population welcomed their German neighbors back into power. 

Austria once again took the passenger seat to Germany's war of aggression in WWII. And once again Austria was on the losing side against the Allied Powers of Britain, Russia, and the United States. In 1945 Austria then established it's second republic, which is the democratic government that still stands to this day. From this point on Austria has continued to develop it's own national identity. It has also strengthened it's political alliances, by joining the European Union in 1995 Austria has sustained a modern peaceful era. 

Austrian Architecture

Like most European nations Austria's architecture is one of rich history, dating back to the middle ages. This includes very old castles, cathedrals, and palaces scattered across the Alps and the historic cities of Salzburg, Graz, Linz, and Vienna. The country surprisingly has a rich heritage in the Catholic faith with it's iconic St. Stephen's Cathedral built back in 1160 AD. It has an even larger cathedral in the city of Linz known as the New Cathedral of Immaculate Conception. 

Austria's most famous palaces are the Belvedere and Schonbrunn built by the Habsburg dynasty in the 1700s. Today they remain one of Vienna's most popular tourist attractions. Also worth mentioning in Austria's architecture is their modern construction of the Semmering railway. It was built in the 1850s as Europe's first major mountain railway. Austria underwent an architecture revival during the Vienna Succession of the early 1900s led by great architects such as Josef Hoffman and Otto Wagner.     

Austrian Music

Without question Austria's greatest claim to fame is that in the department of music, much thanks to the musical genius of Mozart. Yet also due to it's musical epicenter in the city of Vienna, which brought on the greatest Baroque composers during the 1700s. Much of this cultural boom in Vienna was due to the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II who brought on an age of enlightenment during his reign from 1765-1780. As a patron of the arts Joseph transformed the city of Vienna into a booming cultural center and is forever known as the Musical King. Through this time he oversaw the golden age of Mozart's operatic work in Vienna which he was greatly supportive of. 

Aside from Mozart were many other influential classical composers from Austria. This included Joseph Haydn known as the father of the symphony and the string quarter, he was also a friend and mentor to the young Mozart. The composer/pianist Franz Liszt; the classical/romantic work of Franz Schubert; the romantic composer Gustav Mahler; Johann Straus II known for his light operatta music; and the more modern composer Arnold Schoenberg who had to flee Austria to America in 1933, to avoid persecution from the Nazis as Jew. For nearly 300 years Austria hosted some of the greatest classical court composers. The Vienna State Opera was built in 1869 and remains to this day as one of the largest and most renown operatic companies. 

Austrian Art

The region of Austria began to make a splash in the visual arts scene during the German Renaissance of the 1500s. The Danube school brought in a new style of etching, landscapes, and expressionist painting. However Austrian art was in the shadow of Germany identity up until the Vienna Succession in 1900. At this point came a new and more original style that differentiated Austrians from Germans. On par with the Art Noveau movement of it's time, great Austrian painters took the fore-front such as Koloman Moser and Gustav Klimt. Known for his original use of golden leaf painting, Klimt introduced a new visual style of erotic expressionism. He is without question the most famous of Austrian painters, best known for his works of The Kiss and the Portrait of Adele. Many of these paintings were stolen by the Nazi's during WWII.       

Austrian Science

In the realm of sciences Austria has made great contributions to economic theory and logical theory  thru it's Vienna Circle of philosophers in the 1920s-1930s. However their best known contribution came in the field of psychoanalysis lead by the neurologist Sigmund Freud. He introduced a new analytic approach to diagnosing human thoughts and emotions. This gave way to a further study of mental disorders thru psychology and the practice of psychiatry. Today this medical technique has become a very beneficial tool to address mental issues. Freud spent most of his life in Vienna, however as a Jew he had to flee the country in 1938 due to the Nazi annexation. He died a year later at the age of 83 in London much ado to his heavy cigar smoking. 

Austrian Sports

With it's location high up in the Alps mountains, Austria has a rich heritage of winter sports and has some of the greatest downhill skiers of all time. This includes Herman Maier, Franz Klammer, and Toni Sailer to name a few. Austria hosted the Winter Olympics twice in Innsbruck in 1964 and 1974. In the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics they finished 7th place with a total of 18 medals (7 of which were gold). They've had a decent history in soccer placing 4th at the 1934 World Cup and 3rd at the 1954 World Cup. Today however they have not gone so deep in the tournaments but still have great talent in stars such as David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer. Austria also had one of the greatest formula one racers of all time in Niki Lauda. 

Austrian Cuisine

Austria has a wide array of cuisine probably best known for their pastries and beers. Perhaps their most iconic dish from Vienna is the Wiener Schnitzel which is a fried breaded thin piece of veal often served with a side of potatoes or herbs. Other famous dishes throughout Austria are the goulash, polenta, boiled beef known as tafelspitz, schwinsbraten (roast pork and cabbage) and dumplings. Their pastries include various forms of strudels often filled with apples, kaiserschmarn (pancakes and fruits), and sachertore (chocolate cake filled with apricots). Vienna also has a rich history of cafe culture, wine, and beer (their most popular beer is the Stiegl). 

Movies set in Austria

I have always been most inspired by a nation's culture and history through the movies I watch. When it comes to Austria I can say off the top of my head that three of my favorite movies are set there. This is Amadeus, The Sound of Music, and the Illusionist. It is thru these three movies that I have learned quite a lot about the Austrian landscape and the thriving city of Vienna. 

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  Amadeus (1984): Set in the city of Vienna, it tells the story of the arrival of Mozart who is manipulated by the very jealous Salieri. The movie demonstrates the booming city of it's time much thanks to the musical king Joseph II. Directed by Milos Foreman the film went on to win many accolades and is often regaded as one of the greatest films of all time. It is very influential in my lif
  e and stands without question in my personal top ten all time favorite films. 

• Sound of Music (1965): Set in Salzburg, Austria it is a musical comedy and drama pertaining to the annexation of Austria by Germany. The film's star, Julie Andrews has broken away from a convent in search of a new life she finds work as a nanny. She quickly gains favor with all the children including the handsome widower played by Christopher Plummer. The movie takes a more serious tone later on as the family decides to flee the country in the midst of the Anschluss of 1938. The film is also won many accolades and is regarded as one of the greatest of all time. 

• The Illusionist (2006): Another personal favorite of mine, it is a fictional story set in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. The mysterious magician Eisenhem, played brilliantly by Edward Norton must deceive the wicked Austrian prince to win the love of the beautiful Jessica Biel. While this is a very well written fiction romance story it does have some reference to Franz Joseph's son who committed suicide. The film is very well done with artistic settings, music, and great acting. 

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  Woman in Gold (2015): This is based on the true story of an Austrian woman who seeks to reclaim the art that was stolen from her family by the Nazi's during WWII. This included some masterwork paintings by Gustav Klimt, including one of his gems "The Portait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I". Starring Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds the films is more so a modern day legal case but still a very intriguing insight into some Austrian cultural history.  

• Before Sunrise (1995): Two strangers played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy hit it off on a train from Budapest to Vienna. They then spend a day together visiting the landmarks of Vienna where they fall in love. 

• Klimt (2006): I have yet to see this movie, however it appears to be the biopic pertaining to the life of Austria's most famous painters, Gustav Klimt. Starring the very talented John Malkovich I'm sure the film has some worthy historical insights despite its average reviews.