On 11 October 2006, Austrian Federal President Heinz Fischer asked Alfred Gusenbauer, chairman of the SPÖ – the party winning a majority of votes in the general election – to form a government. According to the final official result of the parliamentary election 2006, the SPÖ (Social Democratic Party of Austria) took 35.3% of the vote (68 seats), while Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel’s ÖVP (Austrian People’s Party) came in second with 34.3% (66 seats).
The head of state explained that he expected a “stable government founded on a majority in the Austrian Parliament”. The two largest parties started coalition talks to form a new government. The negotiation teams of the “major” rounds of talks are headed by party chiefs Gusenbauer and Schüssel. The main subjects for debate are financial affairs as well as foreign and European policy. The negotiating parties have already agreed to develop a joint financial plan as well as to set up subgroups for individual policy areas, e.g. economy, employment, research, education, social affairs, health, women’s affairs, integration, culture, environment and energy.
The Federal President expressed his hope that the future government would try to keep Austria a competitive place for business but still take into account social symmetry and justice. ■

High-ranking state and government represent-tatives of Hungary and Austria commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian revolution of 23 October 1956 at a festive event at Austria Center in Vienna on 17 October 2006. Numerous eminent personalities from the political and economic arenas, Church and culture participated in the ceremony.
The role of the two countries in the dramatic events of the Hungarian revolution 50 years ago was mutually acknowledged. In the fight for freedom crushed by Russian tanks rolling into Budapest in 1956 more than 2000 people were killed. Within only a few months 180,000 people poured into Austria across the open border, were they found refuge. About 15,000 refugees came to live permanently in Austria.
After decades of Communist rule, “Hungary and Austria are again in the same boat” said Federal President Fischer in his speech alluding to the fact that the two nations were “members of the European family on an equal footing”. 50 years ago, “Communism by Soviet tanks” had succeeded in seizing power in Hungary again but at the same time it had suffered a “decisive moral defeat”, stressed Fischer.
In his statement delivered mainly in German, Hungarian State President Laszlo Solyom enthusiastically praised Austria’s strong support in 1956. “Austria, the state and its people, came up with such a highly moral performance that it remains an example even today”, underlined Solyom.
Solyom awarded Federal President Fischer and Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel Hungary’s greatest distinctions – the Great Cross of the Order of Merit with Chain and the Great Cross of the Order of Merit.
Austria has been represented by Federal President Fischer in the main commemorative celebrations in Budapest on 22 and 23 October 2006. ■

The Austrian National Holiday on 26 October is traditionally celebrated with numerous public events. The Houses of Parliament, ministries, municipal authorities, museums and theatres open their doors to the population. This year the Federal President will also keep open house at his residence in Vienna’s former imperial palace Hofburg.
The leading representatives of the Austrian state and government will lay a wreath in the crypt at the external gate to Hofburg. The government will then hold a special session of the Council of Ministers. The Federal Army presents itself with a military show and a swearing-in ceremony for recruits at Heldenplatz. At noon a “concert for Austria” will be given at Vienna State Opera.
The National Holiday commemorates the Constitutional Act of 26 October 1955 enshrining Austria’s neutrality and the end of allied occupation after WWII. ■

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel participated in an informal meeting of EU heads of state and government in Lahti (Finland) on 20 October 2006.
The main subject of the one-day meeting was the EU’s future external energy policy, particularly with Russia. The EU, which obtains about one quarter of its oil and gas imports from Russia, demands facilitated access to the Russian energy markets, more security of supply and legal certainty for Western investors. At a dinner with the EU leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not make any binding statement whether energy would be incorporated into the new framework agreement between Russia and the European Union.
Federal Chancellor Schüssel pled for a “functioning partnership” and “calculable and stable relations” with Russia. This did not only apply to energy but also to Russia’s involvement in foreign policy issues like the Middle East, Iran, North Korea or Kosovo, said Schüssel. ■

On 13 October 2006 South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon (aged 62) was appointed UN Secretary-General to succeed Kofi Annan. His term of office will start on 1 January 2007.
The appointment of Ban Ki-Moon as the UN’s eighth Secretary-General was welcomed worldwide. The diplomat from South Korea is famed as a man striving for political balance and harmony. Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik also congratulated the new UN chief: “The UN and hence all of us will benefit from his longstanding experience and the extraordinary skills he acquired in the service of the United Nations“, informed Plassnik in a press release of 14 October 2006. Moreover, it was a highly pleasant fact that “Ban Ki-Moon is a friend and connoisseur of Austria, who knows the UN seat in Vienna and its significance from his own experience. Thus he guarantees that the relations between the United Nations and Vienna will continue to intensify“, stated Plassnik.
Ban Ki-Moon has a “very positive” relationship with Austria. He was South Korean ambassador in Vienna from 1998 to 2000. In 2001 he was awarded the Great Golden Badge of Honour with Star for Meritorious Service to the Republic of Austria. ■

“By awarding the Nobel Prize to Muhammad Yunus, homage is not only paid to an internationally renowned economist but also to a courageous advocate of the poor”, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik praised the winner of the Peace Nobel Prize 2006 on 13 October 2006. Plassnik pointed out that the idea of granting small loans to poorer population groups – “micro-financing” – formed also part of the Austrian development aid policy.
The basic idea of the founder of Grameen Bank Bangladeshi Muhammad Yunus (66) is that individual responsibility and self-determination have to be strengthened with well-aimed measures. In the past 30 years micro-credits have been used all over the world to found numerous companies, create jobs and thus to make a lasting contribution to stabilising national economies. ■

To ensure that the initiative launched by the Finnish Presidency produces results, Cyprus would adopt a “flexible and creative” stance in the negotiations with Turkey, stressed Yiorgos Lillikas, Foreign Minister of Cyprus, on 18 October 2006 after a working meeting with his Austrian counterpart Ursula Plassnik in Vienna. The aim was not a political victory but a fair result benefiting Cyprus, Turkey and the EU. The outcome of the negotiations now depended on Turkey.
According to the EU compromise proposal, the Eastern Cypriot town Famagusta occupied by Turkey is to be handed over to the UN. The Greek Cypriot government should then accept free trade with the Turkish Cypriots through the seaport of Famagusta. Ankara should in turn admit Cypriot ships and planes in some Turkish ports and airports.
Plassnik warned that the process could come to a standstill if the EU progress report was negative.■

At the turn of the year 2004/2005 Austrian investors had invested 49.8 billion euro in strategic participations in companies abroad, while the volume of foreign investments in Austria was 45.8 billion euro. Due to heavy new investments in 2005, experts expect that for the entire year 2005 Austrian investments will amount to 57.5 billion euro, while foreign direct investment in Austria will total 52.7 billion euro. These data were published in a report by the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) about Austrian direct investments, which was presented on 16 October 2006. “Austria has undergone a remarkable catching-up process after 1990 and has registered an favourable international investment position (IIP) since 2003, stressed OeNB Director Peter Zöllner.
Zöllner was highly pleased about the revenue development. With profits of 4.2 billion euro in total, the foreign subsidiaries of domestic enterprises boasted significant increase in profits by 1 billion euro in 2004. Hence, the Austrian national economy recorded for the second time in a row a revenue surplus even though the profits of local companies under foreign control had also registered a sizeable plus. “The earnings position had developed particularly favourable in Central and Eastern Europe, where in some countries even double-digit margins were achieved”, stressed Zöllner.
Austria has become a leading investor in Central and Eastern Europe for quite a while. This was also important with a view to the forthcoming enlargement round of the European Union. “When Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union, Austria is expected to be the number one investor in both countries. This highlights the significance of EU enlargement for the domestic economy”, said Zöllner.
However, the level of net investments dropped in the first half of 2006 (to 1.2 billion euro) due to restructuring and consolidation. ■

The tax burden in Austria has eased significantly in the recent past. In 2005 the ratio of taxes and social charges to gross domestic product (GDP) had dropped to about 41.9% from 42.6% one year earlier. According to a recent study of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), this decline is due to lower taxes on income and corporate profits. With a 12% ratio of income and corporate taxes to GDP, Austria was one percentage point below the OECD average last year. ■

International congresses are of increasing economic importance for the domestic tourist industry. Congress participants spend 360 euro per capita and day on average, this is almost double the amount spent by the traditional summer guest. In the “congress stronghold” Vienna three major international congresses will be held just in 2007. Up to 32,000 persons are expected to participate in the cardiologists’ congress.
This year Austria has reaped an income of more than 120 million euro from the 150 congresses held during the EU Presidency, excluding value-added effects.
Based on forecasts including comparisons with prior years, Austria’s importance as a destination of congress tourism is steadily increasing. At “access“, the fair for congress tourism held in Vienna’s Hofburg conference centre in early October, representatives of the domestic tourist industry emphasised that Austria was among the global leaders in tourism. According to statistical data of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Austria ranked ninth in a country comparison. In city tourism Vienna was the global number one for the second time, before Singapore and Barcelona.
Thanks to its excellent hotel and transport infrastructure as well as high security standards, Austria benefits from great locational advantages in this sector. ■

23 Austrian companies are among the 500 enterprises growing most significantly in Europe. Austrian companies listed among “Europe’s Top 500“ are EVN AG (ranked 6), AT&S (ranked 49) and Andritz (number 52). ■

The new “Franz Liszt Konzerthaus” in the native community of the composer in Raiding (Burgenland) held its grand opening on 15 October 2006. The centrepiece of the building based on a design of the Dutch architects’ studio Kempe Thill is the concert hall seating up to 600 people. At the festive event, the about eleven-minute work “LISZ(:T)RAUM“ composed by Gerhard Krammer from Burgenland was premiered. The session of three pianists on three historical pianos in Bayreuth, Luxemburg and the Liszt birthplace in Raiding was transmitted by video stream into the concert hall, where three percussionists (marimbaphone, vibraphone) performed their parts live.
In the competition for the new Liszt Konzerthaus 150 architects from 11 nations had participated. The building is characterised by a very subdued, clear and symmetrical structure. Smooth white surfaces and generous glass panels dominate the ground floor. Thanks to the cool triadic relationship between the white walls, glass panels and wooden elements, the new structure is ideally juxtaposed with the house where Liszt was born and does not tower over it. “Acoustics pope” Karlheinz Müller from Munich was called in as a consultant for the concert hall, which is also perfectly suited to chamber music with its large, concave wooden wall panels. The total costs of the plain construction of outstanding beauty was 6.8 million euro. The various project phases were demonstrated in a film of ORF Burgenland (the local branch of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation).
After the ecumenical blessing of the building by diocesan bishop Paul Iby, Burgenland’s Governor Hans Niessl displayed in-depth knowledge about the life and work of the cosmopolitan Franz Liszt (1811-1886). He also highlighted the openness of this Austrian region, notably its linguistic and cultural diversity, which constituted its unique identity and intellectual wealth.
In his opening statement Federal President Heinz Fischer also mentioned Mozart and Liszt, whose European music had not been limited by any national component. With regard to Raiding, he stated that he considered it a positive development that in Austria festivals were gaining a foothold at a decentralised basis and far from large urban centres.
Actor Peter Simonischek read from selected letters of Franz Liszt, that turned a spotlight on his revolutionary passion for the piano and the love for his roots in Burgenland and Hungary. The President of the British Liszt Society, Les¬lie Howard, who produced comprehensive CD recordings of the piano work of the greatest composer of the Burgenland (alongside with Joseph Haydn) carried the audience away with a Liszt recital.
From 15 to 22 October 2006, the new Liszt Konzerthaus was the venue of the 1st Franz Liszt Festival titled “Liszten in Raiding“. On 4 November 2006, the concert with Austrian mezzo-soprano Angelika Kirchschlager will take place, which had been postponed due to sickness of the artist.
Russian pianist Oleg Maisenberg (living in Vienna) performed Franz Schubert’s last sonata in B flat major (D 960) and Franz Liszt’s sonata in H minor to a full house. The concert was acclaimed enthusiastically. In the future all experts in the work of Liszt and the music of (High) Romanticism will give guest performances in Raiding: Under artistic director Walter Reicher, who was also managing the construction of the Liszt Konzerthaus, the new concert building is to become the centre of international Liszt events and the venue of an internationally leading classical music festival. In the past 20 years, Reicher has also played a major role in positioning Eisenstadt as the global centre of activities related to Haydn’s oeuvre for 20 years. Based on his concept, Liszt’s revolutionary role will reach into the 21st century – as was demonstrated by performing the avant-garde work of Liszt’s young colleague from Burgenland at the opening. ■

“Like music, dance is a language understood beyond national and linguistic borders. The cooperation between Austria and Israel in the field of dance has suggested itself as in Israel – just like in Austria – there is a vibrant contemporary dance scene“, stated Secretary of State for Art and Media Franz Morak on 16 October 2006 at the opening of the Austrian Dance Days in Tel Aviv.Numerous representatives of the official life of Israel participated in the ceremony, among them Minister for Tourism, Isaac Herzog, and Mayor of Tel Aviv, Ron Huldai. In a greeting statement Prime Minister Ehud Olmert praised the close ties between Austria and Israel in the cultural field. Morak explained that he hoped very much “to further develop and intensify the relations between the Republic of Austria and the State of Israel through intense cultural exchange”. This had been done successfully on several occasions in the past, e.g. in cooperating with the Jerusalem Foundation in the framework of the Chamber Music Festival, the enlargement of the Herzl Museum and the exhibition of the IsraelMuseum which had been shown recently in Austria.
The Austrian Dance Days were ushered in with the performance of Karl Schreiner’s “Blame it on Gavrilo“ and Nikolaus Adler’s “Der Tod und das Mädchen“. Other performances included in the programme were productions by Willi Dorner, Klaus Obermaier and Chris Haring. ■

In cooperation with the Austrian Friends of Givat Haviva, with the support of the National Fund of the Republic of Austria, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (BMBWK) and the City of Vienna, the commemorative exhibition “For the Child” is shown at Nestroyhof in Vienna from 8 to 30 November 2006. It is dedicated to all those who helped ten thousands of children – most of them Jewish – from Germany, Austria, the Czechoslovakia and Poland to survive the Nazi regime in 1938/39. Under the aegis of the Central British Fund, many – often unknown – people organised 100 train trips to help children younger than 17 years escape from their native countries within a period of nine months. Each of 23 prints presented in the exhibition shows a small suitcase with the few possessions of these children. Each child could bring only one suitcase – without jewellery or precious objects, without money, musical instruments or cameras. The very personal treasures that were left to the children in this critical phase are significant not only in the context of a special religious culture but as an important part of their personal heritage under the impact of different geographical and cultural backgrounds. The trains often left in the middle of the night to Holland, then the refugees took the ferry to Harwich, from where they continued to London – and there was no time for long farewells. These objects displayed in the exhibition have often been the very last ties between the children and their parents, whom most of them never saw again. ■

The Jewish Film Week takes place from 8 to 23 November 2006 in cooperation with the French Embassy, the French Cultural Institute, the Film Archives Austria and the Department for Modern History of Vienna University. It is under the aegis of the French Ambassador to Austria, Pierre Viaux. The festival venues are the Viennese cinemas: Votivkino, Urania, De France and Metro.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the rehabilitation of Alfred Dreyfus all films about the officer and his fate are shown. French historian Claude Singer, professor at the Sorbonne in Paris, will make an introductory statement. In homage to Romy Schneider three of her best films are shown in which the Austrian actress played Jewish women – “Le Train“ (“The Train“), “La Banquière“ (“The Woman Banker“) and “La Passante du Sans-Souci“ (“The Passerby”).
Together with the organisation Yad Layeled France, Emmanuel Finkiel’s documentary “Dialogue pour demain“ (Dialogue for to-morrow) is presented. The film describes the goals and activities of the Israeli Museum Beit Lochamei Hagetaot. Last but not least, 12 feature films and 8 documentaries by Israel’s master film director Amos Gitai are presented at the Metro cinema from 16 to 30 November 2006. ■

This year’s Festival Wien Modern (running from 29 October to 25 November 2006) presents more than 100 contemporary music events. The programme comprises a total of 140 works by 60 artists and composers, including 12 premiers. Every day composed, improvised, acoustic or electronic music, literature, films, performances, music theatre and philosophy of the present are offered. Solo performers like Pierre-Laurent Aimard or Peter Peter Eötvös, groups like Ensemble intercontemporain, Ensemble Recherche or the Arditti Quartet, as well as leading electronic and media artists like Carsten Nicolai and Pan Sonic are protagonists of Wien Modern 2006. Great portraits are dedicated to the composers György Kurtág and Bernhard Lang. They represent the two poles of the activities of Festival Wien Modern 2006 dedicated to the great composers of the classical avant-garde on the one hand and contemporary trends in music on the other hand.
Besides Kurtág, of whom recently created works will be given their premiere, “classical” composers such as Luciano Berio, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Friedrich Cerha will dominate the programme, whose complete “Spiegel“ will be performed.
The festival section “Dschungel Wien Modern“ focuses on the young – from the little ones to all those who are young at heart – with fantastic music and media theatre as well as performances.
A special feature of Wien Modern 2006 is that it reaches out to various parts of Vienna. Besides Wiener Konzerthaus and Musikverein, the planetarium in Prater, the Austrian Film Museum or the MUMOK are among the 14 selected venues of the festival. ■

In the early 16th century Venice was the hub of pioneering artistic experiments. Led by Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, Vecchio and del Piombo, traditional themes were re-formulated and new themes like idyllic landscapes, seductive women or dramatic portraits were introduced into painting. The pictures became larger and the brushstrokes more expressive.
The exhibition of the Museum of Art History in Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien/KHM) and the National Gallery of Art in Washington is on show at the KHM until 7 January 2007. It is neither in chronological order nor divided into sections by artists but offers a genre-based format: religious works (sacred images and stories), myths and allegories as well as depictions of women and men in the form of accurate portraits or idealised images. Among the highlights of the show are Titian’s women portraits “La Schiavona“, “Flora“ and his “Gipsy Madonna“ as well as Giorgione’s “Il Tramonto“.■

WAGNER:WERK Museum Postsparkasse shows an exhibition about Alexander Sturm and “Wiener Silbermanufaktur” (“Viennese Silver Manufacturers”), which will end on 18 November 2006. This is the first time that the legendary archives of the company founded by Sturm in Vienna in 1883 are made accessible to the public. Original designs, e.g. by Josef Hoffmann, Otto Prutscher, Oswald Haerdtl and Kolo Moser can be admired. The famous drawings and their industrial property rights are still owned by the silver manufacturers. Silverware, silver tea and coffee sets and cutlery based on the original designs are reproduced under the new managements of Christa Berg-haus-Fölster and manufactured in Weigelsdorf (Lower Austria). The products of “Wiener Silberschmiede Werkstätte“ are sold in Spiegelgasse in Vienna’s first district. ■

The Essl Collection in Klosterneuburg offers the first opportunity to the public in Austria to compare heterogeneous artistic positions – with an explosive potential – in Chinese contemporary art (until 28 January 2007). Feng Boyi, independent curator and critic as well as member of the “China Artists’ Association“, presents more than 100 works by 42 artists of the Chinese avant-garde. All branches of contemporary art are represented: from painting and photography to spacious installations and videos. ■

The exhibition “Arthur Schnitzler – Love Affairs and Emotions” can be visited at the Austrian Theatre Museum until 21 January 2007. It tries to penetrate the world of thoughts of the eroto-manic playwright based on works like “La Ronde”, “Lieutenant Gustl“ and “Fräulein Else“. Moreover, it gives an intimate insight into the cultural history of the early 20th century. ■

“We are presenting a report on the current situation of sport in Austria. I do hope that further measures will be taken on the basis of this report to promote sport and our athletes”, stated Secretary of State for Sport Karl Schweitzer. “This activity report has been unprecedented. On 70 pages and a CD it documents all activities, from individual projects to legal texts”. The most important pillars are the introduction of the mass-sport and preventive healthcare programmes “Fit for Austria” highlighting the potential of organised sport as a service provider in the health system as well as “Top Sport Austria“ implementing athlete-specific top-level sport projects. A special milestone was the “New Federal Sports Promotion Programme”. It raised the financial funds available for the Austrian sport, but put an end to subsidising based on the “watering can principle”. Another major concern of Schweitzer was to provide a legal foundation for supporting and further developing disabled sports. The Chairwoman of the Sports Committee and Member of Parliament Beate Schasching and Theo Zeh, representative of the BSO (Federal Sports Organisation) thanked the Secretary of State for his cooperation. “It was a good time for sport. His successor is well advised to continue and intensify this policy”. ■

For the first time since 1999 all Austrian “Athletes of the Year 2006“ come from the Austrian Skiing Association (ÖSV). The title – awarded by Sporthilfe in cooperation with SMA (Sports Media Austria, the association of Austrian sports journalists) – went to Benjamin Raich (men’s Alpine skiing) and Michaela Dorf-meister (women’s Alpine skiing, for the second time after 2003) as well as the Nordic combined champions in the team competition. Olympic gold was glittering once more on 18 October 2006 at the Lotteries’ “Gala Night of Sport” at Salzburg-Arena, when the winners of the title were announced and celebrated. About 1,200 guests from sport, politics and business were invited. The successors to Georg Totschnig (cycling), Renate Götschl (Alpine skiing) and the ski jumping team were all medallists of the Turin 2006 Olympic Games. Raich (giant slalom and slalom) and Dorfmeister (downhill and super-G) were double Olympic champions, the combined skiers Christoph Bieler, Felix Gottwald, Michael Gruber and Mario Stecher had earned gold in the team competition. The “Special Award“ went to triple formula one world champion Niki Lauda.
Disabled athletes of the year are Sabine Gasteiger (Alpine skiing) and Alexander Hohlrieder (cycling). The woman from Upper Austria with five percent remaining sight won gold, twice silver and bronze in the Paralympics, and the World Cup. The athlete from Tyrol was awarded gold at the IPC World Cup and three times bronze. The Special Olympics award went to Joana Bucur, who was successful in the winter (gold and silver in the Nordic competitions) and summer games (gold in baseball). ■

On the sidelines of the glamorous Gala Night of Sport, Secretary of State for Sport Karl Schweitzer and ÖSV President Peter Schröcks-nadel met to sign an agreement for a new federal government subsidy to extend and restore the St. Christoph Skiing Academy. Based on this agreement entered into with Austria Skisportanlagen BetriebsGesmbH, the federal government will contribute 5.7 million euro to the complete overhaul of the Skiing Academy.
The Federal Republic will also recommend the owner of the estate, Bundessporteinrichtungen GmbH, to renew the contract for the Academy’s right of use up to 2027. ■