The 61st European Forum Alpbach was opened in the Tyrolean mountain village Alpbach on 17 August 2006. This year it is expected to set a new record with about 3,000 visitors and speakers from 59 nations. The gathering titled “The Quest for Certainty and Security“ (ending on 2 September 2006) explores issues of vital importance for the future of humankind encompassing politics, science and economy. Eminent scholars, among them three Nobel prize laureates, economic experts, international politicians, media representatives as well as students and proactive citizens have been invited. Members of the Austrian federal government, among them Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik and Economic Minister Martin Bartenstein, are also attending. The meeting is chaired by Erhard Busek, EU Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. ■

Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik presented the Foreign Policy Report 2005 to the Council of Ministers on 8 August 2006. The report provides comprehensive information on key events in international politics and Austria’s role in 2005. Plassnik described 2005 as a “demanding and exciting“ year, in which complex issues had to be tackled. In the framework of the UN and the EU, especially during its EU Presidency in the first half of 2006, as well as at bilateral level, Austria had done its utmost to promote peace, security and stability in its neighbourhood and in the world.
Plassnik explained that it was a major concern to redefine foreign policy as a “service institution” directly benefiting the Austrian people. A global network of partners was available for this purpose. In 2005 local consular support was provided in more than 2,700 cases.
On the one hand, Austria’s foreign policy focused on a committed European policy to safeguard the specific European model of life taking into account social security and environmental protection. Plassnik stated that on the other hand it was crucial to support the Balkan states neighbouring Austria in their efforts of approximation to the EU, which meant to contribute to stability and economic prosperity in the region and in Europe.
Austria had also provided strong stimuli by encouraging a proactive dialogue of cultures and religions, e.g. with the great Islam conference in November 2005, stressed Plassnik. The development cooperation budget increased considerably. Austria had exceeded the UN target of 0.33% of the GDP for development projects already in 2005, when 0.52% of the GDP or 1.25 billion euro had been earmarked for this purpose. ■

Nikola Donig (35), former spokesman of the Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU in Brussels, was appointed new foreign policy spokesman of Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel on 16 August 2006. He took over from Verena Nowotny, who held this office since May 2001 and is moving to the USA for further education. Donig was born in Lower Austria and studied business management. He then worked as a news editor for the Lower Austrian branch of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) and the radio. In 2004 Donig became an ORF correspondent in Brussels. He changed to the Foreign Ministry in December 2005. In the Federal Chancellery Donig is now responsible for EU and foreign policy issues. ■

In the ORF Foundation Council’s meeting chaired by Foundation Council Director-General Klaus Pekarek on 17 August 2006 Alexander Wrabetz was appointed new Director-General (with 20 of 25 votes). His term of office starts on 1 January 2007 and ends on 31 December 2011. Wrabetz will succeed to Director-General Monika Lindner. He has held the position of a commercial director in the ORF. In the ORF Foundation Council the candidate close to Austria’s Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) was supported by a rainbow coalition of the SPÖ, the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ), the Greens, the Freedom Party (FPÖ) and Independents. The proposed distribution of offices was unanimously approved by the Foundation Council. ■

A DNA test confirmed the sad truth that missing Austrian Militia Officer Major Hans-Peter Lang (44) had been killed in an Israeli bombing in southern Lebanon on 25 July 2006. In the attack on the UN post Khiyam another three UN soldiers lost their lives. Federal President Heinz Fischer, Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik and Minister of Defence Günther Platter expressed their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the father of two children. Chancellor Schüssel explained that UN soldiers did their “work to safeguard peace in dangerous regions. Major Lang had served the cause of peace wholeheartedly and with all his strength. His firm commitment will always be commemorated“. ■

In a joint statement on the Lebanon conflict, the 25 Member States of the European Union called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a subsequent permanent ceasefire. The EU foreign ministers had agreed on this wording in early August. Both the Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israel as well as the killing of women and children in Israeli air raids on Lebanese villages were condemned. Attacks on UN staff were considered “unacceptable”.
Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said that the compromise wording showed that the main goal was “to reach an end of the bloodshed and to arrive at a lasting peace”. The EU Member States pressed the UN Security Council to define “speedily” a “political framework for a permanent solution that is acceptable for all parties” and to adopt a “robust” mandate for an international peacekeeping force in the region.
Great efforts are made in the UN Security Council to ensure the adoption of a Lebanon resolution. In various compromise drafts the ending of all fighting has been demanded unanimously but the wording and weighting of the conditions under which the two parties at war would be willing to do this is hotly disputed. The Lebanese government demands the immediate withdrawal of all Israeli soldiers and wants to send 15,000 national soldiers to restore and secure peace in southern Lebanon. The Israelis flatly reject to withdraw their troops before an international peacekeeping force is deployed in the region.
Foreign Minister Plassnik called upon Israel to ensure “proportionality” in its responses and underlined that the conflict could not be settled by military action but exclusively by political negotiations.
The Austrian federal government adopted a resolution to grant emergency aid totalling 500,000 euro to civilian victims in the Lebanon. Another 175,000 euro will go to support projects of Austrian non-government organisations. ■

On 8 August 2006 Austrian Federal President Heinz Fischer received his German counterpart Horst Köhler, who paid a three-day informal visit to Salzburg, the “Mozart city”. On the margins of the Salzburg festival and an extensive visiting programme, the two heads of state held political talks. ■

Besides host Austrian Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, Croatia’s Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha participated in this year’s meeting on “Stability in South Eastern Europe” in Salzburg (31 July to 1 August 2006). With an annual economic growth ranging between 5 and 6%, South Eastern Europe was the “most dynamic economic area in Europe“, emphasised Schüssel. This year the volume of investments in the region totalled almost 50 billion euro. The remarkable amount of 15 billion euro came from Austrian investors, and this offered great opportunities to domestic entrepreneurs, said the Federal Chancellor. Schüssel also drew attention to the significance of the European perspective for the Balkan states, which had been strengthened during the Austrian EU Presidency. ■

At the summer meeting of the Council of Ministers on 8 August 2006, the federal government decided to renew the so-called “Blum bonus” until 29 June 2007. The programme promoting the creation of additional apprenticeship places would have ended on 31 August 2006. It is financed from the budget 2007.
Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, Vice- Chancellor Hubert Gorbach and Labour Minister Martin Bartenstein confirmed that a “clear counter-trend” to the previously increasing youth unemployment could be observed since the introduction of the Blum bonus on 1 September 2005. Currently about 13,400 apprentices are covered by the programme. Support is granted to companies creating additional apprenticeship places. Entrepreneurs receive 400 euro per apprentice and month in the first year of training, 200 euro in the second year and 100 euro in the third year. The total financial aid per apprentice totals 8,400 euro. In the first year the programme was funded with about 59 million euro.
Referring to the recent report on the labour market situation in July, Chancellor Schüssel highlighted the “exponential increase in jobs”. Schüssel: “The trend has been consolidating. We approach an historic all-time high of 3.4 million jobs. This corresponds to an increase by 55,000 jobs (+1.66 %) from the prior-year level.“
The record employment is also reflected in a decline of the number of jobless. According to Schüssel, the unemployment rate dropped by almost 7%. Hence, in absolute figures Austria was below the level of the year 1998. ■

In the period from 2006 to 2010 the Austrian economy is expected to grow by 2.2% annually. Thus growth will exceed the average of the past five years by ¾ percentage points. This information was provided in a new medium-term forecast presented by the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) in late July. At the end of June the IHS forecast a GDP plus of 2.5 % (Economic Research Institute/Wifo: 2.6%) for 2006 and a less dynamic growth rate of 2.2.% (Wifo: 2.1%) for 2007.
Based on the IHS study, the Austrian economy has been growing significantly in 2006 after a minor downswing in 2005 and is expected to continue on a stable growth path during the remaining forecast period. In 2006 the cyclical upturn will peak at 2.5% but even in the following years growth is unlikely to drop below the 2-percent threshold. ■

The tax revenue has increased considerably during the first six months of 2006. The most striking fact is that wage tax increased despite the tax reform. From January to June 8.593 billion euro poured into the Treasury. This means that the Austrians paid 536 million euro (6.7 %) more wage tax than in the same period of 2005.
According to the Economic Research Institute (Wifo), this could be due to higher wages combined with tax progression as well as the increase in the number of full-time jobs.
Corporate income tax receipts have also increased. While a minus of 14% had been expected due to cutting the corporate income tax rate from 34 to 25%, an increase by 66 million euro (4.8%) to 1.423 billion euro has so far been registered. Wifo expert Margit Schratzenstaller informed that higher company profits could be another reason. ■

Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel called for a comprehensive concept to relieve the tax burden on the citizens. The discussion about abolishing the inheritance tax and gift tax initiated by Minister of Finance Karl-Heinz Grasser should be welcomed: “It is good that some proposals are made”, said Schüssel after the summer session of the Council of Ministers on 8 August 2006. The Chancellor underlined that the reduction of the overall tax ratio to 40% scheduled for 2010 had already been achieved. For the next legislative period the government was planning a “stimulus reducing the tax ratio to clearly below 40%“, stated Schüssel. ■

According to a recent report of the European Commission, Austria boasts the highest share of independent TV productions in the EU. As the Brussels-based institution informed on 22 August 2006, in Austria the average share of European works created by producers independent from the TV broadcasters (including private broadcasters) in the programming was 46% in 2004. The report also states that about 63 % of all TV programmes shown in the EU Member States come from Europe. In accordance with the EU directive “Television without Frontiers”, the share of European productions in the programming time of supraregional TV stations in the European states should be above 50%. Moreover, broadcasters should reserve at least 10% of their broadcasting time to works created by independent producers. The report of the European Commission does not specify the type of works – films, TV films, talk shows, etc. In Austria the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) registered a share of European productions of 64% on average in 2004, which corresponds to a slight increase from the level of 2003. ■

The German language expert and writer Claudio Magris from Trieste received the Austrian State Prize for European Literature at Salzburg Residence on 31 July 2005. As his Austrian colleague Martin Pollack stated in his laudatio, the award had been “practically tailor-made” for Magris. The author showed himself “very touched” by the fact that this high distinction was conferred on him. He owed a lot to Austria and its culture as well as his Austrian friends. Pollack described the language fanatic born on 10 April 1939 as a “restless wanderer between the frontiers of literature and academia”, whose “comprehensive education” made him a “European intellectual par excellence“. Furthermore, he praised his untiring combat against nationalism. In this context he also criticised the way Austria dealt with the bilingual topographic signposts in Carinthia. In his speech Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel thanked Claudio Magris for the “collateral benefit” of his books, e.g. “the re-discovery of the Danube area“, which stood for a “new partnership in the heart of Europe”. Magris was an “incorruptible and sceptical friend“. Secretary of State for Art Franz Morak and Salzburg’s Governor Gabi Burgstaller also paid homage to the “European writer“. In 1963 Claudio Magris, then aged 24, had already caused quite an international furore with his dissertation “The Hapsburg Myth in Modern Austrian Literature”. He described how after its collapse in 1918 the Hapsburg empire lived on as a myth in literature. Magris’ journey to the wide plains of the Black Sea delta in “Danube. A Sentimental Journey from the Source to the Black Sea” (1986) is also a trip to Europe’s past. His new book “Alla cieca” (“Blindly”) is expected to appear in 2007. It tells the story of about 2,000 Italian workers who wanted to participate in propagating Communism in Yugoslavia after the end of WWII. As Tito suspected them to be Stalinists, most of them were expelled. ■

Former President of the Constitutional Council (constitutional court) and former Foreign Minister of France Roland Dumas, was awarded the Alois Mock Europe Prize 2006 on 15 August 2006, the “Day of Tolerance 2006” of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. Former Vice-Chancellor Mock explained that in all his important offices Dumas had “supported Austria, above all in its efforts to join the European Community/Union”. He had always been a strong advocate of the European unification process and in particular the French-German cooperation. After the collapse of Communism, Dumas had realised the opportunities arising from the German reunification for peace in Europe. He had played a major role in the reunification and in the conclusion of the “2+4 Treaty” (between the two German states and the four victorious powers), which he had signed on behalf of France. In this context, Mock pointed out that the achievements of European integration – a period of peace unprecedented in the history of Europe, the European Currency Union, the successful enlargement of the European Union to 25 Member States – were easily taken for granted. He urged that the politically responsible should renew their efforts to pass a European Constitution.
The Mock-Europe Prize – a bronze head of a European – was created by Efthymios Warlamis, a Greek artist living in Austria. It has been awarded for the fifth time.
The socialist Roland Dumas, whose father had been executed in 1944 by the Germans for being a member of the Resistance, became a star lawyer in Paris in the 1960s. He acted as a counsel for prominent personalities such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Pablo Picasso and future President Francois Mitterrand, of whom he was one of the closest confidents. Under President Mitterrand he served as a Minister for Europe and Foreign Minister. ■

On 14 August 1956 Bertolt Brecht died in East Berlin aged only 58. The Berliner Ensemble at Schiffbauerdamm (founded by Brecht and Helene Weigel in 1954) now pays homage to Brecht, the world’s second most successful playwright – after William Shakespeare – in a programme ending on 3 September 2006. It includes guest performances from Germany and exemplary Brecht productions from Tokyo, Budapest, Barcelona, Nice, Zagreb and Florence.
Until 24 September 2006, 45 performances of Klaus Maria Brandauer’s production of the “Threepenny Opera” by Kurt Weill based on Brecht’s libretto are given at the restored “Admiralspalast” theatre near the Schiffbauer-damm. Brandauer’s production seems to have been developed carefully in all aspects, is comparatively subdued, contemplative and melancholic. The stage setting in shades of brown is simple and puts the actors in the foreground. Campino – lead singer of the punk band “Die Toten Hosen“ from Berlin – as Mack the Knife, Maria Happel as prostitute Jenny, Gottfried John as Mr. Peachum, exploiter of beggars, and Katrin Sass as Mrs. Peachum stand out from the generally excellent ensemble, including the minor parts. With her smoky voice Birgit Minichmayr enthuses the audience as Polly Peachum. Her singing and acting are unforgettable.
Admiralspalast seats up to 1,700 theatregoers. Except for some remaining tickets, all performances until 24 September 2006 have been sold out. ■

Paul Kruntorad died aged 71 in Vienna on 30 July 2006, as was announced only in the first week of August. He was born in Çeské Budéjovice (now Czech Republic) in 1935. In 1951 the author, journalist and curator moved to Vienna, where he lived until his death. From 1961 to 1964 he was the editor of “Literatur & Kritik“. In 1972 Kruntorad gave lectures about modern Austrian literature in the USA, taught at Vienna’s Academy of Visual Arts, in Klagenfurt and Los Angeles. His publications include the novel “S. – Ein Modell“, the chapter on prose in Kindler’s literature encyclopaedia and “Tschechische Kostbarkeiten. Kafka, das Schloss und die Schuhfabrik“ (2004). Secretary of State for Art Franz Morak was deeply affected by the unexpected death of this intellectual of the old school. “With him, Austria loses an advocate of the arts and artists throughout decades, an art, literature and theatre critic with enormous knowledge and with criteria that could be trusted. In Austria’s commemorative year 2005 Paul Kruntorad impressively presented the physiognomy of the Second Republic in an exhibition of pictorial documents at Österreichische Galerie, which he curated. As an important translator from Czech, Kruntorad promoted many writers persecuted by the Communist regime before 1989. ■

Until 11 February 2007 Kunsthalle Krems shows the exhibition “The Hungarian Soul – Romanticism and Realism in the Land of the Magyars“ organised in cooperation with the Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest. Numerous paintings of the era in which a political balance was established between the two neighbouring countries are also on show in Austria for the first time. Hungarian 19th century painting reflects the history of a nation that after 150 years of Turkish rule came under the yoke of the Hapsburgs. The bloody suppression of the the revolution of the years 1948/49 crushed the hopes for a better future for a long time. The struggle for freedom and the longing for independence have been the most prominent themes of Hungarian painting, impressively represented by Mihály Munkácsy, probably the most significant Hungarian artist of the century. ■

More than 130 participants attended the 2nd Conference of European Regions organised by the Institute of European Regions (IRE) in Salzburg on 21 August 2006. Representatives of the political and economic arena as well as tourist experts came from 26 countries and 40 regions in Europe. The general theme was “Tourism and the Regions of Europe – New Developments”. Topics like “investment in tourist estates and hotels in Europe”, “financing of tourism projects”, “arrivals and local mobility in tourist destinations” as well as “destination management – technologies in tourism (e-tourism)“ were explored in round-table discussions. ■

Under the title “Wolfgang Tümpel (1903-1978): Silversmith and Bauhaus Artist“ the WAGNER:WERK Museum Postsparkasse in Vienna stages the fist solo exhibition of the former Bauhaus artist in Austria. Besides excellent designs and articles of daily use which Tümpel developed as an industrial designer, selected goldsmithery and silverwork, e.g. silver tea and mocha sets, candelabrums, jewellery, desk lamps and the famous Tchibo box, are displayed. Tümpel was born in Bielefeld in 1903. After serving an apprenticeship with a goldsmith, he moved to Weimar in autumn 1922, where he started training at the Bauhaus. Among his teachers were Johannes Itten, Paul Klee and Naum Slutzky. In 1924 he was admitted to the metal workshop led by Lázló Moholy-Nagy. At the same time he worked in Oskar Schlemmer’s stage design workshop. After the closure of Bauhaus, he founded his first own “workshop for vessels, jewellery, lighting” in 1927. After WWII. Tümpel became a professor in Hamburg. In 1950 he was invited to the World Exhibition in Chicago. He never contented himself and searched for new approaches to the “ultimate design”, which he wanted to outlast time and be “modern but not fashionable”. ■

On 1 August 2006 Russian soprano Anna Netrebko officially became also an Austrian citizen. At Chiemseehof, the seat of Salzburg’s local government, the opera diva received the certificate of citizenship from Salzburg’s Governor Gabi Burgstaller and signed the oath. Before the citizenship was awarded, the City of Vienna – competent for the naturalisation of foreigners without residence in Austria – had filed a request for administrative aid. It was unanimously approved by the federal government on 25 July 2006.
Netrebko stated in her application for the Austrian citizenship that in pursuing an international opera career she had found her artistic home in Austria. During her stays in Austria she had come to appreciate its culture, history, beautiful nature and lifestyle as well as the great respect paid to art in this country.
The longstanding director of the Salzburg Festival, Otto Schenk, praised Netrebko as “an artist with a natural and unaffected appearance”, a personality with a wonderful voice. Anna Netrebko now follows in the footsteps of eminent artists like Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms, who later became Austrians. ■

In the framework of the Fairytale Summer Festival of Lower Austria, actress Nina Blum (aged 32) produced her first stage play for children in the romantic Thürnthal Palace in Fels am Wagram. “Prinzessin sucht Prinz“ (“The princess is looking for a prince”) is the title of an interactive performance for children. The kids follow the actors through the palace and then join a royal party with dance and music as well as exquisite food by star chef Toni Mörwald. The fabulous play is performed until 3 September 2006. ■

On 12 December 2002 Austria and Switzerland were officially selected to jointly stage the European Football Championship 2008. This means that Austria has snagged a contract to co-host the world’s third-biggest sports event. The financing agreements (technical preparations, handling of new construction work for EURO 2008 and other necessary investments) for the four stadiums (Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg, Vienna) have been signed. The negotiations concerning details of the four stadium agreements were concluded on 9 November 2004. The public sector (federal government, Länder, municipalities) invests a total of about € 160 million in EURO 2008 (for new and refurbished stadiums, etc.). From the political perspective, a need for coordination and presentation going beyond tournament organisation has been identified in the context described above, especially in view of the fact that – Austria – unlike Portugal – covers 100% of the expenditure on the European championship (building of stadiums) from the government’s coffers. Portugal was able to resort to non-public-sector funds to finance the preparations of EURO 2004 due to its excellent football infrastructure (financially strong football clubs). EURO 2008 is not only a tremendous sports challenge but also a sports event providing sustainable benefits. As shown in two studies, the Austrian economy will profit from a great value-added potential. To realise it, various communication efforts and measures will be required. The high investment costs of the public sector are counterbalanced by a value-added of about € 87 million for the building sector, an increase in tourist demand by about € 150 million and an employment effect of up to 6,000 additional jobs. EURO 2008 is to become the first mass sports event, in which the three pillars “ecology, social affairs and economy” will be taken into account on an equal footing. The European Football Championship can also serve to enhance Austria’s reputation with regard to the planning, organisation and realisation of large-scale events. Moreover, thousands of tourists, especially in regions where the EURO 2008 venues are located, can be familiarised with Austria as a cultural and sports nation. “Hosting EURO 2008 is therefore a ‘national concern’, which should be coordinated, communicated and presented in the media adequately to ensure that in the general public an optimum level of identification with EURO 2008 as an Austrian-European mass event is achieved”, stated Schweitzer. ■

Thanks to its high altitude and excellent training conditions (jogging track, running tracks, Nordic Walking, healthcare, hotel facilities, etc.) the high-altitude training centre in Kühtai/Innsbruck will be expanded after the first trial year 2006. The aim is to make it a top destination for top athletes based on the renowned training method “live high – train low“. As a new Olympic training facility, the High-Altitude Training Centre has been granted a one-time federal government subsidy of € 50,000 in August. The centre is given scientific support in the framework of cooperation projects between Kühtai, Innsbruck, the Land of Tyrol, the Austrian federal government and the German Olympic training centres and is to operate independently within one year. The scientific support is partly provided by Innsbruck University and partly by the German Olympic training centres (OSP Deutschland GmbH). Summing up the expectations of all those involved, Schweizter stated: “We do not only expect an exchange of know-how between Austria and Germany but also concrete cooperation in specific sports like track and field events on the level of associations, trainers and training programmes. ■