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Republic of Austria
Republik sterreich
Flag
Coat of arms
(German)
Capital
(and largest city)
Official language(s)
Recognised
regional languages
Ethnic groups (2001)
Vienna
4812N 1621E / 48.2N 16.35E
German
Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene[1]
91.1% Germans,
Demonym
Government
- President
- Chancellor
President of the
National Council
Austrian State
Treaty in force
- Total
- Water (%)
- 2011 estimate
- 2001 census
- Density
GDP (PPP)
- Total
- Per capita
GDP (nominal)
- Total
- Per capita
Gini (2007)
HDI (2011)
Currency
Time zone
- Summer (DST)
Drives on the
ISO 3166 code
Internet TLD
Calling code
the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and
Liechtenstein to the west. The territory of Austria covers 83,855 square kilometres (32,377
sq mi) and has a temperate and alpine climate. Austria's terrain is highly mountainous due to the
presence of the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 metres (1,640 ft), and its highest
point is 3,798 metres (12,461 ft).[7] The majority of the population speak local Austro-Bavarian
dialects of German as their native language,[8] and German in its standard form is the country's
official language.[9] Other local official languages are Burgenland Croatian, Hungarian and
Slovene.[7]
The origins of modern-day Austria date back to the time of the Habsburg dynasty when the vast
majority of the country was a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. During the
17th and 18th centuries, Austria became one of the great powers of Europe and, in response to
the coronation of Napoleon I as the Emperor of the French, the Austrian Empire was officially
proclaimed in 1804. In 1867, the Austrian Empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary.
After the collapse of the Habsburg (Austro-Hungarian) Empire in 1918 at the end of World War
I, Austria adopted and used the name the Republic of German Austria (Deutschsterreich, later
sterreich) in an attempt for union with Germany, but was forbidden due to the Treaty of Saint
Germain. The First Austrian Republic was established in 1919. In the 1938 Anschluss, Austria
was occupied and annexed by Nazi Germany.[10] This lasted until the end of World War II in
1945, after which Nazi Germany was occupied by the Allies and Austria's former democratic
constitution was restored. In 1955, the Austrian State Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign
state, ending the occupation. In the same year, the Austrian Parliament created the Declaration of
Neutrality which declared that the Second Austrian Republic would become permanently neutral.
Today, Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy comprising nine federal states.[7][11]
The capital and largest city, with a population exceeding 1.7 million, is Vienna.[7][12] Austria is
one of the richest countries in the world, with a nominal per capita GDP of $48,350 (2011 est.).
The country has developed a high standard of living and in 2011 was ranked 19th in the world
for its Human Development Index. Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955,
[13]
joined the European Union in 1995,[7] and is a founder of the OECD.[14] Austria also signed the
Schengen Agreement in 1995,[15] and adopted the European currency, the Euro, in 1999.
Contents
[hide]
1 Etymology
2 History
o 2.1 20th century
3 Politics
o 3.1 Recent developments
o 3.2 Foreign relations
o 3.3 Military
4 Administrative divisions
5 Geography
o 5.1 Climate
6 Economy
o 6.1 Currency
o 6.2 Energy
7 Demographics
o 7.1 Language
o 7.2 Ethnic groups
o 7.3 Religion
o 7.4 Education
8 Culture
o 8.1 Music
o 8.2 Art and architecture
o 8.3 Cinema and theatre
o 8.4 Science and philosophy
o 8.5 Literature
9 See also
10 References
11 External links
[edit] Etymology
Main article: Name of Austria
First appearance of the word "ostarrichi". The word is circled in red. Modern Austria honours
this document, dated 996, as the founding of the nation.
The German name for Austria, sterreich, means "Eastern borderlands", it derives from the word
Ostarrchi, which first appears in the "Ostarrchi document" of 996.[16] This word is probably a
translation of Medieval Latin Marchia orientalis into a local (Bavarian) dialect. It was a
prefecture of Bavaria created in 976. The word "Austria" is a Latinisation of the German name
and was first recorded in the 12th century.
Friedrich Heer, one of the most important Austrian historians in the 20th century, stated in his
book Der Kampf um die sterreichische Identitt (The Struggle Over Austrian Identity),[17] that
the Germanic form Ostarrchi was not a translation of the Latin word, but both resulted from a
much older term originating in the Celtic languages of ancient Austria: more than 2,500 years
ago, the major part of the actual country was called Norig by the Celtic population (Hallstatt
culture); according to Heer, no- or nor- meant "east" or "eastern", whereas -rig is related to the
modern German Reich, meaning "realm". Accordingly, Norig would essentially mean Ostarrchi
and sterreich, thus Austria. The Celtic name was eventually Latinised to Noricum after the
Romans conquered the area that encloses most of modern day Austria, in approximately 15 BC.
Noricum later became a Roman province in the mid 1st century AD.[18]
[edit] History
Main article: History of Austria
Settled in ancient times,[11] the Central European land that is now Austria was occupied in preRoman times by various Celtic tribes. The Celtic kingdom of Noricum was later claimed by the
Roman Empire and made a province. Present day Petronell-Carnuntum in Eastern Austria was an
important army camp turned capital city in what became known as the Upper Pannonia province.
Fifty thousand people called Carnuntum home for nearly 400 years.[19]
Battle of Vienna in 1683 broke the advance of the Ottoman Empire into Europe.
The Habsburgs began also to accumulate lands far from the hereditary lands. In 1477 Archduke
Maximilian, only son of Emperor Frederick III, married the heiress Maria of Burgundy, thus
acquiring most of the Netherlands for the family.[24][25] His son Philip the Fair married the heiress
of Castile and Aragon, and thus acquired Spain and its Italian, African and New World
appendages for the Habsburgs.[24][25] In 1526 following the Battle of Mohcs, Bohemia and the
part of Hungary not occupied by the Ottomans came under Austrian rule.[26] Ottoman expansion
into Hungary led to frequent conflicts between the two empires, particularly evident in the socalled Long War of 1593 to 1606. The Turks made incursions into Styria nearly twenty times;[27]
burning, pillaging, and taking thousands of slaves.[28]
Roman Empire in 1806. Two years earlier,[30] in 1804, the Empire of Austria was founded. In
1814 Austria was part of the Allied forces that invaded France and brought to an end the
Napoleonic Wars.
Map of AustriaHungary
After the war inflation began to devaluate the Krone, still Austria's currency. In the autumn of
1922 Austria was granted an international loan supervised by the League of Nations.[39] The
purpose of the loan was to avert bankruptcy, stabilise the currency and improve its general
economic condition. With the granting of the loan, Austria passed from an independent state to
the control exercised by the League of Nations. In 1925 the Schilling, replacing the Krone by
10,000:1, was introduced. Later it was called the Alpine dollar due to its stability. From 1925 to
1929 the economy enjoyed a short high before nearly crashing after Black Friday.
The First Austrian Republic lasted until 1933 when Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss, using what he
called "self-switch-off of Parliament" (Selbstausschaltung des Parlaments), established an
autocratic regime tending toward Italian fascism.[40][41] The two big parties at this time, the Social
Democrats and the Conservatives, had paramilitary armies;[42] the Social Democrats' Schutzbund
was now declared illegal but still operative[42] as civil war broke out.[40][41][43]
Innsbruck hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics and will host the 2012 Winter Youth
Olympics, the first in history
Total military deaths from 19391945 are estimated at 260,000.[51] Jewish Holocaust victims
totaled 65,000.[52] About 140,000 Jewish Austrians had fled the country in 193839. Thousands
of Austrians had taken part in serious Nazi crimes (hundreds of thousands died in MauthausenGusen concentration camp only), a fact officially recognised by Chancellor Franz Vranitzky in
1992.
Much like Germany, Austria was divided into British, French, Soviet and American zones and
governed by the Allied Commission for Austria.[53] As forecast in the Moscow Declaration in
1943, there was a subtle difference in the treatment of Austria by the Allies.[50] The Austrian
Government, consisting of Social Democrats, Conservatives and Communists (until 1947) and
residing in Vienna, which was surrounded by the Soviet zone, was recognised by the Western
Allies in October 1945 after some doubts that Renner could be Stalin's puppet. Thereby the
creation of a separate Western Austrian government and the division of the country could be
avoided. Austria, in general, was treated as though it had been originally invaded by Germany
and liberated by the Allies.[54]
On 15 May 1955, after talks which lasted for years and were influenced by the Cold War, Austria
regained full independence by concluding the Austrian State Treaty with the Four Occupying
Powers. On 26 October 1955, after all occupation troops had left, Austria declared its "permanent
neutrality" by an act of parliament, which remains to this day but has been implicitly overlapped
by constitutional amendments concerning Austria as member of the European Union from 1995
onwards.[55]
Austria joined the European Union in 1995 and signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007.
The political system of the Second Republic is based on the constitution of 1920 and 1929,
which was reintroduced in 1945. The system came to be characterised by Proporz, meaning that
most posts of political importance were split evenly between members of the Social Democrats
and the People's Party.[56] Interest group "chambers" with mandatory membership (e.g. for
workers, business people, farmers) grew to considerable importance and were usually consulted
in the legislative process, so that hardly any legislation was passed that did not reflect
widespread consensus.[57] Since 1945 a single-party government took place only 19661970
(Conservatives) and 19701983 (Social Democrats). During all other legislative periods, either a
grand coalition of Conservatives and Social Democrats or a "small coalition" (one of these two
and a smaller party) ruled the country.
Following a referendum in 1994, at which consent reached a majority of two thirds, the country
became a member of the European Union on 1 January 1995.[58]
The major parties SP and VP have contrary opinions about the future status of Austria's
military non-alignment:[citation needed] While the SP in public supports a neutral role, the VP
argues for stronger integration into the EU's security policy; even a future NATO membership is
not ruled out by some VP politicians[who?]. In reality, Austria is taking part in the EU's Common
Foreign and Security Policy, participates in the so-called[by whom?] Petersburg Agenda (including
peace keeping and peace creating tasks) and has become member of NATO's "Partnership for
Peace"; the constitution has been amended accordingly. Since 2008, due to the Schengen
Agreement, the only neighbouring country performing border controls towards Austria is
Liechtenstein.
[edit] Politics
Main article: Politics of Austria
With legislative and executive, the courts are the third column of Austrian state powers. Notably
the Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) may exert considerable influence on the
political system by ruling out laws and ordinances not in compliance with the constitution. Since
1995, the European Court of Justice may overrule Austrian decisions in all matters defined in
laws of the European Union. Austria also implements the decisions of the European Court of
Human Rights, since the European Convention on Human Rights is part of the Austrian
constitution.
Foreign ministry
The 1955 Austrian State Treaty ended the occupation of Austria following World War II and
recognised Austria as an independent and sovereign state. On 26 October 1955, the Federal
Assembly passed a constitutional article in which "Austria declares of her own free will her
perpetual neutrality". The second section of this law stated that "in all future times Austria will
not join any military alliances and will not permit the establishment of any foreign military bases
on her territory". Since then, Austria has shaped its foreign policy on the basis of neutrality, but
rather different from the neutrality of Switzerland.
Austria began to reassess its definition of neutrality following the fall of the Soviet Union,
granting overflight rights for the UN-sanctioned action against Iraq in 1991, and, since 1995, it
has developed participation in the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Also in
1995, it joined the Partnership for Peace and subsequently participated in peacekeeping missions
in Bosnia. Meanwhile, the only part of the Constitutional Law on Neutrality of 1955 still valid
fully is not to allow foreign military bases in Austria.[citation needed]
Austria attaches great importance to participation in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development and other international economic organisations, and it has played an active role
in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). As an OSCE participating
State, Austrias international commitments are subject to monitoring under the mandate of the
U.S. Helsinki Commission.
[edit] Military
Main article: Austrian Armed Forces
Capital Area
Populati Ran
on [64]
k
1 Burgenland
Eisensta
dt
3,96
6
km
280,350 9
Carinthia
(Krnten)
Klagenf
urt
9,53
6
km
560,753 6
Lower Austria
3 (Niedersterre
ich)
St.
Plten
19,1
74
km
1,588,54
2
5
Upper Austria
4 (Obersterreic
h)
Linz
11,9
80
km
1,405,98
3
6
5 Salzburg
Salzburg
7,15
4
km
529,085 7
Graz
16,3
92
km
1,203,98
4
6
7 Tyrol (Tirol)
Innsbruc
k
12,6
48
km
698,472 5
8 Vorarlberg
Bregenz
2,60
1
km
364,611 8
9 Vienna (Wien)
Vienna
(Wien)
414.
90
km
1,660,53
1
4
[edit] Geography
Main article: Geography of Austria
Styria
(Steiermark)
Topography of Austria
View of Hallstatt
in the central area of the Bohemian Mass and accounts for 10% of Austria. The Austrian portion
of the Vienna basin comprises the remaining 4%.
The six highest mountains in Austria are:
Name
Groglockner
Wildspitze
Weikugel
Grovenediger
Similaun
Groes Wiesbachhorn
Height (m)
3,797
3,768
3,739
3,674
3,606
3,571
Height (ft)
12,457
12,362
12,267
12,054
11,831
11,715
Range
Hohe Tauern
tztal Alps
tztal Alps
Hohe Tauern
tztal Alps
Hohe Tauern
[edit] Climate
The greater part of Austria lies in the cool/temperate climate zone in which humid westerly
winds predominate. With over half of the country dominated by the Alps, the alpine climate is
the predominant one. In the eastin the Pannonian Plain and along the Danube valleythe
climate shows continental features with less rain than the alpine areas. Although Austria is cold
in the winter (10 0 C), summer temperatures can be relatively warm,[66] with average
temperatures in the mid-20s and a highest temperature of 39.7 C (103.5 F).[67]
[edit] Economy
Main article: Economy of Austria
See also: List of Austrian companies
Modern Vienna, Vienna International Centre with the United Nations Office at Vienna
Austria is the 12th richest country in the world in terms of GDP (Gross domestic product) per
capita,[4] has a well-developed social market economy, and a high standard of living. Until the
1980s, many of Austria's largest industry firms were nationalised; in recent years, however,
privatisation has reduced state holdings to a level comparable to other European economies.
Labour movements are particularly strong in Austria and have large influence on labour politics.
Next to a highly developed industry, international tourism is the most important part of the
national economy.
of Bank Austria by Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank for 7.8 bil. EUR in 2000, the acquisition
of Porsche Holding Salzburg by Volkswagen Group for 3.6 bil. EUR in 2009,[72] and the
acquisition of Banca Comercial Romn by Erste Group for 3.7 bil. EUR in 2005.[73]
[edit] Currency
Main article: Austrian euro coins
See also: Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Austria)
In 1999, Austria introduced the single European currency, the euro. With 17 other EU member
states it forms the Eurozone.
In Austria, the euro was introduced as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999, and euro coins
and banknotes entered circulation on 1 January 2002. As a preparation for this date, the minting
of the new euro coins started as early as 1999, however all Austrian euro coins introduced in
2002 have this year on it; unlike other countries of the Eurozone where mint year is minted in the
coin. Eight different designs, one per face value, were selected for the Austrian coins. In 2007, to
adopt the new common map like the rest of the Eurozone countries, Austria changed the common
side of its coins.
Before adopting the Euro in 2002 Austria had maintained use of the Austrian schilling which was
first established in December 1924. The Schilling was abolished in the wake of the Anschluss in
1938 and was reintroduced after the end of the World War II in November 1945.
Austria has one of the richest collection of collectors' coins in the Eurozone, with face value
ranging from 10 to 100 euro (although a 100,000 euro coin was exceptionally minted in 2004).
These coins are a legacy of an old national practice of the minting of silver and gold coins.
Unlike normal issues, these coins are not legal tender in all the eurozone. For instance, a 5
Austrian commemorative coin cannot be used in any other country.
[edit] Energy
See also: Wind power in Austria and Renewable energy in the European Union
In 1972, the country began construction of a nuclear-powered electricity-generation station at
Zwentendorf on the River Danube, following a unanimous vote in parliament. However, in 1978,
a referendum voted approximately 50.5% against nuclear power, 49.5% for,[74] and parliament
subsequently unanimously passed a law forbidding the use of nuclear power to generate
electricity.
Austria currently produces more than half of its electricity by hydropower.[75] Together with other
renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass powerplants, the electricity supply
from renewable energy amounts to 62.89%[76] of total use in Austria, with the rest being produced
by gas and oil powerplants.
[edit] Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Austria
A painting by Canaletto of Vienna during the first half of the 18th century
[edit] Language
German is Austria's official language and is spoken natively by 88.6% of the population
followed by Turkish (2.3%), Serbian (2.2%), Croatian (1.6%), Hungarian (0.5%), Bosnian
(0.4%) and Slovenian (0.3%).[8]
The official German used in education, publications, announcements and websites is Austrian
German, which is mostly identical to the German used in Germany but with some vocabulary
differences. In terms of native language, however, various local Austro-Bavarian (Alemannic in
Vorarlberg) are spoken instead, and Standard German is more or less a second language to
Austrians. The dialects more or less qualify for classification as separate languages but are not
treated as such, even though Austro-Bavarian is sometimes used in media and more so in TV
comedy shows.
The Austrian federal states of Carinthia and Styria are home to a significant indigenous Slovenespeaking minority while in the easternmost state, Burgenland (formerly part of the Hungarian
portion of AustriaHungary), there are significant Hungarian- and Croatian-speaking minorities.
Of the remaining number of Austria's people that are of non-Austrian descent, many come from
surrounding countries, especially from the former East Bloc nations. So-called guest workers
(Gastarbeiter) and their descendants, as well as refugees from the Yugoslav wars and other
conflicts, also form an important minority group in Austria. Since 1994 the RomaSinti (gypsies)
have been an officially recognised ethnic minority in Austria.
According to census information published by Statistik Austria for 2001[8] there were a total of
710,926 foreign nationals living in Austria. Of these, the largest by far are 283,334 foreign
nationals from the former Yugoslavia (of whom 135,376 speak Serbian; 105,487 Croatian;
31.551 Bosnian i.e. basically there are altogether 272,414 Austrian resident native speakers of
what was officially called Serbo-Croatian until the disintegration of Yugoslavia, and is still
considered as a single language by linguists the world over plus 6,902 Slovenian and 4,018
Macedonian speakers).
The next largest population of linguistic and ethnic groups are the 124,392 who speak German as
their mother tongue even though they hail from outside of Austria (mainly immigrants from
Germany, some from Switzerland and South Tyrol, Italy); 123,417 who speak Turkish; 25,155
English; 24,446 Albanian; 17,899 Polish; 14,699 Hungarian; 12,216 Romanian; 10,000 Malayali;
7,982 Arabic; 6,891 Slovak; 6,707 Czech; 5,916 Persian; 5,677 Italian; 5,466 Russian; 5,213
French; 4,938 Chinese; 4,264 Spanish; 3,503 Bulgarian. The populations of the rest fall off
sharply below 3,000. Between 200,000 and 300,000 ethnic Turks (including minority of Turkish
Kurds) currently live in Austria. They are the largest single immigrant group in Austria,[78]
closely followed by the Serbs.[79]
As of 2006, some of the Austrian states introduced standardised tests for new citizens, to assure
their language ability, cultural knowledge and accordingly their ability to integrate into the
Austrian society.[80] For the national rules, see Austrian nationality law Naturalisation.
[edit] Religion
Main article: Religion in Austria
Main Denominations in Austria[83]
[84]
y
Cat perc Luthe perc
e popul
holi enta rans[85 enta
a ation
]
cs
ge
ge
r
1
6,17
9 6,933
89.0
0,08
5 ,905
%
4
1
429,4
6.2%
93
1
6,29
9 7,073
89.0
5,07
6 ,807
%
5
1
438,6
6.2%
63
1
6,54
9 7,491
87.4
8,31
7 ,526
%
6
1
447,0
6,0%
70
1
6,37
9 7,555
84.3
2,64
8 ,338
%
5
1
423,1
5,6%
62
1
6,08
9 7,795
78.0
1,45
9 ,786
%
4
1
338,7
5.0%
09
2
5,91
0 8,032
73.6
5,42
0 ,926
%
1
1
376,1
4.7%
50
2
5,66
0 8,250
68.5
2,78
0 ,000
%
2
5
2
5,57
0 8,350
66.8
9,49
0 ,000
%
3
8
328,3
3.9%
46
2
8,376 5,53
0
66.0
,761[8 3,51
0
%
6]
7
9
325,3
3.9%
14[87]
2
8,404 5,45
0
,252[8 2,73
1
6]
4
0
323,8
3.8%
63[88]
At the end of the 20th century, about 74% of Austria's population were registered as Roman
Catholic,[89] while about 5% considered themselves Protestants.[89] Austrian Christians are obliged
to pay a mandatory membership fee (calculated by incomeabout 1%) to their church; this
payment is called "Kirchenbeitrag" ("Ecclesiastical/Church contribution").
Since the second half of the 20th century, the number of adherents and churchgoers has declined.
Data for the end of 2005 from the Austrian Roman Catholic church lists 5,662,782 members, or
68.5% of the total Austrian population, and a Sunday church attendance of 753,701 or 9% of the
total Austrian population.[90] Data for the end of 2008 published by the Austrian Roman Catholic
church shows a further reduction to 5,579,493 members or 66.8% of the total Austrian
population, and a Sunday church attendance of 698,527 or 8% of the total Austrian population.[91]
The Lutheran church also recorded a loss of 47904 adherents between 2001 and 2008. As of
January 2010 the percentage of catholics in Austria declined to 65.1%.[citation needed]
About 12% of the population declared that they have no religion.[89] in 2001. Of the remaining
people, around 340,000 are registered as members of various Muslim communities, mainly due
to the influx from Turkey, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.[89] About 180,000 are members of
Orthodox Churches (mostly Serbs), about 21,000 people are active Jehovah's Witnesses[92] and
about 8,100 are Jewish.[89]
The Austrian Jewish Community of 1938Vienna alone counted more than 200,000was
reduced to around 4,500 during the Second World War, with approximately 65,000 Jewish
Austrians killed in the Holocaust and 130,000 emigrating.[93] The large majority of the current
Jewish population are post-war immigrants, particularly from eastern Europe and central Asia
(including Bukharan Jews).[94] Buddhism was legally recognised as a religion in Austria in 1983.
[95]
34% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force".
8% answered that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force".
While northern and central Germany was the origin of the Reformation, Austria and Bavaria
were the heart of the Counter-Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries, when the absolute
monarchy of Habsburg imposed a strict regime to restore Catholicism's power and influence
among Austrians.[97][98] The Habsburgs for a long time viewed themselves as the vanguard of
Catholicism and all other confessions and religions were repressed.
In 1781, in the era of Austrian enlightenment, Emperor Joseph II issued a Patent of Tolerance for
Austria that allowed other confessions a limited freedom of worship. Religious freedom was
declared a constitutional right in Cisleithania after the Austro-Hungarian Ausgleich in 1867 thus
paying tribute to the fact that the monarchy was home of numerous religions beside Roman
Catholicism such as Greek, Serbian, Romanian, Russian, and Bulgarian Orthodox Christians
(Austria neighboured the Ottoman Empire for centuries), Calvinist, Lutheran Protestants and
Jews. In 1912, after the annexation of Bosnia Hercegovina in 1908, Islam was officially
recognised in Austria.
Austria remained largely influenced by Catholicism. After 1918, First Republic Catholic leaders
such as Theodor Innitzer and Ignaz Seipel took leading positions within or close to Austria's
government and increased their influence during the time of the Austrofascism; Catholicism was
treated much like a state religion by Engelbert Dollfuss and Kurt Schuschnigg.[citation needed]
Although Catholic (and Protestant) leaders initially welcomed the Germans in 1938 during the
Anschluss of Austria into Germany, Austrian Catholicism stopped its support[citation needed]of Nazism
later on and many[citation needed] former religious public figures became involved with the resistance
during the Third Reich. After the end of World War II in 1945, a stricter secularism was imposed
in Austria, and religious influence on politics declined.[citation needed]
[edit] Education
Main article: Education in Austria
Standard attendance times are 8 am to 12 pm or 1 pm, with hourly five- or ten-minute breaks.
Children are given homework daily from the first year. Historically there has been no lunch hour,
with children returning home to eat. However, due to a rise in the number of mothers in work,
primary schools are increasingly offering pre-lesson and afternoon care.
As in Germany, secondary education consists of two main types of schools, attendance at which
is based on a pupil's ability as determined by grades from the primary school. The Gymnasium
caters for the more able children, in the final year of which the Matura examination is taken,
which is a requirement for access to university. The Hauptschule prepares pupils for vocational
education but also for various types of further education (Hhere Technische Lehranstalt HTL =
institution of higher technical education; HAK = commercial academy; HBLA = institution of
higher education for economic business; etc.). Attendance at one of these further education
institutes also leads to the Matura. Some schools aim to combine the education available at the
Gymnasium and the Hauptschule, and are known as Gesamtschulen. In addition, a recognition of
the importance of learning English has led some Gymnasiums to offer a bilingual stream, in
which pupils deemed able in languages follow a modified curriculum, a portion of the lesson
time being conducted in English.
The Austrian university system had been open to any student who passed the Matura
examination until recently. A 2006 bill allowed the introduction of entrance exams for studies
such as Medicine. In 2001, an obligatory tuition fee ("Studienbeitrag") of 363.36 per term was
introduced for all public universities. Since 2008, for all EU students the studies have been free
of charge, as long as a certain time-limit is not exceeded (the expected duration of the study plus
usually two terms tolerance).[99] When the time-limit is exceeded, the fee of around 363.36 per
term is charged. Some further exceptions to the fee apply, e.g. for students with a year's salary of
more than about 5000. In all cases, an obligatory fee of 17 for the student union and insurance
is charged..
[edit] Culture
Main article: Culture of Austria
[edit] Music
Main article: Music of Austria
Among Austrian Artists and architects one can find the painters Ferdinand Georg Waldmller,
Rudolf von Alt, Hans Makart, Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Egon Schiele, Carl Moll, and
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, the photographers Inge Morath and Ernst Haas, and architects like
Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, Otto Wagner, Adolf Loos, and Hans Hollein.
in the 19th century. In the 20th century, contributions by Lise Meitner, Erwin Schrdinger and
Wolfgang Pauli to nuclear research and quantum mechanics were key to these areas'
development during the 1920s and 1930s. A present-day quantum physicist is Anton Zeilinger,
noted as the first scientist to demonstrate quantum teleportation.
In addition to physicists, Austria was the birthplace of two of the most noteworthy philosophers
of the 20th century, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper. In addition to them, biologists Gregor
Mendel and Konrad Lorenz as well as mathematician Kurt Gdel and engineers such as
Ferdinand Porsche and Siegfried Marcus were Austrians.
[edit] Literature
See also: List of Austrian writers and Austrian literature
Complementing its status as a land of artists and scientists, Austria has always been a country of
poets, writers, and novelists. It was the home of novelists Arthur Schnitzler, Stefan Zweig,
Thomas Bernhard, Franz Kafka, and Robert Musil, of poets Georg Trakl, Franz Werfel, Franz
Grillparzer, Rainer Maria Rilke, Adalbert Stifter, Karl Kraus and children's author Eva Ibbotson.
Famous contemporary playwrights and novelists are Nobel prize winner Elfriede Jelinek, Peter
Handke and Daniel Kehlmann.
The Viennoise
Austria's cuisine is derived from that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austrian cuisine is mainly
the tradition of Royal-Cuisine ("Hofkche") delivered over centuries. It is famous for its wellbalanced variations of beef and pork and countless variations of vegetables. There is also the
"Mehlspeisen" Bakery, which created particular delicacies such as Sachertorte, "Krapfen" which
are doughnuts usually filled with apricot jam or custard, and "Strudel" such as "Apfelstrudel"
filled with apple, "Topfenstrudel" filled with a type of cheese curd called "topfen", and
"Millirahmstrudel" (milk-cream strudel).
In addition to native regional traditions, the cuisine has been influenced by Hungarian, Bohemia
Czech, Jewish, Italian, Balkan and French cuisine, from which both dishes and methods of food
preparation have often been borrowed. The Austrian cuisine is therefore one of the most
multicultural and transcultural in Europe.
Wiener Schnitzel
Typical Austrian dishes include Wiener Schnitzel, Schweinsbraten, Kaiserschmarren, Kndel,
Sachertorte and Tafelspitz. There are also Krntner Kasnudeln, which are pockets of dough filled
with Topfen, potatoes, herbs and peppermint which are boiled and served with a butter sauce.
Kasnudeln are traditionally served with a salad. Eierschwammerl dishes are also popular. The
"Eierschwammerl", also known as "Pfifferling", are native yellow, tan mushrooms. The candy
Pez was invented in Austria, as well as Mannerschnitten. Austria is also famous for its
Mozartkugeln and its coffee tradition.
Beer is sold in 0.2 litre (a Pfiff), 0.3 litre (a Seidel, kleines Bier or Glas Bier) and 0.5 litre (a
Krgerl or groes Bier or Halbe) measures. At festivals one litre Ma and two litre Doppelma
in the Bavarian style are also dispensed. The most popular types of beer are lager (known as
Mrzen in Austria), naturally cloudy Zwicklbier and wheat beer. At holidays like Christmas and
Easter bock beer is also available.
The most important wine-producing areas are in Lower Austria, Burgenland, Styria and Vienna.
The Grner Veltliner grape provides some of Austria's most notable white wines and Zweigelt is
the most widely planted red wine grape.
In Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Styria and Carinthia, Most, a type of cider or perry is widely
produced.
Schnapps of typically up to 60 % alcohol or fruit brandy is drunk, which in Austria is made from
a variety of fruits, for example apricots and rowanberries. The produce of small private schnapps
distilleries, of which there are around 20,000 in Austria, is known as Selberbrennter or
Hausbrand. A very high percentage schnaps is called "Umblachter" and has up to 85% Alcohol.
[edit] Sports
Main article: Sport in Austria