The EURO 2008 Soccer Championship hosted in June by Austria and Switzerland was a competition between Europe’s leading soccer nations. The host cities for the competition were pleased with the success of the event; the broadcasting of the games all over the world reached 8 billion viewers.
Austrian food and wine is widely treasured in other countries. Agricultural exports from Austria, which is now considered to be the Number 1 “organic country” in Europe, continue to grow, as explained in an article in this issue.
Next year will mark the 275th anniversary of the arrival of the Georgia Salzburgers in the New World, the oldest existing colony of Austrian families to have settled in America, a topic on which we are happy to report.
Other topics include a recent Austrian donation to the George C. Marshall International Center in Leesburg, Virginia to support the educational exchange programs shared by Americans and recipient countries of the Marshall Plan, as well as the recently reconstituted American-Austrian Cultural Society in Washington, D.C.
Yours sincerely,
Wolfgang Renezeder
Editor-in-Chief

At a reception held at the residence of Austrian Ambassador Eva Nowotny on July 7, Austria presented a donation of 150,000 Euros to the George C. Marshall International Center. This gift, the second major gift of the Austrian government to the Center, is to be used to support educational exchange programs shared by Americans and the recipient countries of the Marshall Plan.
Austria’s first major donation to the Center, made in the early 1990s, assisted with the preservation of Dodona Manor, the Leesburg, Virginia, home of George Marshall, the individual most instrumental in the development of the European Recovery Program. This Program, better known as the Marshall Plan, helped with the reconstruction and revival of Europe after World War II.
In her remarks Ambassador Nowotny expressed appreciation for the work done by the Center in preserving and restoring Dodona Manor and for educational programs that the Center has developed to advance the legacy of this soldier-statesman. “The Center’s work deserves support, especially from the countries which benefited from the Marshall Plan,” Ambassador Nowotny stated. She added, “In Austria’s case, the Marshall Plan helped keep the country together politically, economically and socially during the ten years after World War II, when other countries under similar Allied occupation became divided. We certainly would not have developed and prospered as we have without the generous support rendered through the Marshall Plan. Future generations must not be allowed to forget this and George Marshall’s many other contributions to a peaceful world order.”

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Growing Interest in the U.S.A. for Taste of Austrian Nature       
 
by Hans Kordik
 
Growing Interest in the U.S.A. for Taste of Austrian Nature
Emperor Franz-Josef was known to be a gourmet and, gourmand that he was, he relished good food in large quantities. In fact, the famous “Sacher Torte” (chocolate cake) and the “Sacher Würstl” (hot dog about 14 inches long) achieved popularity due to the culinary habits of this Habsburg monarch. Enjoying good food, especially that of high quality, characterizes the Austrian consumer. The last few decades have caused the expectations of Austrian consumers regarding their food to change. Since the definition of quality is considered to be subjective, it can vary from consumer to consumer. Quality could be defined, for instance, as freshness or healthiness of produce. Requests for high-quality and healthy foods are not enough for the Austrian consumer; however, today their demands go much further, for they want to know where the food comes from, how it was produced and whether it respects the environment and takes into consideration animal welfare.

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The final of the EURO 2008 Soccer Championship on June 29th, 2008 in Vienna was a competition between two of Europe’s leading soccer nations. Spain and Germany had advanced to the final round by defeating Russia and Turkey, respectively, in the semifinals. Although a slight favorite, Germany was no match for the speed and technique of the Spanish “matadors.” The superb goal of Spanish striker Fernando Torres in the 33rd minute was the deciding factor in the game, but the 1-0 victory did not reflect the supremacy of the Spanish team.

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Oldest Colony of Austrian Families in America

Next year will mark the 275th anniversary of the arrival of the Georgia Salzburgers in the New World, where they have continued to be the oldest existing colony of Austrian families to have settled in America. Activities will be held throughout the year to celebrate this anniversary and one of its founders, Pastor John Martin Boltzius. His correspondence has recently been translated and will be published with the help of the Francke Foundation. A large life-size statue will be erected during next year’s celebration and many Georgia Salzburgers are expected to attend.

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Austrian-born neuroscientist and thinker Karl H. Pribram is widely known for his research on the brain, his development of the holonomic brain model of cognitive function and his contribution to ongoing neurological research into memory, emotion, motivation and consciousness.

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Founded in 1954 to promote cultural, educational and scientific relations between the United States and Austria and to foster a wider knowledge of the arts of both countries, the American-Austrian Society in Washington, D.C. was recently reconstituted as the American-Austrian Cultural Society. Along with other American-Austrian Societies in the U.S. and the Austrian-American Councils, they represent important cornerstones for the Austrian Community and Friends of Austria in the United States.

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Early September 2008 a new animated television series of twenty-six half-hour episodes entitled, Wunderkind Little Amadeus – The Adventures of Young Mozart will debut on American public television stations nationwide. The series, which was initially launched in 2006 in Germany, has enjoyed enormous success and can soon be enjoyed grasp by the young in the United States. Created for children four to eight years old, the program is designed to bring classical music within easy grasp of kids everywhere and thereby foster a lifelong love of music. Young viewers will follow Mozart’s adventures while being introduced to musical concepts based on his prolific work. The music featured in the series is authentic, performed by renowned orchestras and featuring famous soloists, such as violinist Tamaki Kawakubo and pianist Francois René Duchable. Online teaching materials accompanies the TV series and can be found at: www.little-amadeus.com The series can be seen on Public Broadcasting starting September 9, 2008.

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(coverpage) Rita Newman; Austrian Trade Commission, NYC; Peter Cutts; George C. Marshall International Center; Sven Bannuscher; Erwin Schuh; Norman Turner; Georgia Salzburger Society; Karl H. Pribram; GATEWAY4M - more fine music & media GmbH