Volume 59, July-August, 2006
Austrian Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel with President George W. Bush at the EU-U.S. summit in Vienna
Hopi Media
Dear Readers,
Sometimes the past is replayed in the present, and the ambiguities of life are well buried beneath the obvious. It takes grave-diggers of a certain kind to uncover the hidden treasures. Frederic Morton is an expert at discovering repressed recollections and giving them form
Just in case you missed the coverage of the EU-US Summit in Vienna, you will find a short summary in this issue.
On the official front:
* Austrians abroad! Don’t forget to cast your ballot for the parliamentary elections on October 1
* Austria just opened its 27th Honorary Consulate in one of the most booming areas of the United States
* an editor’s impending departure, and
* the extraordinary achievements of an Austrian in the field of social housing and development.
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The EU – U.S. Summit in Vienna
“When America and Europe work together, we can accomplish big deals. The world needs us to work together because there are a lot of challenges,” said President Bush at a joint press conference at the EU-U.S. Summit in Vienna, hosted by Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel. “Even if we have different approaches on some issues, that should not overshadow the depth and the quality of our relations,” added Mr. Schüssel.
Euro Quiz
Correct Answers and Winners!
The Euro Quiz is a three-part series of questions concerning EU myths, facts and clichés circulated by the media. The quiz was initiated by Austrian Information and came to an end together with Austria’s EU Presidency on June 30, 2006.
Editor’s Farewell
I would like to take this opportunity to bid farewell to all the readers of Austrian Information and to thank them for their interest in this publication. I am especially grateful to those who have contributed articles or provided regular comments and suggestions. I have learned a lot from the latter. They have influenced my way of thinking and, more importantly, the scope of this publication.
Austria Opens Florida Consulate
Austria Opens Florida Consulate: The Republic of Austria has recently opened an honorary consulate in Orlando to service the Central and North East Florida areas. “Florida is a fast-growing state with many Austrians retiring there,” explained Martin Kraemer, Consul General for the Austrian Embassy in Washington, D.C. “Orlando’s status as the world’s number one tourist destination and the fastest growing city in the States made it important for us to service the needs of Austrians traveling in the area, as well as Austrian companies looking to do business with local firms,” he added.
Parliamentary Elections in Austria
Austrian citizens residing in the United States are invited to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Austria (Nationalratswahl), which will take place on Sunday, October 1, 2006. Eligible to vote are those Austrians who are eighteen years or older (18th birthday on October 1, 2006 at the latest) and who are officially registered as voters living abroad in a so-called Austrian Wählerevidenzgemeinde (voter’s registry). Individuals who are not registered will not be able to apply for a voting card (Wahlkarte).
Guntram Weissenberger
Guntram Weissenberger grew up under Fascism, survived the Communist era and made a difference in the U.S. Like many of his post-war generation, it was the lure of challenge, opportunity and ambition which brought the young man to America during the early years following World War II. His European roots were fostered by a sense of close community and determined his choice of direction: that of providing social justice through affordable housing to the working masses.
Frederic Morton
Frederic Morton had just returned from Budapest where a new musical, Rudolf, based on his book, A Nervous Splendor: Vienna 1888-1889, had received its world premiere at the Operetta Theater Budapest in May. The Vienna-born octogenarian author told me about his latest success over dinner at Elaine’s, Manhattan’s legendary literary restaurant.
Climate Change - A Threat to Humanity?
Global changes in climate and environment have become more important in our lives as we experience receding glaciers, melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels. Are these changes somehow related to the natural disasters of recent years? Were they the cause, or the consequence, of the enormous heat waves experienced in Europe and the United States or of the increase in the number and severity of hurricanes? How can we relate the traces of destruction left by, for example, El Niño and La Niña in South America, Australia, India, and Indonesia to these climatic changes?
Herta Glaz (1910 – 2006)
The Austrian-born mezzo-soprano, Herta Glaz, who sang over three hundred performances with the Metropolitan Opera in the 1940s and 50s, died on January 28. She was ninety-five years old.
Hans Fantel (1922-2006)
Hans Fantel was a veteran writer for the New York Times on consumer electronics from the 1970s to the 1990s. He was also a founding editor of Stereo Review, a touchstone for stereophiles. His prolific writings covered a broad range of subjects, including his life in prewar Vienna.