Wien's Zentralfriedhof I

Vienna’s Central Cemetery I

The enormous Vienna Central Cemetery (Zentralfriedhof) was created in 1874. Sprawling over 2.4 lush square kilometers, the Zentralfriedhof is the final resting place for over 250,000,000 souls, notably, Austrian mayors, presidents, authors, architects, and composers such as Strauss (father and son), Brahms, and Beethoven and Schubert (who were both moved from other cemeteries to the Zentralfriedhof’s “circle of honor” in 1888). Wien’s Zentralfriedhof, like other European cemeteries, has a friendly, peaceful atmosphere. On our two visits, we’ve seen individuals serenely strolling the seemingly endless paths, or briskly walking in pairs, and as families, clearly enjoying the beautiful vegetation, the fresh air, and the impressive history. Although at times the Zentralfriedhof must be a place of sorrow and melancholy, during our visits we’ve sensed a strong feeling of contentment, if not downright happiness on the part of most visitors.
















During our second visit we began to see that, in many ways, the Zentralfriedhof is a microcosm of Vienna. For instance, like Vienna, the Friedhof feels intimate despite its size. You could walk all day, and not see everything, yet oddly enough, the grandeur doesn’t feel overwhelming. Perhaps this is because, like the city in which it rests, the Zentralfriedhof is made up of neighborhoods, each with its own unique personality. Meandering the paths of the Zentralfriedhof is akin to roaming the gasses of Vienna – extravagant Hofburg-like monuments tower alongside sleek modern memorials. But regardless of the style, all gravesites are beautiful in their idiosyncrasy; as can be seen in our photos, you rarely see the same granite angel twice. Additionally, just like the city’s living residents, the residents of the Friedhof are in very close proximity to one another. Space is at a premium, so there is little if any distance between plots. Still, although neighbors are close, you needn’t worry about how things look because most plots, even the REALLY old ones, are purposefully and meticulously maintained – as evidenced by the woman we saw cutting grass with scissors.

Wien's Zentralfriedhof II

Vienna’s Central Cemetery II

The Zentralfriedhof also provides powerful reminders of Vienna’s dark times. Nowhere are these reminders of strife more poignantly evident than in the Jewish section of the cemetery, desecrated by the Nazis during Kristallnacht. Though roughly 60,000 graves still remain, the overwhelming impression of this section of the cemetery is one of sorrow. Countless remaining memorials still bear scars of Nazi vandalism and nature has taken over – the result of neglect by family members who could not, for tragic reasons, return to care for their loved one’s final resting place. (Do you see the deer in the overgrown grass in one of the photos?) Still, even amidst the tragedy, signs of hope, and ironically, life, can be seen in a few recently tended older gravesites, as well as care of new gravesites. Perhaps this reflects the Viennese opinions shared with us of the slow but steady religious and cultural tolerance in their community.














All Saints Day and All Souls Day, both national holidays in Austria, will be celebrated this week. We’ve learned these days are part of "Seelenwoche" (All Souls Week) during which many Austrians (traditionally Catholic) believe the curtain between the worlds of the spirits and the living is thinner than normal. On these two days all (and we mean ALL) stores, banks, and public buildings will be closed. However, public transportation will run as usual – there will even be an increased number of trips to all of Vienna’s cemeteries, and especially to the Zentralfriedhof. While All Saints Day honors the saints, known and unknown, All Souls Day commemorates all who have passed. Church bells ring at noon on All Souls Day, a signal to any lingering souls on “this side” that it is time to move to the next world. This day is traditionally celebrated with extended family, including the deceased. Graves of loved ones are visited and decorated, and we’ve heard stories of delicious picnics and stellar concerts throughout the Zentralfriedhof and other cemeteries.
The Canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral (Henry Scott-Holland, 1847-1918) beautifully expresses what Austrians seem to embrace “Death is nothing at all … why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? … I am waiting for you, somewhere very near, just around the corner. All is well.”

(*Thank you, various Wiener travel guides, for providing facts and figures.)

Unserer PrairieWolf Zeitungsartikel

Our Prairie Wolf Newspaper Article

This week we wrote a short article about our sojourn experiences for the NWU student newspaper, The Reveille.  Once we finished it, we thought, "Ach du meine Gute!  We should stick this on our blog."  So, if you are not already, pretend you are a Wesleyan student and read about your professors' exploits in Wien.

Wir wünschen Ihnen Grüß Gott aus Wien!  Grüß Gott is a traditional Austrian greeting, translated as “God’s Greeting.”  In our experience, nearly every person you meet in Vienna and environs, regardless of age, sex, occupation, culture or even religious affiliation, utters Grüß Gott.  As some of you may know, we are living abroad this academic year—Karla is savoring a splendid sabbatical year in Austria, and thanks to the wonders of technology, Travis continues to work part-time in an administrative capacity for Wesleyan’s University College whilst he shares the Austrian sojourn. Together we’ve reached a nice balance of work and play.   

Our “play” has primarily consisted of living daily life and soaking up Vienna’s beauty.  Vienna, like many capital cities, is full of grand buildings, parks, statues and fountains, which are gorgeous from the front, but we especially value the time to explore next to, and behind those elaborate monuments. We appreciate the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the city and its people on a personal level. We’ve had the luxury to venture off the beaten path, to experience Vienna as the Viennese do.  Like true Viennese residents, we’ve patronized all sorts of stores and markets, visited university campuses and churches, obtained services from government agencies and libraries, and used all modes of public transportation.  And of course we’ve been eating and drinking in small cafés (stübls or beisls), which are well known to locals, but may remain a mystery to most tourists.  Austrians relish the coffee house experience; thus, we’ve fortunately enjoyed many stimulating afternoons in cafés.  The café culture in Vienna is nearly 400 years old.  Cafés have historically been and still are much more than just a place to chug espresso and slam strudel; they are locales where people meet to discuss and read about politics, art, philosophy, religion, music, culture, and literature – they are mini liberal arts hubs!  (The accompanying photos illustrate our immersion in this rich tradition.) 

Our “work” has been, and continues to be, enormously edifying and enriching. We are researching the Austrian and Viennese culture – particularly the way Vienna is (or is not) assimilating its significant immigrant and refugee populations. Our research occurs everywhere people gather—in university classrooms, art galleries, governmental offices, businesses, the aforementioned cafés, and even in residents’s homes. Consequently, we regularly meet numerous Austrian citizens, as well as other foreign nationals, from all walks of life. Naturally, politics comes up when immigrant and refugee issues are raised, and the Austrians we’ve met are willing and able to engage in lively political discussion.  Serendipitously, Austria held its parliamentary elections on September 28^th and it was fascinating for us to watch the pre-election campaigning, the reporting of results on election night, and the post-election reactions.  From our observations and conversations, we surmised that Austrians’ criticisms of their government mirror many Americans’ criticisms of the U.S. government, namely government inefficiency and partisan bickering, the sluggish economy, and the myriad of complex issues surrounding the current influx of immigrants and refugees.     

Now that the Austrian election has concluded, we’ve noticed the conversational focus has shifted to U.S. politics.  It is informative to live abroad at this time as we are hearing (loud and clear) how Austrians (and others) view U.S. politics. We’ve greatly enjoyed coordinating DebateWatch events on various Viennese campuses during the past few weeks (see www.debates.org for a DebateWatch description). At these events the vice-presidential and presidential debates were viewed by American students, as well as students and faculty from all over the world.  Our subsequent discussions were enlightening and exciting since most participants demonstrated an impressive knowledge of our nation’s government and policies (both foreign and domestic).  These sorts of informed discussions don’t only occur with university students and professors though. Routinely, when people learn we are Americans, the topic of the U.S. election is inevitably broached.  From the young woman cutting Karla’s hair in the friseur shop, to the older gentleman riding next to us on the train, to the dude selling batteries to Travis in the Austrian version of Radio Shack, many Austrians know specific details about U.S. politics and they clearly want to hear our predictions of what will happen on November 4.

Whether it is “work” or “play” related, no matter the location of our conversations, or their topics, each dialogue has offered another layer of understanding and insight into the Austrian Weltanschauung; and in the process we are establishing many meaningful relationships.  We frequently think of our NWU friends, and we look forward to sharing our sojourn story with you upon our return next year. Aufwiederschauen!   

Die Göttin des Gemütlichkeits

The Goddess of Gemütlichkeit

Our three-day trip to Leoben was a glorious 72-hours of visiting, hiking, and eating.  Leoben is home to Karla's "Austrian Mama Theisl," the best cook in all Stiermark, if not the whole country of Austria - perhaps the entire continent.  From her little kitchen we were spoiled with breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and of course jauses (little snacks), and desserts.  Each tasty morsel was homemade and we're pretty sure most everything contained cream.  Sitting in Mama Theisl's kitchen is like being a guest on the Food Network; simultaneous cooking and chatting are effortless - even when you have one person who doesn't speak a word of English, one person who speaks a smattering of German, and one person to act as translator.  From Mama Theisl's supreme sign language skills and comforting hugs, to setting out slippers and keeping beer glasses and coffee cups filled, making one feel completely at home is one of Mama's many endearing qualities.  She is the Goddess of Gemütlichkeit!

Thank goodness she also knows where all the great hiking trails are. Since it was such a lovely weekend, we spent several hours walking along the Mur river which follows a serpentine route through Leoben.  A last note:  Papa Theisl died 11 years ago, but his presence is still everywhere - in our photos, in our conversations, in our hearts.  We love Leoben!

Eine Tour von Türe

A Tour of Doors

One could fill a book with nothing but pictures and descriptions of interesting doors and door handles in Vienna.  In fact, someone probably has. Here are a few of our favorites in our own little corner of Wien.

A door handle to a bakery; a door handle to a knife and scissor store; a door handle to a fashionable women's clothing boutique called "Affair de Coeur;"  a door handle for a trendy hipster accessories and accoutrements shop.  

Although he's not on or in the door per se, this decorative figure looming over a pipe and tobacco seller's door, is both beautiful and spooky.  Looking at him you feel as if he might suddenly come to life and either grant you a wish or smite you on the spot!

Nicht Jugendstil sondern Kunst Neubau

Not Art Nouveau, but Art Neubau

Thus far in our sojourn we've not yet spent much time doing the sorts of things one might do when visiting a city such as Vienna.  Instead, we've wandered, mostly on foot, just looking around.  Since our wanderings all begin and end at our flat in Neubau, we have grown, not surprisingly, most familiar with our own neighborhood.  That isn't to say that familiarity has resulted in our being blasé about our surroundings - quite the contrary. Our familiarity with Neubau has broadened our view of it, and because it is a diverse and vibrant area, there is always something new to see...or something old that we simply did not see before.

Not all of the art in Wien is locked away in the Albertina, the Secession, or the Leopold Museum; art is everywhere.  Almost every store front is a canvas.  Why have a plain grey steel security door protecting your BonBon shop window, when you can use it for spray paint art (despite the fact that, since it is only pulled down at night, its visibility is significantly limited).  Or why throw away your old hair dryers when you can use them as window art to decorate your friseur studio?  

In the realm of performance art, we cite two local examples. Cars get towed all the time in any city.  What made the pictured event so remarkable, was the efficiency with which it was executed.  Within four minutes (yes, we timed it) of pulling alongside the recalcitrant vehicle, the pictured boom truck secured and lifted the SUV straight up from the pavement, swung it onto the flatbed, and drove off...without ever coming close to even grazing parked or moving cars, motorcycles, bikes, busses, streetcars, or gawking onlookers.   Next, clearly the two ladies pictured here are artfully proclaiming their solidarity through textiles - or maybe there was a great sale at a boutique down the street.  

And finally, art in architecture.  We walked by this building at least a dozen times before we finally looked up and noticed that, it was decorated with surreal boobed dragons.  Who would have guessed these buxom creatures would adorn such an otherwise stoic facade?

Unsere Nachbarschaft

Our Neighborhood

Viennese guidebooks and websites describe Wien's 7th District, Neubau, as picturesque, liberal, splendid, and as the bastion of the Green Party.  The blue sign at the end of our Gasse reads, The organized Neubau (area) dates back to 1621.   Neubau means, "the NEW building/construction;" clearly, our Neubau neighborhood is as funky fresh as it was in 1621.  Our street, about seven blocks long, welcomes us with the "Street of Specialists" sign and bids us "farewell" as we leave.  

Neubaugasse and the surrounding streets are filled with an eclectic mix of unique boutiques, antique dealers, produce markets, tempting bakeries, cozy cafés, and friseurs too numerous to mention.  A groovy combination of old world charm and new age hippies are evidence of the neighborhood gentrification.  Cobblestone streets and refurbished Biedermeier facades are the norm, yet the old buildings may house cell phone and computer stores, and the people we meet in the shops are as diverse as the wares they sell.  Although every day isn't a flea market day as shown in these photos, the neighborhood bustles with pedestrians, strollers, scooters, bicycles, buses (our stop is 30 meters from our front door), streetcars (our stop is a four-minute walk), and the U-bahn station (an eight-minute walk).  We feel "newly constructed" each day we reside in Neubau!

Schmutzige Wäsche Waschen

Airing Dirty Laundry

As in English, the German language has a “to air one’s dirty laundry” expression. Be assured, gentle reader, you’ll only be viewing our clean laundry in this blog entry.  According to the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University, 91% of all Austrian households own a washer, and only 11% own a dryer. We feel fortunate to have an exceptionally space efficient washing machine in our apartment.  It is quite a quirky contraption.  The outside of the drum is covered in sharp, poky things.  To close and open the drum, one must stand vigilant so one's fingers are not eaten by the drum teeth, and so one's head doesn’t get clunked by the non-latching machine top (there have been incidences).  Clothes get incredibly clean, but, depending on what wash cycle is used, this process can take up to three hours.  It still beats washing heavy jeans and bath towels in the tub.

Since we are in the 89% of Austrian households without a dryer, we simply employ ingenuity and planning.  Where can you string a line?  What if it is too cold to have the windows open?  What clothing can be safely hung over the heaters?  As can be seen, we’ve tackled the drying challenge.  We’ve entitled the “clothing on the line” photos, Dark Clothes on a Bright Day and Bright Clothes on a Dark Day (the latter photo was taken about 1 in the afternoon – don’t know if you’ve heard, but we recently experienced the wettest September in Vienna in 50 years).  

Sparren mit Elegance

Saving with Elegance

Welcome to our bank - Bank Austria.  Located "Am Hof," which literally translated means, "at the court," our bank is a two-minute walk from the center of the sprawling Hofburg, the seat of government for various empires since 1279.  There are a couple of historical notes about Am Hof, the largest enclosed square in Vienna and the home of the Roman Empire's original outpost in Vindobona (Wien).  First, in 1762, in the palace across the courtyard from our bank, Mozart made his public debut at the tender age of six.  Next, in 1806, it was from the balcony of our bank's neighboring church, that the end of the Holy Roman Empire was announced.  We figure these events lend a certain gravitas to the locale . . . even more so than what is offered at our stripmall bank in Lincoln.  Also, we discovered that Am Hof used to be the site of jousting matches and executions . . . so we're carefully avoiding the penalties for early withdrawal.  

Before our bank housed our meager funds, it was part of the Hofburg palace complex - a warren of marble-walled, gilded, frescoed residences and offices.  They've toned down the opulence a bit, but clearly, the regal roots of the building are still evident.  We are confident that our money is quite secure.  The place feels like a combination of the Palace of Versailles and the Gringotts Bank of Harry Potter fame.  At our first visit, we half expected a troop of goblins to materialize when we presented our traveler's cheques and passports.

Our initiation was not all cold stone and gold, however.  The international accounts staff were all decidedly un-goblin-like.  The approval procedure did take an entire morning (as it would at Gringotts), but the overall experience was perfectly pleasant.  As promised by the cozy, overstuffed red chair in the lobby, which, in typical Austrian fashion, invites us to "make ourselves at home, be comfortable, feel unhurried and snuggly." (The term "gemütlich" successfully expresses all these feelings.)