Austrians are a homogeneous people; 91 % are native German speakers. However, there has been a significant amount of immigrants, particularly from former Yugoslavia and Turkey, over the last two decades. Only two numerically significant autonomous minority groups exist - 18,000 Slovenes in Carinthia (south central Austria) and about 19,400 Croats in Burgenland (on the Hungarian border). The Slovenes form a closely-knit community. Their rights as well as those of the Croats are protected by law and generally respected in practice. Some Austrians, particularly near Vienna, still have relatives in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. About 74 % of all Austrians are Roman Catholic. The church abstains from political activity. Small Lutheran minorities are located mainly in Vienna, Carinthia, and Burgenland. Small Islamic communities have arisen in Vienna and Vorarlberg.
One of the great ages of Austrian music was the Vienna classical era. Vienna was the home of Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms and Anton Bruckner. Gustav Mahler’s symphonies broke down the tonal structure of western music.
| Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - source |
The "Second Viennese School" was made up of Arnold Schönberg (founder of twelve-tone music), Alban Berg and Anton Webern. Vienna was also a centre of the operetta whose exponents included Johann Strauss Junior, Karl Millöcker, Karl Zeller and Franz Lehár.
Austria owes its reputation as a land of music to such institutions as the Vienna State Opera but also to its countless festivals throughout the country, from Lake Constance in the far west (Bregenz Festival) to Lake Neusiedl in the far East (Mörbisch operetta festival). Every summer Salzburg hosts this country’s most prestigious arts festival, founded in 1920.
Classical
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899)
Johann Strauss Sr. (1804-1849)
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Modern
Falco (1957-1998)
DJ Ötzi (1971- )
More about music: www.aboutaustria.org
PAINTING
The Jugendstil movement, pioneered by Gustav Klimt, flourished in Vienna around the turn of the century. Other important twentieth-century artists from Austria are Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka. In the years after the second world war Albert Paris Gütersloh founded the Viennese School of Phantastic Realism. Max Weiler is one of today’s foremost painters. The sculptors Fritz Wotruba, Wander Bertoni and Alfred Hrdlicka have also established international reputations. http://www.austria-cafe.com/culture.htm
More about painters: www.aboutaustria.org
Religion of Austria is largely Roman Catholic in nature with staunch orthodoxy prevailing in the lives of the countrymen for long period of time. Its history can be traced back as early as 16 th and 17 th centuries in the Habsburg Dynasty when severe conflict existed between the two main Christian communities – the Roman Catholics and Protestants. The Habsburg monarchs were strong supporters of Catholicism, which helped it to continue as the principal religion of Austria. In spite of being ardent followers of Catholicism, the Habsburg rulers showed tolerance for all religions.
More about religion: www.mapsofworld.com
STEREOTYPES ABOUT AUSTRIA
1. It’s a beautiful and civilized country
2. It has a good public transport system
3. Austrian people are not superior-minded, they are polite and the service is efficient
4. Austria has a high standard of living
5. Austrian beer and wine are excellent
6. Austrian food is fantastic, specially the pastries. They are absolutely delicious
7. There are lots of treats like the "Sachertorte"
8. Austria has a low crime rate
9. The capital, Vienna, is very cosmopolitan
10. The young Austrians are friendly
11. The older Austrians are old-fashioned
12. Shopping in Austria is great
13. Austria has beautiful mountains and scenery everywhere
Vienna is old and new, classical and trendy, nostalgic and dynamic.
NIGHTLIFE in Austria
In Austria you will find many reasons not to go to sleep - life after sunset fulfils almost every wish. Visit one of the many festivals; enjoy an evening at the opera, a theatre performance or a concert, and afterwards a refined dinner. If you like to party, dance or just sit in a bar, with live music or a live DJ, there are many places to go to, with a wide range of different music styles, from chart music, to electronic beats and jazz sounds. We understand that not everyone has the desire nor the energy to dance the night away, so do not forget that there is always the possibility to spend a very civilised evening in a hotel bar, typical Viennese restaurant or one of the many fantastic coffeehouses dotted around the city. Vienna offers a varied nightlife with a lot of clubs and bars for every music taste, so there is no need to go to bed, but many reasons to stay up all night.
The true test of a strong ski/party resort is its post-slopes bar. There is a national pastime that follows, sometimes overlaps and occasionally replaces the skiing – après ski! Resorts such as Mayrhofen, Saalbach and Solden offer some of the best après ski to be found anywhere. St Anton and Ischgl are not far behind and most resorts in Austria celebrate the end of a ski day with schnapps and a dance in ski boots.