CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 02/2017

Summer 2017 

Nr. 2 | Juni – August | June – August 

International Affairs Global Business Exclusive Lifestyle 

cercle-diplomatique.com 

Niederösterreich 

SPECIAL 

16 Seiten 

extra 

BELGIEN IM HERZEN EUROPAS 

BELGIUM IN THE 

HEART OF EUROPE

EDITORIAL 

Liebe Leserinnen, liebe Leser! | Dear Readers, 

PHOTO: ROIS & STUBENRAUCH 

Der 300. Geburtstag von Kaiserin Maria Theresia 

wird heuer ausgiebig gefeiert, aber die 

Reformerin betätigte sich auch als Stifterin: 

So wurde die Theresianische Militärakademie 1752 

in Wiener Neustadt gegründet. Heute ist sie die älteste 

noch bestehende Militärakademie der Welt. 

Die Stiftung Theresianische Akademie wurde 1746 

in Wien in der Favorita, der ehemaligen Sommerresidenz 

der Habsburger, als Ritterakademie am heutigen 

Theresianum-Campus eingerichtet. Die Diplomatische 

Akademie Wien ist seit 1754 die weltweit 

älteste Institution ihrer Art. Mit dem internationalen 

Amtssitz der UNO verkörpert Wien auch weiterhin 

eine pulsierende Drehscheibe internationaler 

Diplomatie. 

Als Herausgeber dieses Magazins ist es uns ein 

besonderes Anliegen, diplomatische Vertreter zu 

Wort kommen zu lassen. Mit Stolz und Freude erfüllt 

es uns, dass es uns mit unserem hervorragenden 

Redaktions-Team immer wieder gelingt, exklusive 

Interviews zu bekommen. Diese finden dann 

gerne an den schönsten Locations Wiens statt, was 

auch dank unserer Partner in der Top-Hotellerie 

möglich gemacht wird. Die ganz persönlichen Eindrücke 

und Ansichten der diversen Gespräche verarbeitet 

dann Rainer Himmelfreundpointner als 

Autor der Themen Politik und Wirtschaft, u.a. zu 

lesen im Exklusiv-Interview mit UNODC-Direktor 

S.E. Yury Fedotov, ab S. 54. Unsere Autorin Evelyn 

Rois entlockt in exklusiven Interviews kulturellen 

Botschaftern – wie Oksana Lyniv als neue Chefdirigentin 

an der Oper Graz – aktuelle Details (S. 118). 

Unsere Cover-Story dreht sich diesmal um Belgien, 

das inmitten von Europa, weit mehr zu bieten 

hat als Schokolade und das weltberühmte Manneken 

Pis, zu lesen ab Seite 30. Unser Bundesland- 

Special zeigt diesmal Niederösterreichs vielseitige 

Facetten (ab S. 76). Und für eine sommerliche Auszeit 

verraten wir Ihnen Tipps für lukullische Genüsse 

am Wasser (S. 94). 

Wir wünschen angenehme Lektüre und einen 

wunderbaren Sommer! 

This year marks the celebration of Empress 

Maria Theresa‘s 300th birthday. The reformer, 

however, was also a benefactress, which 

led to the foundation of the Theresian Military Academy 

in 1752 in Wiener Neustadt, the oldest remaining 

military academy in the world. The foundation 

Stiftung Theresianische Akademie was established 

in 1746 in Vienna in the Favorita, the former summer 

residence of the Habsburg family, as a knight 

academy at today‘s Theresianum Campus. And the 

Diplomatic Academy of Vienna has been the oldest 

institution of its kind since 1754. With the international 

headquarters of the UN, Vienna thus continues 

to embody a pulsating hub for international diplomacy. 

As the editors of this magazine, it is of particular 

importance to us to give diplomatic representatives 

a platform to express their views and thoughts. We 

are filled with pride and joy as our excellent editorial 

team manages to land the most exclusive interviews 

time and again. These then often take place in 

some of Vienna‘s most beautiful locations, which is 

also made possible by the top hotels that we count 

among our partners. The very personal impressions 

and perspectives gained from the various talks are 

then processed by Rainer Himmelfreundpointner as 

our politics and economics author and can be read, 

for example, in the exclusive interview with UN- 

ODC Director H.E. Yury Fedotov, see page 54. Another 

one of our authors, Evelyn Rois, gathers new 

insights from her exclusive interviews with various 

cultural ambassadors such as Oksana Lyniv, the new 

chief conductor at the Graz Opera (p. 118). 

Our cover story this time is all about Belgium 

which, with its central location in Europe, has way 

more to offer than chocolate and its world-renowned 

Manneken Pis – read about it on page 30. Our 

province special focuses on Lower Austria‘s immense 

diversity (from p. 76). And if you are on the look 

for a summertime getaway, we‘ve got a few tips for 

delightful treats by the water in store for you (p. 94). 

We hope you enjoy your reading and wish you a 

fantastic summer! 

Herzlichst, | Yours, 

Andrea Fürnweger 

Herausgeberin | Editor 

Mag. Alexander Bursky 

Herausgeber | Editor

CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE – 

ECONOMIQUE et TOURISTIQUE 

Nr. 311 

Ausgabe | Issue 02/2017 

June – August 

CONTENTS 

Cover story 

BELGIUM 

Seite | page 30 

Nach den Terror-Anschlägen 

in Brüssel 2016, bemüht sich 

Belgien sehr, den jahrhundertealten 

Zwist zwischen 

seinen Haupt-Gebieten, 

Flandern und Wallonien, zu 

überwinden. 

After the 2016 Brussels 

terror attacks, Belgium is 

working hard, to overcome 

the centuries old struggle 

between its main parts, 

Flanders and Wallonia. 

8 

12 

30 

42 

48 

50 

54 

60 

62 

66 

72 

74 

76 

LE BULLETIN 

Die neuen Botschafter | The new Ambassadors 

Akkreditierungen durch Bundespräsident Alexander Van der Bellen. Accreditations by Federal 

President Alexander Van der Bellen. 

Offizielle Empfänge | Official Receptions 

Die großen Empfänge der vergangenen Wochen. The great receptions of the last few weeks. 

LE MONDE 

Coverstory Belgien | Cover story Belgium 

Im Herzen Europas. In the heart of Europe. 

Gipfeltreffen der Botschafter | The Ambassadors‘ Summit 

Palästina trifft Jordanien. Palestine meets Jordan. 

Ukraine 

Eine heiße Sache für Europa. The next hot thing for Europe. 

Ukraine 

Botschafter Olexander Scherba im Interview. Interview with Ambassador Olexander Scherba. 

Interview 

Executive Director Yury Fedotov, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 

Essay 

Europas Zukunft – gibt es eine? The Future of Europe – is there any left? 

News 

Neuigkeiten aus aller Welt. Latest update from around the globe. 

L‘AUTRICHE 

Umwelttechnologie | Green Technology 

Schnell wachsende Industrien aus Österreich. Fastest growing industries from Austria. 

Zukunftslabor | Future Lab 

Gerhard Wölfel über das Team von BMW Steyr. Gerhard Wölfel on BMW‘s team in Steyr. 

Wirtschaftsnews | Business news 

Neues aus Österreich. News from Austria. 

NIEDERÖSTERREICH Special | LOWER AUSTRIA SPECIAL 

Über Technologie, Internationalität und Kultur. On technology, internationality and culture. 

118 

120 

124 

130 

134 

138 

140 

144 

146 

148 

152 

168 

Botschafter der Musik | Ambassadors of Music 

Chefdirigentin Oksana Lyniv. Chief conductor Oksana Lyniv. 

Kunst | Arts 

Kulturelle Highlights im Sommer. Cultural highlights in summer. 

Immobilien | Property 

Wohnen am Wasser. Living by the water. 

Lifestyle 

In- & outdoor Trends für den Sommer. In- & outdoor trends for the summer season. 

Ambassador‘s Drive 

Tschechiens Botschafter auf CD-Testfahrt. The Czech Ambassador on a test drive. 

Motor 

Highlights vom Genfer Automobil-Salon. Geneva Motor Show Highlights. 

Weekender 

Romantisches Bled. Romantic Bled. 

Upcoming 

Wo es uns gefällt. Where we love to be. 

Buchempfehlungen | Must read 

Lesenswertes über Österreich. Book tips about Austria. 

Mein Wien | My Vienna 

Der Botschafter von Ungarn. The Ambassador of Hungary. 

LES RENDEZVOUS 

Veranstaltungen | Events 

Exklusive Veranstaltungen im Fokus. Exclusive events in focus. 

LE GUIDE 

Adressen | Addresses 

Nützliche Adressen für die internationale Gesellschaft. 

Useful addresses for the international community. 

94 

100 

102 

104 

106 

110 

114 

SAVOIR VIVRE 

Locations mit ganz speziellem Flair | Locations with special flair 

Essen am Wasser. Fine dining by the water. 

Connaisseur | Connoisseur 

Essen und trinken mit Stil. Wine and dine in style. 

Suite Dreams 

Die Präsidentensuite im Hilton Vienna Plaza. The Presidential Suite at Hilton Vienna Plaza. 

Hideaways 

Tipps für Ihre wunderbare Sommer-Auszeit. Tips for your great summer timeout. 

Reise | Travel 

Top-Hotels und -Restaurants aus aller Welt. Top hotels and restaurants around the world. 

Österreich im Ausland | Austria abroad 

Kultur ist Politik. Culture is politics. 

Klassik-Sommer Burgenland | Classical summer Burgenland 

Pannonische Sommerklänge. Pannonian summer tunes. 

3 

4 

169 

Titelbild | Cover 

Ein außergewöhnlicher Blick auf das Atomium in Belgiens Hauptstadt Brüssel. | 

An extraordinary view on the Atomium in Belgium‘s capital Brussels. 

Editorial 

Inhalt | Contents 

Impressum | Imprint 

COVERPHOTO: VISITFLANDERS; NORMANN SZKOP, PHOTO: JEAN-PAUL REMY 

Das Schloss Belœil steht in der Gemeinde Belœil in der Provinz 

Hennegau, Belgien. | The Château de Belœil is situated in the municipality 

of Belœil in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.

HUGO BOSS AG Phone +49 7123 940 www.hugoboss.com 

LE 

BULLETIN 

IN LE BULLETIN ERFAHREN 

SIE, WER DIE NEU 

AKKREDITIERTEN 

BOTSCHAFTER IN 

ÖSTERREICH SIND UND 

WELCHE OFFIZIELLEN 

EMPFÄNGE UND EVENTS 

IN DEN VERGANGENEN 

MONATEN STATTGEFUN- 

DEN HABEN. 

LE BULLETIN TELLS YOU WHO 

THE NEWLY ACCREDITED 

AMBASSADORS TO AUSTRIA 

ARE AND WHICH OFFICIAL 

RECEPTIONS AND EVENTS 

TOOK PLACE IN THE PAST 

FEW MONTHS. 

Wien BOSS Store Kärntner Straße 20

LE BULLETIN CREDENTIALS 

Neue Botschafter bei Bundespräsident Alexander Van der Bellen 

Newly accredited Ambassadors met Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen 

H. E. H. E. H. E. 

Alena Kupchyna Ivan Sirakov Renu Pall 

Ambassador of the Republic 

of Belarus 

Ambassador of the Republic 

of Bulgaria 

Ambassador of the 

Republic of India 

Credentials: March 2017 Credentials: March 2017 Credentials: March 2017 

Thomas 

Hanney 


Republic of Ireland 

H. E. H. E. H. E. 

Sheikh Ali Bin 

Jassim Al-Thani 


Monarchy of Qatar 

Bakyt 

Dzhusupov 


Kyrgyz Republic 

Credentials: March 2017 Credentials: March 2017 Credentials: May 2017 

Born on August 14, 1965 in Minsk 

Has one son 

Born on December 27, 1950 in Plovdiv 

Married 

Born in Dublin, Ireland 

Married, three daughters 

Born on January 1, 1969, Doha, Qatar 

Married, four children 

Born on January 1, 1981, Chui region 

Married, two daughters and one son 

Education 

1991: Doctor of Law 

Professional Career 

2016: Ambassador Extraordinary and 

Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus 

to the Republic of Austria and to the 

Republic of Croatia 

2012-2016: Deputy Minister of Foreign 

Affairs of the Republic of Belarus 

2006-2012: Ambassador Extraordinary 

and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of 

Belarus to the Republic of Hungary and to 

the Republic of Slovenia 

2004-2006: Director of Department for 

Humanitarian Cooperation and Human 

Rights, MFA 

2002-2004: Director of Department for 

Humanitarian, Ecological, Scientific and 

Technical Cooperation, MFA 

2001-2002: Consultant, Department of 

International Organizations, MFA 

1995-1998: Counsellor, Deputy Permanent 

Representative, Permanent Mission of 

Belarus to UN Office 

1992-1995: Second Secretary, Head of 

International Treaties Division, Deputy 

Director, Legal Department, Ministry of 

Foreign Affairs of Belarus (MFA) 

1990-1992: Research Fellow, Institute of 

Philosophy and Law, Belarusian Academy 

of Sciences 

Education 

1976: Sofia University ”Kliment Ohridski“ - 

Master‘s degree in German Philology 

1987: PhD in Philosophy 

1989-1991: Diplomatic Academy – Moscow, 

specialised in International Relations 


2016: Ambassador Extraordinary and 

Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria 

to the Republic of Austria, Vienna 

2013–2016: Ambassador Extraordinary and 

Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria 

to the Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana 

2012–2013: Permanent Secretary of MFA 

2011–2012: Director of Consular Relations 

Directorate, Ambassador 

2007–2011: Ambassador Extraordinary and 

Plenipotentiary of the Republic Bulgaria to 

the Republic of Croatia, Zagreb 

2005–2007: Director of Consular Relations 

Directorate, Minister Plenipotentiary 

2002–2005: Consulate General of Bulgaria 

in Munich, Counselor, Chief Consul 

2000–2002: Consular Relations 

Directorate, State Expert 

1998–2000: Consular Department, Senior 

Expert 

Education 

1985: Bachelors (Honours) degree in 

Political Science from Delhi University, 

Masters in International Relations 


2015-2017: Joint Secretary (Indian Ocean 

Region) in the Ministry of External Affairs 

in New Delhi 

1988-2011: Joint Secretary (ASEAN 

Multilateral) in the Ministry of External 

Affairs, New Delhi 

Counsellor (Political) at Embassy of India 

at Paris, France; and Second Secretary 

(Political & Information) at the Embassy of 

India in Moscow, Russian Federation 

Director for relations with United States 

and Canada, Director in the Foreign 

Secretary’s Office and Under Secretary & 

Deputy Secretary for relations with US and 

Canada in the Ministry of External Affairs 

in New Delhi 

1985-1988: Assistant Controller of 

Accounts in the Ministry of Finance at New 

Delhi 

PHOTOS: RIGEAUD, CARINA KARLOVITS & DANIEL TRIPPOLT/HBF 


2017: Ambassador and Permanent 

Representative of Ireland, Vienna 

2011-2016: Deputy Permanent 

Representative of Ireland, Brussels 

2013: Chairman of Committee of 

Permanent Representatives 

2010-2011: Ambassador of Ireland to the 

Kingdom of Belgium and Ireland’s 

representative to the Partnership for Peace 

at NATO 

2006-2010: Joint Secretary, North South 

Ministerial Council, Armagh, Northern 

Ireland 

2004-2006: Counsellor, EU and 

International Affairs Division, Department 

of the Taoiseach 

1999-2004: Counsellor, Irish Aid, 

Department of Foreign Affairs Dublin 

1995-1999: First Secretary, Permanent 

Mission of Ireland to the UN at Geneva 

1978-1995: Third Secretary, First Secretary, 

Department of Foreign Affairs, Dublin 

Postings at Embassies in Stockholm, 

Riyadh and Bonn 

Education 

2000: Master in International Service 

American University, Washington DC, USA 

Double Major in Political Sciences 

University of Arizona, USA 

1995: Bachelor of Science in Business 

Administration with University of Arizona 


2017: Ambassador Extraordinary and 

Plenipotentiary to the Republic of 

Austria, Permanent Representative to the 

UN Office and International Organisations 

2012-2017: Dean of the Arab Diplomatic 

Corps, Arab League, Brussels, Belgium 

Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the 

Kingdom of Belgium; Head of the Mission 

of the State of Qatar to the European 

Union; Non-resident Ambassador of the 

State of Qatar to the Grand Duchy 

of Luxembourg 

2007-2012: Counsellor and Minister- 

Counsellor, Minister of Foreign Affairs at 

the American and European Affairs Department, 

Doha, Qatar 

1996-2006: Third, Second, First Secretary, 

Embassy of the state of Qatar in 

Washington D.C. 

1996: Third Secretary, Ministry of Foreign 

Affairs at the American and European 

Affairs Department, Doha, Qatar 

Education 

1997-2002 Kyrgyz National University, 

Faculty of International Relations 


2017: Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic 

to the Republic of Austria, Permanent 

Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to 

the International Organisations in Vienna 

2014–2017: Deputy head, Foreign Policy 

Department of the Office of the President 

of the Kyrgyz Republic 

2012-2014: Head, Analytical Division of the 

Foreign Policy Department 

2011–2012: Expert, Foreign Policy 

Department 

2011: Expert, Foreign Policy Department 

2010-2011: Expert, Foreign Policy 

Department of the Administration of the 

President of the Kyrgyz Republic 

2007–2010: Referent, Attaché, Third 

Secretary, Eastern Countries Department 

of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of the 

Kyrgyz Republic 

2005–2007: Researcher, Institute for 

Strategic Analysis and Prognosis, Kyrgyz 

Republic 

8 Cercle Diplomatique 2/2017 

Cercle Diplomatique 2/2017 

9

LE BULLETIN CREDENTIALS 

Dong-ik Shin 


Republic of Korea 

H. E. H. E. H. E. H. E. 

Gankhuurai 

Battungalag 


Republic of Mongolia 

Nicole Jocelyn 

Roberton 


Monarchy of New Zealand 

Songsak 

Saicheua 


Monarchy of Thailand 

Credentials: March 2017 Credentials: May 2017 Credentials: May 2017 Credentials: May 2017 

Born on March 27, 1958 in Seoul 

Married, two daughters 

Born on December 31, 1972, Undurkhaan 

Born on November 29, 1971, Auckland 

Married, one daughter and one son 

Born on June 16, 1958 

Married 

Education 

1981: B.A. in Political Science and 

International Relations, Yonsei University, 

Seoul, Korea 

1983: M.A. in Politics, Yonsei University 

1985: M.A. in International Relations, 

University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA 


2016: Ambassador and Permanent 

Representative, Korean Embassy and 

Permanent Mission to the United Nations 

and International Organisations, Vienna; 

President of the Institute of Foreign Affairs 

and National Security, Korea National 

Diplomatic Academy (KNDA), MOFA, 

Seoul, Korea 

2013: Deputy Minister for Multilateral and 

Global Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 

Seoul, Korea 

2011: Ambassador and Deputy Permanent 

Representative, Korean Permanent Mission 

to the United Nations, New York, NY, USA 

2010: Advisor, United Nations Foundation 

and UN Peacebuilding Support Office, NY 

2008: Director-General for International 

Organisations, MOFAT 

2005: Minister-Counsellor, Korean 

Permanent Mission to the United Nations, 

New York, USA 

Education 

Moscow University of International 

Relations, Russia; Victoria University, 

Wellington, New Zealand; John F. Kennedy 

School of Government, Harvard University 


2017: Ambassador Extraordinary and 

Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the 

Republic of Austria, Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, Republic of Croatia, 

Montenegro, Republic of Slovenia and 

Permanent Representative to the United 

Nations Office and other International 

Organisations in Vienna 

2015-2016: Director-General, Department 

of Multilateral Cooperation, MFA, Mongolia 

2012-2015: Deputy Permanent 

Representative of Mongolia to the United 

Nations, New York 

2010-2012: Deputy Director-General, 

De part ment of International Organisations 

2005-2010: Second, First Secretary, 

Counsellor, Department of Multilateral 

Cooperation, MFA 

2002-2005: Third Secretary, Permanent 

Mission of Mongolia to the United Nations 

1997-2002: Attaché, Third Secretary 

Department of International Organisations 

1997: Attaché, Consular Department, MFA 

1996–1997: Attaché, Protocol Department 


2017: Ambassador to Austria, Hungary, 

Slovakia and Slovenia, Permanent 

Representative to the International 

Organisations New Zealand Embassy and 

Permanent Mission, Vienna 

2015– 2016: New Zealand Special 

Representative for United Nations Security 

Council Issues (Africa) New Zealand 

Embassy, Addis Ababa 

2012–2014: International Foreign Policy 

Consultant 

2009–2011: University of Limerick, Ireland 

2002–2007: Head of Political Section 

New Zealand Permanent Mission to the 

UN, New York 

1999-2002: Second Secretary (Trade and 

Economic) New Zealand Embassy, Moscow 

1998: Acting Deputy High Commissioner 

New Zealand High Commission, Apia 

1997: Pacific Division Ministry of Foreign 

Affairs and Trade, Wellington 

Education 

Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand 

B.A. Economics; Vrije Universiteit, Brussels, 

Belgium; M.A. Industrial Location and 

Development; Thai Institute of Directors 

Association Bangkok, Thailand, 

Anti-Corruption for Executive Program 

(ACEP); University of the Thai Chamber of 

Commerce Bangkok, Thailand Top 

Executive Program in Commerce and Trade 


2017: Ambassador & Permanent 

Representative Royal Thai Embassy & 

Permanent Mission of Thailand, Vienna 

2013–2017: Director-General Department 

of American and South Pacific Affairs, 

Bangkok, Thailand 

2011–2013: Minister Royal Thai Embassy 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

2010–2013: Deputy Director-General 

Department of American and South Pacific 

Affairs 

2009–2010: Director Policy and Planning 

Bureau, Bangkok, Thailand 

2004–2008: Minister Counsellor Royal 

Thai Embassy Washington DC, USA 

2003–2004: Director ASEAN 3 Division, 

Department of ASEAN Affairs Bangkok, 

Thailand 

THEFirst District, 

ASNOONEKNOWSIT 

ELEGANTAPARTMENTSINTHEHEARTOFVIENNA M –M 

HISTORICBUILDING GREENCOURTYARDS UNDERGROUNDPARKING 

CONCIERGESERVICE INDOORPOOL GYM&SPA 

WWWPOSTPALAISAT 

AprojectofSORAVIAGROUPandWERTINVEST|EstateagentIVV-- 

10 Cercle Diplomatique 2/2017

LE BULLETIN REVIEW 

Official receptions 

Find more 

photos online 

cercle-diplomatique.com 

March 2017 

Presentation of the spring issue of ”Cercle Diplomatique“ 

at the Ritz-Carlton, Vienna 

Many Ambassadors, officials and company representatives gave the editors, Andrea Fürnweger and Alexander Bursky, 

the honour to welcome the first issue of 2017 with the cover story on Malta, enjoying delicious food and pleasant encounters. 

The Ambassador of Malta, H.E. Keith Azzopardi (2nd l.) was 

welcomed by Christian Zandonella (2nd r.), the new General 

Manager of the Ritz-Carlton, Vienna and CD´s editors, Andrea 

Fürnweger and Alexander Bursky. 

PHOTOS: OURIEL MORGENSZTERN 

Guests enjoyed a pleasant stay with great food and drinks 

at the Presidential Suite of The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna – 

a place, where many celebrities have already stayed over 

night. 



13


February 2017 

Kosovo 

The House of Austrian Industries at Vienna‘s Schwarzenbergplatz was the venue of the 

Independence Day celebration. 


Kuwait 

Independence Day and the 26th Anniversary of 

Liberation were celebrated at Hotel Imperial Vienna. 

H.E. Sadiq M. Marafi (left) with 

the Austrian Minister of Justice, 

Wolfgang Brandstetter. 

Top: H.E. Sami Ukelli (very right) 

and his wife, Brikena Keco Ukelli 

(2nd right). 


Salzburg 

Doyen Elections of the Consular Corps Salzburg 

The newly elected doyen 

is Karl Winding, for 20 

years Honorary Consul of 

Latvia (r.), pictured with 

Salzburg‘s Governor 

Wilfried Haslauer (l.), 

Daiga Krieva and the 

Latvian Ambassador in 

Austria, H.E. Edgars Skuja. 

PHOTOS: DODGE AND BURN, LAND SALZBURG 

PHOTOS: DODGE AND BURN 

TIMELESS 

QUALITY 

AND STYLE 

SINCE 1836 

www.jse.wien 

1010 Vienna, Austria 

Weihburggasse 27 


STORES AUCTIONS HUNTING MANUFACTURE 

Cercle Diplomatique 2/2017 15



Russian Federation 

The Day of the Homeland Defenders was honoured with two wreath-laying 

ceremonies, followed by a reception at the Embassy. 


Lithuania 

Independence Day was celebrated with a 

reception at the Diplomatic Academy. 

Left: H.E. Dmitry 

Lyubinskiy (middle) 

MOZART 

WOCHE 

2018 

26. JÄNNER – 4. FEBRUAR 

The Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania, H.E. Loreta 

Zakarevičienė (pictured right) and Chargé d’Affaires Lina 

Rukštelienė 


Bulgaria 

On the occasion of National Day, a reception was held at the Embassy. 

H.E. Ivan Sirakov (right) with H.E. Svetoslav Spassov (left). 




Tickets: T. 43 662 873154 www.mozarteum.at 

MOZART „DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL“ KV 384 

RenéJacobs, Andrea Moses, Jan Pappelbaum, 

Adriana Braga Peretzki. Mit Robin Johannsen, 

Sunhae Im, Sebastian Kohlhepp, Julian Prégardien, 

David Steffens, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, 

Salzburger Bachchor Dirigenten Altinoglu, Gardiner, 

Gergiev, Jacobs, Manning, Minasi, Poska, Schiff, 

Schmid, Ticciati, Widmann Orchester Akademie 

für Alte Musik Berlin, B’Rock Orchestra, Camerata 

Salzburg, Cappella Andrea Barca, English Baroque 

Soloists, Mozart Kinderorchester, Mozarteum - 

orchester Salzburg, Sinfonieorchester der Universität 

Mozarteum, Wiener Philharmoniker Sänger 

Im, Johannsen, Kohlhepp, Mühlemann, Petersen, 

Prégardien, Richter, Stagg, Steffens, Vermeulen, 

Villazón Solisten Anderszewski, Armstrong, 

Barenboim, Birsak, Capuçon, Fray, Gilmore, Karls, 

Kircher, Levin, Lindsberger, Lio, Lucke, Mayer, 

Neugebauer, Obregón, Radicke, Rinaldy, Schiff, 

Schmid, Weithaas, Widmann Ensembles & Chöre 

Hagen Quartett, Salzburger Bachchor, Schumann 

Quartett u. a. 




Ireland 

Green was the colour of the day, when St. Patrick‘s Day was celebrated at 

the residence. 


Pakistan 

National Day was celebrated with a reception at the 

InterContinental Vienna. 

Left: H.E. Tom Hanney and his wife 

Paula Fitzmaurice Hanney 

H.E. Ayesha Riyaz (right) 

INTERNATIONALE 

APOTHEKE 

INTERNATIONAL 

PHARMACY 

YOUR INTERNATIONAL 

HEALTH EXPERT SINCE 1870 


Peace concert for Europe 

On occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome, 

a concert was held at the Embassy of Italy. 

PHOTOS: DODGE AND BURN, BEIGESTELLT 

PHOTOS: DODGE AND BURN, BEIGESTELLT 


Bangladesh 

On the occasion of National and Independence Day a reception 

was held at the Park Hyatt Vienna. 

Wir stehen für Engagement, Service und Leistung 

in Sachen Gesundheit, Schönheit und 

Wohlbefinden. Im Sinne unseres Mottos „Gesund 

werden und Gesund bleiben“ betreuen 

wir all unsere Kunden mit fachlicher Kompetenz 

in über 13 Sprachen. 

We stand for commitment, service and efficiency 

concerning health, beauty and 

well-being. According to our motto “get well 

and stay well” we care for all our customers 

with competence speaking more than 13 languages. 

Kärntner Ring 17, 1010 Wien 

T: (+43 1) 512 28 25 

F: (+43 1) 512 28 25 – 9 

www.internationale-apotheke.at 

H.E. Giorgio Marripodi with the artist Ryoko Tajika Drei (middle) 

who gave a piano concert. 

Top, middle: H.E. Mohammed Abu Zafar (middle) with his wife 

Salma and CD editor Alexander Bursky. 



19

RELAX 2000 

Natural sleep. Healthy life. 

April 2017 

The new Governor of Lower Austria 

Johanna Mikl-Leitner, former Austrian Minister for Interior from 2011-2016, is since 

19 April, 2017 officially the new Governor of Lower Austria. 


A Royal visit to Vienna 

His Royal Highness, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall visited 

Vienna in spring and had a dense programme in only two days. 

After the farewell of Governor Erwin 

Pröll (picture left, 2nd right) and the 

election of Johanna Mikl-Leitner, a reception 

was held in the evening to welcome 

the new “Landeshauptfrau“. 

The Prince and the Duchess met Federal 

President Alexander Van der Bellen and 

his wife Doris Schmidauer at the 

Hofburg. Prince Charles also took part in 

a discussion at OSCE, regarding the 

combat of modern slavery. 

• Natural Sleeping Systems 

• Natural Latex Mattresses 

• Solid Wood Beds, 

100 % metal-free 

• Pillows, Toppers, Duvets 

• Austrian Stone Pine 

• Perfect Ergonomics 

• 100 % Natural Products 

• Personal Sleep Consulting 

• Made in Austria 

• International Delivery 

SCHLAF 

STUDIO 

WIEN • VIENNA • VIENNE 

WIEN 

PHOTOS: BMI MICHAEL DIETRICH, NLK FILZWIESER, BEIGESTELLT 

PHOTOS: MICKY KROELL/ OSCE, BRITISH EMBASSY 

Schönbrunner Str. 111 | 1050 Vienna 

phone +43 664 237 69 27 

info@schlafstudio.wien 

Tuesday - Friday: 10:00 - 18:00 Uhr 

or by appointment 

www.schlafstudio.wien 


21



Ukraine 

The establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Austria 25 years 

ago was honoured with a concert, followed by a reception at Palais Trautson. 


Armenia 

25 years of diplomatic relations between 

Armenia and Austria were celebrated musically. 

FINE ANTIQUES 

WATCHES 

JEWELLERY 

PRECIOUS METALS 

Top: H.E. Olexander Scherba enjoyed with his wife 

Yaroslava and many guests the performances of the 

Philharmonic Orchestra from Luhansk/Ukraine under 

the Austrian conductor Kurt Schmid. 

Top: H.E. Arman 

Kirakossian and 

Susanna Nazaryan 

(left) at the jazz 

recital at the renowned 

Viennese jazz 

and music club 

“Porgy & Bess“. 


Uzbekistan 

A reception was held at the Vienna Marriott Hotel to honour the establishment 

of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Austria 25 years ago. 


PHOTOS: KATHARINA SCHIFFL, @DIEFOTOGRAFIN 

Rustamdjan Khakimov, the Chargé d‘affaires of the Republic 

of Uzbekistan to Austria (middle) and his wife. 

Auktioneum GmbH 

Spiegelgasse 19 

1010 Wien 

Tel: +43 1 890 90 95 

E-Mail: office@auktioneum.com 


EXQUISIT ONLINE SHOPPING 

www.auktioneum.com 




South Africa 

On the occasion of National Day a reception was held at the Vienna Marriott Hotel. 

May 2017 

Poland 

National day was celebrated with a reception 

at the Embassy. 

Top: H.E. Artur Lorkowski 

(right) and H.E. Adam 

Bugajski (2nd left). 

Top: H.E. Tebogo Seokolo and his wife 

Moipone enjoyed the festivities with 

music, dancing and food at the ballroom. 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

PHOTOS: WOLFGANG PECKA, VIENNA SHOTS 

PHOTOS: DODGE & BURN 



25



Israel 

To commemorate Independence Day, a reception was held at the atelier house of the 

Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. 


Russian Federation 

The end of the Second World War 72 years ago was honoured with 

a wreath-laying ceremony, followed by a reception at the Embassy. 

Top: H.E. Talya Lador-Fresher 

The bottom left: Health Minister 

Pamela Rendi-Wagner 


T H E W O R L D O F P R E C I O U S M E T A L S 


Europe Day 2017 

The highlight of the Europe Week was the Europe Day 

on 9 May 2017, when a young student gave a speech. 

PHOTOS: DODGE AND BURN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN AUSTRIA 

Investment in Gold 

Austria´s market leader in precious metal processing and recycling 

Part of 

Leyla Kamyabi gave e speech of her views on Europe (middle). Ulrike Lunacek 

(2nd right), Vice President of the European Parliament, and Michael 

O‘Flaherty, Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 

were the other speakers. Pictured left: H.E. Jörg Wojahn, Representative of 

the European Commission in Austria. 


Ögussa gold bars are available in 10 sizes from 1 to 1,000 grams. 

Gold bars are not subject to VAT in Austria 

Österreichische Gold- und Silber-Scheideanstalt Ges.m.b.H. | T 01 866 46 

Offices in ‚Vienna | Linz | Salzburg | Innsbruck | Dornbirn | Graz | Klagenfurt 

www.oegussa.at 

Faires 

Gold 

zer t if izier t 

konf liktfr eie 

Lieferket t e 


27

SINCE 1707 

The leading Auction House in the Center of Europe 

600 auctions, 40 departments, 100 specialists, 

more than 300 years of experience 

LE 

MONDE 

Palais Dorotheum, Vienna 

Tel. +43-1-515 60-570 

Dorotheum International 

Brussels, London, Düsseldorf, Munich, Milan, Rome, Paris, Prague, Tel Aviv 

www.dorotheum.com 

HIER FINDEN SIE EINE REIHE 

HOCHINTERESSANTER 

BERICHTE ÜBER DIE 

LÄNDER DIESER WELT UND 

IHRE VERTRETUNGEN IN 

ÖSTERREICH, GESPICKT MIT 

INTERVIEWS UND 

STELLUNGNAHMEN VON 

EXPERTEN AUS DEM IN- 

UND AUSLAND. 

HERE YOU WILL FIND A 

NUMBER OF HIGHLY 

INTERESTING REPORTS ON 

THE COUNTRIES OF THE 

WORLD AND THEIR 

REPRESENTATIONS IN 

AUSTRIA, PEPPERED WITH 

INTERVIEWS AND EXPERTS’ 

OPINIONS FROM AUSTRIA 

AND ABROAD.

LE MONDE BELGIUM 

IN THE HEART 

OF EUROPE 

Distinct contrasts, unexpected riches, local rivalry – welcome to the Kingdom of Belgium, 

which is sharing deep historic ties and astonishing similarities with Austria. After the 2016 

Brussels terror attacks, Belgium is working hard, to overcome the centuries old struggle 

between its main parts, Flanders and Wallonia, which threatens to hold the country in custody. 

BELG IUM 

Text: Rainer Himmelfreundpointner 

The famous Atomium, originally 

constructed for the Expo 1958, 

today is the undisputed 

landmark of the unofficial capital 

of the European Union. It 

actually depicts the formation of 

the nine iron atoms, magnified. 

PHOTOS: VISITFLANDERS.COM, DJ SHARKO 


Cercle Diplomatique 2 /2017 

31


One of the famous chocolate 

shops (right) and a modern 

installation in the center, both in 

Brussels (below). 

BRUSSELS. The heart of the European Union, the place of unity in Belgium. 

The gothic Town Hall, located 

on the famous Grand Place, 

right in the center, is the major 

meeting point of the city of 

Brussels. 

PHOTOS: VISITFLANDERS.COM, SMETS PREMIUM STORE, MILO PROFI, JEAN-PAUL REMY 

There is a world record held by the Kingdom of 

Belgium, but for most of the Belgians this is 

not their favourite smalltalk topic. Its story 

goes back to the second last Parliamentary elections 

in Belgium, on June 13th, 2010. During the legislative 

period before, the country already had seen nearly 

four years of political crisis. One government after 

the other had offered its resignation to the then King 

Albert, some only after a few months in office. 

But the elections of 2010 – in which the nationalist 

New Flemish Alliance became the largest party in 

Flanders, and the Socialist Party PS the largest in 

Wallonia – resulted in total gridlock. All negotiations 

for a new government lead to no results. Not a 

single consensus could be achieved, and the country 

was run by a caretaker government until December 

2011, when a new government was sworn in. Already 

by March 30th, 2011, this set a new world record 

for the elapsed time without an official government, 

previously held by war-torn Iraq. 

”Well“, says Willem Van de Voorde, Ambassador 

of the Kingdom of Belgium to Austria in an eye-opening 

interview with “Cercle Diplomatique“, ”we have 

a tradition of long government formations and that 

was probably a record.“ 

Visitors travelling the country in the months before 

the 2010 elections, must have experienced 

two Belgiums. The one Belgium, beloved by millions 

of tourists who enjoy driving from prosperous village 

to prosperous village, where the houses are solid without 

being grand, tidy but somehow higgledy-piggledy, 

ordinary, with a touch of the surreal. ”The people 

on the streets are neither aggressively neat, like the 

Dutch, nor self-consciously elegant, like the French“, 

a report of the British ”Guardian” reads. ”They are something 

in between. They are triumphantly and typically 

Belgian.“ 

The other Belgium showed a picture of a divided 

nation. In the French-speaking villages, every second 

house had a red, yellow and black tricolour flag, 

draped at a window or flying from its roof. And the 

householders were making a self-conscious political 

statement: ”We are Belgians and we want to remain 

Belgians.“ But as soon as one entered an officially 

Dutch-speaking village, the Belgian tricolours almost 

vanished and no such proclamation was to be heard. 

All road signs there are in Dutch (or in English), what 

was an “Avenue“ in the last village, becomes a “laan“ 

in the next, “rue“ becomes “straat“, and a “deviation“ 

A fisheye‘s view on the European 

Parliament building in Brussels 

(above). The St. Michael and 

Gudula Cathedral (right) is named 

after the patron saints of 

Belgium. 

Building complex at the National 

Corporation KazMunaiGas 

Round Square. 

32 



31


The Bourla Restaurant & Brasserie (top left), 

the spectacular reef aquarium at the 

Antwerp Zoo (top center) and the 

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of 

Our Lady), home to several triptychs by 

Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens. 

ANTWERP. The capital of Flanders, famous for its huge port and diamond district. 

FACTS & 

FIGURES 

The Port House. This 

construction, made of glass 

and steel, and designed by 

star architect Zaha Hadid, is 

one of the new landmarks of 

Antwerp. 

becomes a “wegomlegging“. Messages were in Dutch 

only, the language of Flanders, the bigger northern 

half of the country. Visitors were told, sometimes unquestioned, 

the size of Flanders in square kilometres 

and its population density, but there was no mention 

of Belgium. That did not exist. This was a country 

called Flanders. That does not exist either, but for 

many of the politicians in this divided society, it was 

only a matter of time. ”Long live free Flanders, may 

Belgium die“ – so was the battle cry in the northern 

province of Belgium, just a month before the elections. 

Even today, Belgium seems to be full of deviations 

and wegomleggings. Ask an average person on the 

street, what‘s typical for this country, you may hear, of 

course, Brussels, the unofficial capital of the European 

Union with its landmark, the “Atomium“, and 

about the endless quarrels between Flanders and 

Wallonia. Ambassador Van de Voorde is trying to put 

this into perspective: ”If you have different languages 

cultures on your territory, that generates a certain 

complexity of life. How to share influence and power, 

how to develop a vision of how to organise society? 

BRUGES. Where the heart of Emperor Maximilian I of Austria is enshrined. 

Belgium is not the only example for this. Given the 

complexity and the challenges of that situation, I 

think, we have managed pretty well up to until now.“ 

Stephaan Missinne, the President of the Austrian-Belgian 

Society (see box page 37) even regards Belgium 

as a “test laboratory“ of living together in a unified Europe. 

As anywhere, the social tension – with separate 

educations, separate languages and even separate 

governments – between Flanders, Belgium’s northern 

part, and Wallonia, its southern part, are deeply rooted 

in history. Much like with the Catalan independence 

movement in Spain, language is at the core of it all. 

Belgium‘s division rests mainly upon the fact, that its 

Walloon inhabitants mostly speak dialects of French 

and its Flemish inhabitants mostly speak Dutch or a 

slight variation, also called Flemish. The language gap 

can actually be traced back all the way to Roman 

times, when a battle for influence raged between the 

Franks (Germans) and the Romans over Gaul (the 

area Belgium was originally part of). For a long time, 

the two groups pushed up against each other at a line 

PHOTOS: VISITFLANDERS.COM, MILO PROFI, ZOO ANTWERPEN, PETER KNOOP, KRIS JACOBS, JAN D‘HONDT, TOERIS- 

ME BRUGGE, MICHEL VAEREWIJCK, SARAH BLEE | NEUTELINGS RIEDIJK ARCHITECTEN, KRIS JACOBS 

The Museum aan de Strom. 

Literally, the museum by the 

river, certainly is one of the 

main attractions of the 

docks in Antwerp. 

formed naturally by connected forests, a line that 

roughly corresponds to the modern border between 

Flanders and Wallonia. 

When the tiny country of Belgium claimed its independence 

in 1830, after being occupied by about 

every large empire under the sun, including the 

Austrian Habsburgs, a Flemish movement was already 

on its way in trying to reverse the “enfrenchement“ 

of the upper classes or beau monde of Belgian society, 

which had taken hold during the French rule in the 

18 th and 19 th centuries. Soon, the Dutch-speaking part 

of the population began fighting tooth and nail for 

equal status for their language, which was recognised 

as a state language alongside French, two years before 

the start of the 20 th century. Subsequently, Flanders 

outpaced Wallonia, which formerly had been the industrial 

heartland of Belgium, in economic growth 

and since the 1960s, official internal borders are dividing 

Belgium into four parts: Flanders, accounting for 

half of the population of some 11 million inhabitants, 

the roughly equally large Wallonia with a third of the 

population, the legally bilingual capital of Brussels, 

and the small region of East Cantons where German is 

spoken. 

Actually Brussels, a city of about two millions, 

home to the EU and the NATO, with tens of thousands 

of affluent foreign professionals and a large immigrant 

community, mainly with Turkish background 

and from Africa, is trying to make up the balance. But 

still, there are no national political parties, no national 

newspaper, no national TV channel, no common 

school curriculum or higher education. There is, 

however, the national debt, running at around 80 percent 

of GDP. So, like a couple trapped in a loveless 

marriage, eyeing divorce, but unable to agree on the 

mortgage liabilities, the Flemish and the Walloons, to 

outside observers, seem to be stuck together because 

of the cost of splitting up. 

Broadly speaking, the Walloons vote for the left, 

the Flemish for the right. Flanders is rich and prospering, 

contributes about 60 percent of Belgium‘s GDP 

of about 420 billion Euro (2016, nominal) and and its 

cities such as Antwerp – home to Europe‘s third-biggest 

port – are the beating heart of the country‘s economy. 

On the other hand, Wallonia – which was 

among the first regions in northern Europe to industrialise 

in the 19 th century, with industries such as 

glass making and coal mining – is nearly depressed, 

with twice the unemployment rate (more than 10 

percent) of the north, especially in the region‘s faded 

BELGIUM 

Official Name: 

Kingdom of Belgium 

Capital: Brussels 

Languages: Dutch, French, 

German 

Area: 30,528 sqkm 2 

Population: 11,250,585 

(2016 census) 

Parts of Country: 

Brussels (bilingual) 

East Cantons (German 

speaking) 

Flanders (Dutch speaking) 

Wallonia (French speaking) 

Currency: Euro (EUR) 

GDP: 470.179 billion $ 

(nominal 2016) 

GDP per capita: 41,491 $ 

(nominal 2016) 

Government: Federal 

parliamentary constitutional 

monarchy 

- Monarch: Philippe 

- Prime Minister: 

Charles Michel 

Formation: 

4 October 1830: 

Independence from the 

Netherlands declared. 

19 April 1839: Independence 

from the Netherlands 

recognised. 

1 January 1958: Founding 

Member of the European 

Union (formerly EEC). 

The famous fountain figure 

Manneken Pis in Brussels. 

From left to right: The statue of Jan van Eyck 

at the Jan van Eyckplein; the Bonifaciusbrug, 

the city‘s smallest bridge; Cuberdons, the 

local sweets of Bruges, attracting children; a 

look at the historic center by night and 

aprons with parts, made of lace. 

34 



35


GHENT. The city that knows how to celebrate. 

WALLONIA. The southern part of Belgium. 

A panorama view over Dinant, 

the Walloon city, famous for 

its cathedral and as the 

birthplace of Adolphe Sax, the 

inventor of the saxophone 

(very left). A unique look at 

the Gare TGV de Liège-Guillemins, 

designed by the 

celebrated Catalan Architects 

Santiago Calatrava. 

Clockwise, from top left: The 

Gravensteen Castle; the 

Graslei, one of the most 

scenic places in Ghent‘s old 

city centre, with its guildhalls 

on the waterfront of the river 

Leie, and masked dancers of 

the Ghent Festival (Gentse 

Feesten), which is held every 

year and attended by about 

1–1.5 million visitors. 

industrial cities like Liège and Charleroi. 

However, Belgium as a whole, has managed to 

overcome the financial crisis quite well despite the 

unsolved differences between Flanders and Wallonia. 

According to the recent EU country report 2016, it 

has settled at a economic growth rate of around 1.3 

percent in the last three years, and the forecast for 

2017 lies at 1.7 percent. 

”Companies start reaping the benefits of improved 

competitiveness, and employment growth provides 

broader support to household spendings“, the report 

states. Also ”Belgian companies are deeply integrated 

in the global economy, trading actively in intermediate 

goods. Intermediates account for two thirds of 

domestically produced value added, among the 

highest in the EU.“ 

Furthermore, as Michael Berger, the Austrian 

trade commissioner in Brussels for the last years, 

points out, ”The negative effects of the terror attacks 

in 2016, have nearly completely been compensated by 

higher consumer spendings, increased public investments 

mainly in security measures and a very dynamic 

export demand“. 

As a result of this positive economic performance, 

Belgium even has advanced one rank in the statistics 

of Austria‘s most important trade partners to number 

16, beating countries like Japan, Turkey or Norway. 

Imports from Austria account for some 1.6 billion 

Euro and exports to Austria are well over 1.9 billion 

Euro. Also, some 100 Austrian companies are heavily 

engaged in Belgium with production sites or 

distribution subsidiaries and Austrian direct investment 

in 2016 – which has increased by impressive 

22.6 percent to around two billion Euro in 2016, trade 

commissioner Berger reports. ”And there are many 

new opportunities for Austrian companies doing 

PHOTOS: VISITFLANDERS.COM, MILO PROFI, JEAN-PAUL REMY, BEIGESTELLT 

business in Belgium“, Ambassador Van de Voorde 

points out. ”We still invest a lot in our port infrastructure. 

I always use to say: What Austria spends 

for its tunnels through the Alps, we spend in docks 

infrastructure.“ 

Having arrived at this aspect during the CD-interview 

(see page 38), Baron Van de Voorde –who 

served as the Secretary to H.M., the Queen Paola, at 

the Royal Palace in Brussels between 1994 and 2000 

– jumps up and embarks for a tour through his just 

newly renovated Embassy building in Vienna‘s Schönburgstraße. 

This impressive Palais has originally been 

constructed in 1880 by Rosa Fürstin Hohenlohe-Bartenstein. 

It came under possession of Rudolf Freiherr 

von Drasche-Wartinberg in 1919. Since 1922, it is serving 

as the home of the Embassy of the Kingdom of 

Belgium, which bought it in 1934. During November 

2015 and April 2017, the Embassy, housing some 24 

employees, has undergone a complete renovation 

which swallowed nearly six million Euro. ”There is no 

single square meter unused“, the Ambassador laughs. 

With its numerous paintings and works of art, 

making it a real treasure house in the heart of the 4th 

district, the Embassy seems to be the perfect corresponding 

site of the multiple cooperations, Belgium 

has reached with Vienna‘s Kunsthistorisches Museum 

– the Museum of History of Art – which is full of 

works dating back to Belgium origin, like the world‘s 

biggest collection of Brueghel paintings. Since the 

reopening of the Kunstkammer in 2013, also a permanent 

“Flämischer Saal“ is showing one new Flemish 

masterpiece each year. 

And for the outstanding upcoming mega-show 

”Peter Paul Rubens – Kraft der Verwandlung“ (17 

October, 2017 to 21 January, 2018) as well as for the 

big Brueghel exhibition (2 October, 2018 to 13 January, 

2019) the Embassy is heavily involved in background 

work and contributing to the deep and historic 

ties between Austria and Belgium. 

It is worth to visit one of the exhibitions, for getting 

a better picture of what the two countries have 

in common. Everybody will see it at once, Ambassador 

Van de Voorde says: ”Because there is a kind of 

unspoken understanding between Austrians and 

Belgians.“ 

25 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP 

”What 

started as a 

tiny gentle 

flower, is now 

a strong tree“ 

– with these 

words, Stefaan Missinne sums 

up the first quarter of a 

century of the Austrian- 

Belgian Society (Website: 

oebg.at), which he is presiding. 

The official celebration of its 

25 th anniversary will take place 

at the former Schloss Coburg 

in Ebenthal on 3 June, 2017 – 

a location with strong ties to 

the Belgian Royal family. ”With 

our more than 250 events“, 

Missinne proudly reports, ”and 

close relations to the Embassy 

of Belgium, our Society also 

serves as a helpful platform for 

Belgian companies in Austria.“ 

2018 – 

Rubens-Jahr 

in Flandern 

PROUD TO BE 

A BELGIAN AMBASSADOR. 

We fly you to Brussels and connect you to over 70 destinations in Europe, 

18 destinations in Africa and for the first time to Mumbai, India. 

Reisen Sie 2018 in 

die Heimat des großen 

flämischen Barockmalers 

RUBENS, dem dieses Jahr 

vor Ort gewidmet sein wird. 

Einen Vorgeschmack können Sie sich im 

Kunsthistorischen Museum Wien holen, 

wo von 17. Oktober 2017 bis 21. Jänner 2018 

die Rubens-Ausstellung „Peter Paul Rubens - 

Kraft der Verwandlung“ stattfinden wird. 

Mehr Information zu Flandern: www.visitflanders.com 

VISITFLANDERS 

brusselsairlines.com

LE MONDE BELGIUM | INTERVIEW 

H.E. Baron Willem Van de Voorde 

“The opposition of our different regions, Wallonia and Flanders, is exaggerated.“ 

In a completely refurbished salon in his newly renovated Embassy-Palais, the Ambassador of the 

Kingdom of Belgium to Austria talks about the striking similarities between these two countries and 

explains, why the different cultures of Wallonia and Flanders generate a certain complexity of life. 

Interview: Rainer Himmelfreundpointner 

H.E. WILLEM VAN DE VOORDE 

PHOTOS: RALPH MANFREDA 

CD: Ambassador Van de Voorde, starting with the 

Habsburg Emperor Maximilian in the late 15th 

century, whose heart is enshrined in Bruges, there 

are endless ties between Belgium and Austria. 

Can you give us a short roundup? 

Willem Van de Voorde: Indeed, the marriage 

of Maximilian to Mary of Burgun, back 

in 1477 in Gent, is a wonderful story of how a 

boy from here, Austria, and a girl from the 

north found each other. In that time, the relations 

between Austria and our region have 

been created. It was a fantastic match between 

two cultural circles. It brought a kind of Central 

European leadership, that of Habsburg, 

which was in fact a kind of knighthood, in 

contact with a tradition which pays a lot of attention 

to a high quality of life. Still today we 

say ”You live like a Burgundian“ – which means 

living with a love for good food, for the 

arts, for nice houses and for a high quality of 

our environment. Something, both of our 

countries, still share today. 

Actually in the 18 th century, with the peace treaty 

of Utrecht, the territories of today‘s Belgium 

came under the reign of Austria ... 

...and you can still see the traces of that time 

in the Albertina in Vienna which was the 

residence from where our country was 

governed from for nearly 90 years until the 

French troops chased the Austrians away. 

Let‘s look at the similarities, Belgium and Austria 

are sharing today. Both countries have roughly 

the same amount of population and size of GDP, a 

social market economy and strong export industry 

or a federal structure of state. How would you 

refer to these similarities? 

Also our location is interesting. Belgium is 

on a crossroad between the Germanic and 

the Romanic Europe. It is a passage place. 

You go to Great Britain, you go to the north 

of Europe or further south. You can see that 

on the motorways, where sometimes people 

just rush through our country. Austria has 

something a little bit similar. It is on the 

border of the Germanic and the Slavic 

cultures. And it is also a very strategic passage 

place between the northern part of Europe 

and the southern Mediterranean. That 

gives you a sense of exchange, of communication, 

of exposure to a lot of different influences. 

And we also have strong neighbours. 

Belgium is located between France, Germany, 

the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, 

lives with their languages, cultures 

and our main groups of population – the 

Flemings and the Walloons – have strong 

cousins just across the border. And Austria 

has got the strong other German speaking 

neighbour, Germany. This sometimes gives 

you a certain way of looking at things. People 

are looking for an original point of view 

and trying to show how different they are 

from their neighbours and how specific they 

are in their culture or their language. 

In Austria, we sometimes say that it is the 

common language we share with Germany which 

sets us apart. Is that so in Belgium, as well? 

Oh, yes, we have the same phaenomena. 

Even as we have the standard languages like 

French or “Niederländisch“, many continue 

to speak their own dialects and are very 

proud of that. That is maybe one of the 

underlying reasons for the kind of unspoken 

understanding between Austrians and 

Belgians. They go on really well with each 

other and that‘s why some 500,000 tourists 

from Belgium are visiting Austria each year. 

Which are the recent milestones in the bilateral 

relationship between Belgium and Austria? 

Definitely the year of 1995, when Austria 

became a member of the EU, has been a major 

date. For the first time since centuries, we 

came again together in a sort of supra-state 

structure, the EU. That created, apart from 

the facts that also before we had a very good 

relationship and many cultural ties, a close 

dialogue again. In 1995, we have found each 

other again in the European family. Since 

then, our relations have intensified manifold 

on all levels and also the interest for each 

other‘s societies has increased. 

In which respect? 

What struck me, after I arrived in Austria as 

Ambassador back in September 2014, is the 

keen interest both countries share in certain 

matters, for which we sometimes struggle to 

find the right solutions in our own societies. 

For instance how to deal with the asylum 

crisis and the integration of foreign 

immigrants. We have the same pressure of 

an aging society and the challenges this puts 

on our economies and public finances. How 

do we confront the terrorist threat and are 

there certain clever approaches for exchange 

of data from which we can learn from? 

More recently, one maybe surprising similarity 

was the rejection of CETA by both countries – 

although they are heavily dependent on trade and 

exports. How would you row that in? 

Maybe part of the explanation is, that both 

of our countries have a strong social market 

economy. And many people had the fear 

that certain deeply infringed patterns of 

dealing with labour and capital would be 

endangered. This is a very strong feeling, but 

the overall answer is still lacking. 

Since most of the CETA-opposition in Belgium 

came from the Walloon region – some say, this 

was more of a sign of the old internal political 

struggle between Wallonia and Flanders. Is that 

correct? 

Well, it could be. In Belgium not all of the 

people were opposing. But a certain part of 

the country, the Walloon region in the south, 

has been largely against CETA. The Flemish 

government was rather unhappy about that 

because they are the strongest exporters of the 

country. But according to our constitution, 

this question lies in the competence of the 

regions. It brought the federal government 

into a complicated situation and internal policies, 

like so often, played a role in foreign policy 

in this question. In the end, the federal level 

did what it had to do: it coordinated the positions 

and found a solution which allowed Belgium 

to agree. This said, the elements raised 

by the Walloon region were important elements 

which had nevertheless been raised in 

many EU Member states. 

Can you please explain these strong differences 

between Wallonia, which is populated by some 

3.5 million people, and Flanders, which has about 

Since September 2014, Baron Van de 

Voorde serves as Ambassador of 

Belgium to Austria. Prior to that, he held 

high positions in the Ministry of Foreign 

Affairs, in the Belgian Embassies in Berlin 

and Tokyo and as Secretary to H.M., the 

Queen Paola. 

38 

Cercle Diplomatique 2/2017

LE MONDE BELGIUM | INTERVIEW 

Ambassador Willem 

Van de Voorde and his 

wife, Kristin Van de 

Voorde-Heidbüchel, in a 

newly refurbished salon 

at the Belgium Embassy. 

Belgium – an excellent test 

market for Europe 

LE MONDE EXPERT´S VIEW 

Peter Fuchs, Commercial Counsellor for the Benelux countries 

6 million inhabitants. Many even think, this makes 

the country unruleable. 

There are a couple of countries – and you 

don‘t have to go very far, only to Spain or 

Switzerland or Canada for example – which 

happen to have on their territories different 

languages cultures. That generates a certain 

complexity of life. How to share influence 

and power, how to develop a vision of how to 

organise society? Given the complexity and 

the challenges of that situation, I think, we 

have managed pretty well up to until now. If 

you compare that with another interesting 

but complicated country, which is also under 

my jurisdiction – this is Bosnia and Herzegovina 

– there you can see, what a civil war 

brought about only some 20 years ago. Look, 

how difficult it is for this country, with its 

groups who clearly identify themselves differently 

from others, to come to peaceful solutions 

for living together and sharing a common 

destiny. Over the last decades, we 

developed a couple of legal or constitutional 

techniques for this in Belgium, and they help 

us quite well to live together in peace. 

For example? 

We have internal treaties, which are signed 

between the federal government and the 

regional governments, for expressing a certain 

position, Belgium takes in the European 

Union. So even when the representatives 

of the Walloon or the Flanders region 

are taking part in European negotiations, 

, 

“Belgium is not the only country 

with regions of opposing language 

cultures. We have developed a 

couple of techniques to deal with it.“ 

they express a Belgian point of view, which 

has been reached by a rather complex process 

of discussion. This procedure has been 

established 20 years ago, actually one year 

after the regions received their constitutional 

right to conduct their own external policy, 

in some areas in 1993. This practice of 

internal treaties functions rather well and 

has become entirely part of our daily diplomatic 

life. But it is true, that there was a kind 

of temporary breakdown for the CETA agreement. 

But it did not work after the 2010 parliamentary 

elections, when it took Belgium nearly one and a 

half years to agree on a new government. 

Well, that‘s a point, although the composition 

of a government includes many other questions, 

too. We have a tradition of long 

government formations and that was 

probably a record. I will not name other 

countries, but some are not doing much better 

either. Our last government formation 

went much quicker. 

After last year‘s terror attacks in Brussels, some 

critic have been remarking that the competition 

between the regions might have undermined or 

complicated the investigation after the attack 

because of competing police forces or a lack of 

exchange of data. Is there any truth in this? 

I have also heard of that sometimes, but I 

must definitely say: this is wrong. Why? We 

have at the federal level a magistrate, which 

is tasked with the coordination of all the investigations 

regarding terrorism. It is specifically 

done at the federal level, because this 

magistrate must have access to all leaders of 

power and be able to coordinate all the different 

complex investigations. Even if the police 

forces are, like in many countries, deeply 

rooted in local structures, there is a unitary 

line of command. So, the opposition between 

different power level in the regions is 

exaggerated. This is certainly not the case in 

the fight against terror. Maybe in other cases 

of administration – when it comes to building 

permits for an airport, for example. 

When one region has different interest than 

the other – we have these regional oppositions, 

but this is not the case in the justice or 

internal security sectors – so it does not 

hamper investigations against terror, for instance. 

After the attacks some have expected an 

economic decrease because of the shock. But 

instead, Belgium‘s GDP even has shown a strong 

growth rate last year, mainly because of heavy 

investments in security. 

Also the arrival of the migrant wave, like in 

Austria, has increased the GDP. But we 

have seen a small decrease of Austrian 

exports to Belgium in 2016. Then again – 

our volume of trade is not bad ... 

...it is even one of the best in the latest Austrian 

trade statistics, ranking Belgium as number 16 of 

our most important trade partners with an overall 

trade volume of more than 3.5 billion Euros. 

Yes, and it has been on this level for years 

constantly, even if it does not develop spectacularly. 

And there are many new opportunities 

for Austrian companies, doing business 

in Belgium. We still invest a lot in our 

port infrastructure. I always say: What Austria 

spends for its tunnels through the 

mountains, we spend in docks infrastructure. 

And this, after all, is also important for 

a highly industrialised country like Austria. 

It may look far away, but Belgium‘s ports can 

play an important role for the Austrian industry. 

In terms of international trade, our 

ports, actually, are not so far away. 


PHOTO: FRANK HELMRICH 

Peter Fuchs 

is currently Austria’s 

Commercial Counsellor 

for the Benelux 

countries, working 

from The Hague. Prior 

to coming to the 

Netherlands in 2014, 

he held posts in 

Brussels for 11 years, 

Vienna, Paris, Osaka, 

Singapore, Karachi and 

Frankfurt am Main. 

The country is perfectly located and offers an excellent infrastructure. 

Alittle bit more than a month ago, eight 

innovative Austrian companies participated 

for the first time in the Austrian 

Showcase ”Bio goes Belgium“. They learned that 

11.3 million consumers with high purchasing 

power live in this densely populated country, 

which is divided into three regions (Flanders, 

Wallonia and Brussels-Capital) with three official 

languages (Dutch, French and German) in 

the heart of Europe. If you wish to sell your products 

to Belgian consumers and to avoid being 

fined by Belgian inspectors for wrong product labeling, forget 

about English and use Dutch and French. 

Ideally located between the United Kingdom, Germany, the 

Netherlands and France, the Port of Antwerp is the second busiest 

port in Europe, contributing to the excellent infrastructure and 

logistics that Belgium has to offer. Counting on the interconnected 

transport network between road, train, sea, waterways or air, 

numerous distribution centers are located in Belgium. It also has 

outstanding research institutes and the quality of universityindustry 

collaboration is ranked 6th worldwide. Spin-offs and 

incubators are set up nationwide, boosted by the network of 

internationally renowned university research centers. As a center 

of excellence, Belgium really delivers in crucial domains such as 

life sciences, nanotechnology, biotechnology and renewable 

energy. Contributing to Belgium‘s economic success is a highly 

qualified, multilingual and flexible workforce in addition to 

financial incentives and tax incentives, affordable property prices, 

legendary hospitality and excellent health care. 

In 2017 and 2018 the Belgian economy will grow by 1.4%. 

With just 7.4% unemployment it is at the lowest level since 35 

years. Investments will increase by 2.3% this year and by 2.7% in 

2018. Consumer prices rose by 1.8% in 2016 and are predicted to 

rise by 2% in 2017 and by 1.8% in 2018. According to the WTO, 

Belgium is the 10th largest exporting country in the world with 

exports of EUR 359.5 billion, some 84% of its GDP. Antwerp is 

the diamond capital of the world with 80% of the market in 

rough diamonds and 50% in polished diamonds. Last year, Belgium 

was Austria‘s 16th most important economic partner with 

excellent opportunities for the future. Sectors with high potential 

will be: transport & logistics; medical care & health; environment 

& renewable energy; mobility and automation. 


The Sustainable Development Goals 

are our common objective, 

Belgium is fully engaged.

LE MONDE PALESTINE MEETS JORDAN 

The Ambassadors‘ Summit #4 

“We want Europe not only to be a payer. We want Europe to be a player.“ 

In Cercle Diplomatique‘s fourth Ambassadors‘ Summit, H.E. Hussam A.G. Al Husseini, the Ambassador 

of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and H.E. Salah Abdel Shafi, the Ambassador of the State of Palestine, 

take a deep dive into the historic roots and many facets of the war in Syria, discuss the dangers of collapsing 

states in the Middle East and try to outline a blueprint for the near future of the region. 


CD: Ambassador Hussam A.G. Al Husseini, 

Ambassador Salah Abdel Shafi, can the new 

secure de-escalation zones in Syria, proposed and 

partly implemented by Russia just recently, really 

be seen as one major step towards a peaceful 

future in the country, maybe the whole region? 

Salah Abdel shafi: It is still too early 

to say, if this is going to be a game changer 

or not. But it is a very important step towards 

solving the humanitarian situation. 

Because what is happening in Syria, is a humanitarian 

disaster. That‘s why it is extremely 

important to lessen the burden on civilians. 

What is needed in Syria, are 

gradual confidence building measures between 

the regional and international players. 

There can be no military solution for 

the Syrian crisis. There can only be a political 

solution. The Syrian people should decide 

about the fate of their country. 

Hussam A.G. Husseini: I totally agree 

that there can only be a political solution. 

Military solutions in our area have so far 

H. E. HUSSAM A.G. AL HUSSEINI 

The Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of 

Jordan took his post in Austria in September 

2013. Before that, he has been serving as 

Jordan’s Representative at the Co-Presidency 

of the Union for the Mediterranean and as a 

high ranking diplomat in Brussels, Switzerland 

and South Africa. 


PHOTOS: XYXXYXYXY 

H. E. SALAH ABDEL SHAFI 

The Ambassador of the State of Palestine 

took his post in Austria in 2013. Shafi, 

who studied in Germany, also serves as 

Ambassador to Slovenia and the UN 

organisations in Vienna. Prior to that, he 

was Palestine‘s Ambassador in Stockholm 

and Berlin. 

42 

Cercle Diplomatique 2/2017


The Ambassadors‘ Summit took place at ”The 

Private Dining Room“ of „The Bank“ at Vienna‘s 

Park Hyatt Hotel. The discussion between H.E. 

Salah Abdel Shafi, the Ambassador of the State of 

Palestine, and H.E. Hussam A.G. Al Husseini, the 

Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 

was conducted by CD‘s author Rainer Himmelfreundpointner 

(from left to right). 

not ask for more boots on the ground from 

Europe. We are not asking for a military 

intervention from Europe. We are asking 

for more soft power, and that is economic 

power. Look at migration today. The vast 

majority of refugees today are not anymore 

Syrians and Iraqis, they are Black Africans 

escaping poverty. All strategic thinking 

tells us, that this emigration out of poverty 

will increase. So the challenge of the future 

is social-economic stability. Europe should 

wisely use resources, so that people could 

live in dignity, have jobs and build a future 

in their own countries. Let Europe invest 

the money it is intending to spend for fences 

and border controls against refugees, 

into economic development in Africa and 

the Middle East. This would make much 

more sense. 

Husseini: Of the total needs of the Syrian 

refugees in Jordan, my country is hardly 

receiving one third in terms of international 

support. Only one third. And half of 

this one third is through loans. We have to 

borrow money to finance our efforts, to 

support the refugees and to facilitate life of 

the Syrians in Jordan, most recently a 300 

million dollar loan was made from the 

World Bank to this effect. And even though 

Jordan is one of the poorest countries in 

the region, with nearly no natural water resources, 

we decided to give the Syrian refugees 

access to our labour market, because 

you just cannot let these people stay jobless 

and hopeless. And still, in the international 

community, there is a lack of engagement 

to really look into the roots of the overall 

crisis of the region. 

proven to be a total failure. Look at what a 

military solution brought to Iraq, Libya 

and Yemen. In Iraq, it has now been 15 years 

of chaos and destruction. The seizure of 

Mossul from IS is only a recent example of 

how much destruction the military solutions 

have brought and nobody is learning 

from history. Everybody is jumping into 

the forefront with a military solution as 

way to fix the problem. But you cannot call 

that a solution. 

But in regard to the IS or Daesh, can there be an 

alternative to a military solution? 

Husseini: A solution in Syria should be 

depending on the Syrians themselves, so 

that the Syrians are in charge of their own 

fate. I believe, that the only base which 

could provide a sustainable solution, is the 

agreement of the Geneva peace talks. An 

implementation of this agreement should 

really be the priority now. 

Abdel Shafi: If we look at the reality in 

Syria as it is today, we definitely cannot 

speak anymore of a central state exercising 

sovereignty and control over its territory. 

There is the government, there are 

oppositon groups, there is the IS. The 

question is: Will this become a permanent 

situation? Or will the Syrian people engage 

in a process that will reverse this sad reality 

so that there is one central authority that is 

elected and accepted by them. This is the 

real challenge, not only to the Syrians, but 

to the international community and the 

whole Middle East as well. What we have to 

answer is: How can we reverse the strand of 

collapsing national states going back to a 

central state that is legitimised by the people? 

So, general elections in Syria with the participation 

of whom? Including Assad? 

Abdel Shafi: Of course, that should be 

part of the political process. There have 

been demands that Assad should not be 

part of a political solution. With the Russian 

intervention the equation is changing. 

The only way is to let the people decide 

what the fate of their state should be. And 

this is something that cannot be decided on 

the ground by military force. There is no 

other way than a political solution. By delaying 

it, you are only increasing the suffering 

of civilians. Europe should have a vested 

interest in the stability of our region, 

because Middle Eastern problems are becoming 

internal European problems. Look 

at the threat of terror and migration. 

What would you recommend Europe? 

Abdel Shafi: Europe should finally realise 

that the solution of the refugee crisis is 

not by erecting fences, it is not by tightened 

border controls. No. It is by contributing to 

a political solution to the problems of the 

Middle East. What is needed in our region 

is stability. If there is stability, the economy 

would thrive and people would not want to 

leave their country. This is a major responsibility 

of Europe, given the geographic 

proximity. We are neighbours, we are next 

door. If my neighbour feels safe, I feel safe. 

If my neighbour feels threatened, I will also 

be threatened as well. 

Husseini: Coming back to Syria, I agree 

that the crisis is not solved in the best 

interest of the Syrian people. The implications 

will be a catastrophe not only for the 

region, but the whole world, including Europe. 

The raise of terrorist groups was be- 

PHOTOS: 

PHOTOS: 

XYXXYXYXY 

RALPH MANFREDA 

cause of the lack of a political solution in 

Syria. Daesh was never here three, four years 

ago. 

Abdel Shafi: Even if the members of 

the European Union have different foreign 

policies, there are some areas of consensus. 

For example, there is an existing consensus 

about solving the conflict between Israel 

and Palestine, according to the Two-States 

solution. This is a common European position 

– a State of Palestine next to the State 

of Israel. But when it comes to this conflict, 

Europe has always taken a backseat, politically 

speaking. But we want Europe not 

only to be an economic payer. We want Europe 

to be a political player as well. Europe 

is a major trading and direct investment 

partner of the Middle East, so it should 

have a big interest to get more involved politically. 

Europe should do more in the 

Middle East. 

Once again: How exactly? 

Abdel Shafi: Each government has so 

many, many instruments at its disposal to 

influence the course of events in the region. 

First diplomacy, second economy. We do 

Let us take Jordan for example. Jordan is lacking 

oil and water but nevertheless has taken millions 

of refugees. Is Europe engaged enough in your 

country, Ambassador Husseini? 

Husseini: Jordan is one of the countries 

suffering most from the many crises in the 

Middle East, beginning with the Palestinian-Israelian 

or the Lebanon conflict. We 

have, at one stage, received close to one million 

refugees from Iraq and still currently 

have some 500,000 Iraqis. We have around 

1.4 million Syrians and some 80,000 people 

from Yemen plus 35,000 from Libya and it 

goes on. It is not the responsibility of Jordan 

to host all of these people. We are doing this 

on behalf of the international community. 

But we are at the end of our capacities. Look 

at the debate in Europe, of how many refugees 

they received in this or that country. It 

is nothing compared to Jordan, and yet they 

are building fences and closing their borders 

against certain numbers of refugees 

whom we in Jordan have received in a 

couple of days. Just because we are in the 

middle of this human crisis, does not mean 

that we have to bear it all. We did not create 

this problem. 

In terms of money, how does international 

support look like? 

What do you mean? 

Husseini: They are – take the Palestine 

problem for example – a prolonged crisis 

with a solution that is overdue for a long 

time now. It became a slogan for the radical 

groups. This lack of solutions for the misery 

of the Palestine people, for example, is a 

ticket for recruiting among extremist 

groups. 

Abdel Shafi: It all is a question of a political 

alternative for the people. The Americans 

went to Iraq with the slogan of regime 

change. Then they went back home 

and left a mess. When the communist states 

collapsed, the Nato and the EU offered 

an alternative instead and started integrating 

these countries. Why did Europe manage 

to quickly stabilise the situation after 

the Balkan War? Because it had offered an 

alternative and packages of economic and 

financial help. What happens in the Middle 

East is quite the opposite. A regime change 

without an alternative. For example, you 

get rid of Gaddafi, and what is left is only 

chaos and anarchy. These are the root 

causes of the crisis. It is a man made human 

catastrophe. Europe should realise the link 

between terrorism and migration with the 

social-economic problems of the Middle 

East and not only think of border control. 



FACTS & 

FIGURES 

Jordan, burdened 

by refugees 

Jordan, one of the top ten 

driest states, is hosting 

some 1.4 million refugees 

from Syria. Only 20 percent 

are living in refugee camps 

like Za‘atari and most of 

them have access to labor 

markets. It also received 

millions of refugees from 

Palestine and Iraq. 

As a result, Jordan’s 

infrastructure, like 

provision of water 

supplies, sanitation 

facilities, housing or 

energy, is heavily under 

pressure. 

“Europe and the Middle East are 

neighbours. If my neighbour feels 

safe, I feel safe. If my neighbour is 

threatened, so am I.“ 

“What are the recruits of Daesh 

going to do, after Daesh is defeated? 

They only know how to kill. 

There has to be a rehabilitation 

programme focused on education 

and job creation.“ 

DER NEUE LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 

WEIL NUR 0,021347 % 

DER ERDOBERFLÄCHE 

AUS ASPHALT BESTEHEN. 

Palestine, the 

crisis hotspot 

The State of Palestine 

declared independence in 

1988 and claims the West 

Bank (bordering Israel and 

Jordan) and Gaza Strip 

(bordering Israel and Egypt) 

with East Jerusalem as the 

designated capital. Since 

most of these areas have 

been occupied by Israel 

since 1967, during and after 

the Six-Day War, there is no 

sign of end to that ongoing 

conflict, even more after 

US-President Donald Trump 

has recently questioned a 

widely accepted Two 

State- solution. 

So what would be needed in the near future of the 

Middle East? 

Abdel Shafi: I assure you, if the Syrian 

people would be living in dignity in their own 

country, they definitely would not become 

terrorists and they would want to emigrate to 

Europe. These people are not coming because 

they are bored, but because their life in their 

own countries is not bearable anymore. Even 

if you destroy Daesh or ISIS, without addressing 

the deeper roots why it was created in the 

first place, there will be a new Daesh. So you 

have to defeat them first and then offer the 

young people an alternative. 

Husseini: If you destroy Daesh, their 

recruits will go back to the people. Then 

how are you going to deal with them? The 

first thing we need, is a strong institution 

that will be able to deal with these people 

after the dismantling of Daesh. And history 

has proven that nothing other than a national 

institution, a local authority, can deal 

with this. We have to empower such an institution 

for the future to rehabilitate these 

people, through education for example. 

Half of the Syrian people under Daesh have 

been prevented from education. Second, 

what are the people going to do after Deash 

is defeated? They only know how to kill and 

how to fight. So there has to be focus on 

education and job creation in order not to 

have them going back to another Daesh. A 

rehabilitation programme is needed now 

and has to be planned immediately. Otherwise, 

we will have to deal with the impact 

of the lost generation. 

Abdel Shafi: If you want a blueprint or 

roadmap for solving the problems of the 

Middle East, you have to engage on multiple 

tracks. The first thing is to end the Israeli-Palestine 

conflict with the Two-State solution. 

Second, in Syria you have to end the hostilities 

immediately, start a ceasefire and prepare 

general elections, maybe with an interim 

government until they take place. Parallel to 

this, there has to be an economic aid package 

for the huge investments into the destroyed 

infrastructure and to create jobs for hundreds 

of thousands of people. And Europe has to 

engage heavily in this reconstruction. This is 

much less expensive than providing tanks 

and weapons and the only way to win back 

this lost generation. The same can be applied 

to any other country in the Middle East. So 

let us hope, the agreement on the secure zone 

is working. This might be a major test. 


TERRAIN RESPONSE 2 AUTOMATIK * 

Der neue Discovery ist bereit für jede Situation. 

Aktivieren Sie einfach Terrain Response 2 Automatik* 

und Kraftübertragung, Federung und Traktion werden 

den Bedingungen angepasst. So genießen Sie optimale 

Performance auf sämtlichen Fahrbahnoberflächen. 

Perfekt für jede Entdeckungsreise – auch abseits des Asphalts. 

Ab sofort bei Ihrem Land Rover Partner. 

landrover.at 

*Modellabhängig. Weitere Informationen erhalten Sie bei Ihrem Land Rover Partner. 

Weitere Informationen zur 3-Jahres-Garantie finden Sie unter: landrover.at/garantie 

Kraftstoffverbrauch in l/100 km: 14,2 – 7,1 (innerorts); 9,3 – 5,4 (außerorts); 10,9– 6,0 (komb.); 

CO 2 -Emissionen in g/km: 254 –159; Symbolfoto. 


LE MONDE UKRAINE 

Ukraine – the next hot thing for Europe 

Left: Impressions from the 

Yalta shores. 

Right: An Ukrainian beauty 

in the country‘s traditional 

costume. 

FACTS & 

FIGURES 

Despite the conflict in the Donbass region and the loss of Crimea peninsula, the 

Ukraine remains one of the most promising countries in Eastern Europe. 


PHOTOS: FOTOLIA 

If there was no war in the Ukraine, what an outstanding 

country this is. Once in history, its influence 

and powers were dwarfing that of the 

Russian Empire. Now, its 42 million people, alas burdened 

by the Soviet legacy, after the “Orange Revolution“ 

in 2004 and the “Euromaidan“ in 2014, are reaching 

out for a new, self-determined, dignified life, 

destined to turn their motherland into the future of 

Eastern Europe. 

Some fall in love with Ukraine‘s patchwork of traditions. 

Others go for its eclectic cityscapes and farflung 

horizons. There are those, who will never forget 

the star-dusted, blacker-than-black nights in the 

spa-town of Myrhorod or the “Nutcracker“ at the 

opera house in snow-bound Kiev. And anyone having 

visited the empty churches on a rainy autumn 

day in Lviv, or having crossed the steppe towards the 

magical Slavic hinterland, while reading a bit of Nikolai 

Gogol or the Ukraine-born Austrian writer Joseph 

Roth, will probably return time and time again. 

Most of all, visitors are left with an overwhelming 

impression of the sheer vastness of the largest country 

which is entirely within Europe, which packs a lot 

of diversity into its borders. You can be clambering 

around the Carpathians in search of Hutsul festivities, 

sipping Eastern Europe‘s best coffee in sophisticated 

Lviv and partying on the beach in Odessa, all in 

a few days. Ukrainians are also a diverse crowd; from 

the wired sophisticates of Kiev’s business quarters to 

the Gogolesque farmers in Poltava, from the Zaporizhzhya 

steelmaker to the Hungarian-speaking bus 

drivers of Uzhhorod, few countries boast such a 

mixed population. 

The complete variety of the Ukraine just recently 

has been laid out to a multi-million audience during 

the Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev last May. ”The 

ESC was an exiting possibility to show Ukraine in 

the best of lights“, says Olexander Scherba, the Ambassador 

of the Ukraine to Austria in an interview 

with “Cercle Diplomatique“, following the celebrations 

of the 25 th anniversary of the Ukrainian-Austrian 

diplomatic relations (also see page 50). ”We wanted 

to have this ‚Wow‘-effect that most of the tourists 

have, when they come to Kiev and see a vibrant modern 

European city.“ 

The ESC might indeed have ”changed the tone“, as 

Scherba hopes, pointing to the fact that the conflict 

in Eastern Ukraine in the regions of Luhansk and 

Donetsk only effects six percent of the country‘s territory. 

And that it not only has to offer an impressive 

cultural heritage – which, by the way, is deeply rooted 

in a period, when the Western Ukraine has been 

part of the Austrian monarchy with cities like Lviv 

(Lemberg) or Chernivtsi (Czernowitz), known as 

“Little Vienna“ – but a lot of promising economic 

opportunities as well. 

After years of contraction and thanks to the Association 

Agreement with the EU, which went into action 

on 1 January, 2016, Ukraine‘s GDP is on the rise 

again and could grow at a rate of 2.4 percent over 100 

billion dollar in 2017, analysts predict. As a sign of 

recovery and a stronger purchasing power of the population, 

Austrian exports to the Ukraine have increased 

for nearly 20 percent in 2016, placing the 

Ukraine at rank 33 among Austria‘s trade partners. 

”The best business opportunities for Austrian companies 

definitely can be found in the agricultural sector 

and in the food industries“, explains Michael Angerer, 

Austria‘s trade commissioner in Kiev. „But 

there are still some factors of uncertainty.“ Meaning 

the turbulent and sometimes aggressive situation of 

the Ukraine‘s internal politics, which even has featured 

members of parliament fist-fighting each other. 

And the country is also facing a difficult demographic 

development, with a tendency to lower birth 

rates and many young emigrants leaving the country, 

thus posing a future threat of a diminishing labor 

force. On the other hand, Ambassador Scherba 

points to the fact that the Ukraine has one of Europe‘s 

best educated population and especially in the IT 

sector, the Ukrainians are enjoying a reputation of 

computer wizards. 

To put it into a nutshell: the Ukraine seems to be 

up. Frequent visitors to the country, who maybe, after 

having slurped borshch, invited by a complete 

stranger, have known this for long and are returning 

with cheers about one of Europe‘s most open and 

hospitable nations. Ambassador Scherba is confident 

that politicians and business people all over the continent, 

will soon discover the many facets of his 

country as well. ”The Ukraine will be the next hot 

thing for Europe“, he says. If there was no war. 

Ukraine 

Official name: 

Ukraine – Ukrajina 

Capital and largest city: 

Kiev 

Official language: 

Ukrainian 

Ethnic groups: 

77.8% Ukrainians 

17.3% Russians 

4.9% others 

Government: 

Unitary semi-presidential 

republic 

• President: 

Petro Poroshenko 

• Prime Minister: 

Volodymyr Groysman 

• Chairman of Parliament: 

Andriy Parubiy 

Area: 603,500 km 2 

Population: 42,550,000 

GDP: 88.3 billion $ (2016, 

nominal) 

GDP per capita: 8,291 $ 

(2016, nominal) 

Formation: 

• 882: Kievan Rus‘ 

• 1199: Kingdom of 

Galicia–Volhynia 

• 17 August 1649: 

Zaporizhian Host 

• 7 November 1917: 

Independence from 

Russian Republic; 

Ukrainian People‘s 

Republic 

• 1 November 1918: West 

Ukrainian People‘s 

Republic 

• 10 March 1919: 

Ukrainian SSR 

• 8 October 1938: 

Carpatho-Ukraine 

• 15 November 1939: 

Soviet annexation 

of Western Ukraine 

• 30 June 1941: 

Declaration of 

Ukrainian Independence 

• 24 August 1991: 

Independence from 

the Soviet Union 

A view of the breath-taking 

Kiev Pechersk Lavra, the Kiev 

Monastery of the Caves. 

Left: The modern South 

Bridge over the Dniepr River. 

Right: The Golden Domes 

of Saint Andrew‘s Church 

– one of the many famous 

landmarks in Ukraine‘s 

capital Kiev. 


LE MONDE UKRAINE | INTERVIEW 

H.E. Olexander Scherba 

“Europe should listen very carefully to the tones that come from Russia.“ 

The Ambassador of the Ukraine offers a fresh view of why Crimea might be reunified with the Ukraine again, 

how the conflict in Eastern Ukraine could be ended soon and why the Ukraine is the next hot thing for Europe. 


H.E. OLEXANDER SCHERBA 

PHOTO: RALPH MANFREDA 

CD: Your Excellency Ambassador Scherba, 

congratulations for the succesful European Song 

Contest, recently hosted by your country. How 

would you estimate the importance of a major 

international event like the ESC for your country? 

Olexander Scherba: First of all, it is very 

important for us how this all began – with 

an impressive victory of our Ukrainian singer 

Jamala in Stockholm. A victory in a 

face-off with the Russian contestant, during 

a war with Russia, with a song referring 

to the fate of Crimean Tatars under 

Stalin – it was a victory that we needed, 

perhaps the most among other nations. It 

felt good and meant a lot. I have to admit: 

after the announcement of the result, I was 

cheering up so loudly, I might have woken 

up my neighbours. The same was happening 

all over Ukraine. This was a moment 

of joy and happiness in a rather dark and 

unhappy time. But with this win, came a 

new honour and responsibility: to host the 

next Song Contest. We took it up right 

away, as an exiting possibility to show Ukraine 

in a better light, than it happens in 

the everyday press. Which is far from building 

any kind of “Potemkin villages“. You 

might have heard the positive words from 

people visiting Kiev over the years. Many 

tourists coming to Kiev, describe their feeling 

as “stunning“. After reading all the negative 

press, after all the bad headlines, 

they immerse in a positive, friendly and 

beautiful city. We wanted more people to 

experience it, to show what a vibrant, modern 

European city Kiev is. I hope we 

reached this ”Wow!“-effect this May. 

Does the ESC have any further implications, apart 

from presenting your country as a touristic 

destination? 

Of course. The Contest is a change of 

pace, a change of tone, switching from the 

negative headlines to a deeply joyous event. 

We do expect more tourists, but first of all, 

we do expect the world to realise, the war is 

only effecting six percent of Ukrainian territory. 

Other than that, it is a peaceful 

country that has plenty to offer to the rest 

of the world – business-wise, tourism-wise 

and culture-wise. And the last but not least: 

we took the motto “Celebrate Diversity!“ 

seriously. Ukraine is a very diverse nation, 

which still has to come to terms with things 

like homophobia, xenophobia, nationalism. 

The Contest helped to raise the flag 

and to remind Ukrainians, what a positive 

thing diversity is. It also reminded us, that 

a truly European state – and we want to become 

one – isn‘t possible without a deep 

respect to all minorities. 

Maybe the ESC might even strengthen the 

pressure on Russia, to pull back from the Crimea, 

which is has annexed in March 2014. Do you have 

any signs, that there might be a reunification of 

Ukraine and the Crimea? 

I am absolutely confident about that. 

You just need to consider the facts. A territory 

like Crimea is like a human being. You 

have to get your supplies and water from 

somewhere. You can probably get some 

over the so-called Kerch bridge that the occupants 

are building (although many don‘t 

think it would hold). But what about the 

water? How would you get the irrigation 

water over a bridge? Without Ukraine‘s water, 

Crimea turns into a desert. So, it‘s probably 

about time that decision-makers in 

Moscow, instead of indulging their imperial 

instincts, once in a while think about 

what is legal and what is right for Crimea. 

One thing is clear to me: the annexation is 

illegal and wrong for it. 

So the next negotiations would be about that 

water? 

I don‘t know, what the negotiations will 

be. But there can be only one premise of 

negotiations: restoring international law. 

Which says: Crimea is Ukraine. On the top 

of that, the simple truth is: no one was standing 

in anyone‘s way in Crimea before 

Putin‘s “green little men“ popped up. No 

human rights violations, no ethnic purges. 

The annexation was an unnecessary, dumb 

tour de force that damaged everyone‘s interest 

– including Russia‘s. To fundamentally 

destroy the relationship with Ukraine, to 

deal a heavy blow to Europe‘s security, to 

become a global problem – and for what? 

Just to tickle the imperial ego of some? That 

was a dumb and unnecessary move that the 

whole Europe, the whole world pays for. 

Is there any feeling in the Ukraine that your 

country is in danger of – at the most extreme – a 

Russian occupation? 

Oh, let‘s try to stay on a more positive 

side (smiles). But you are right in one 

thing: we, in the Ukraine, and all other European 

countries, are at a point where we 

should listen very carefully to the tones and 

moves that come from Russia and Moscow. 

And they aren‘t very encouraging. Yet, the 

chance for peace and law isn‘t completely 

ruined yet. All it takes, is some change of 

attitude on Russia‘s side. 

Before we get the curve to the many more 

promising aspects, can you please give us an 

overlook about the current situation of the 

conflict in the region of Lugansk and Donetsk, 

where a peaceful solution does not seem in sight. 

Is there any chance, to implement the Minsk 

Agreement soon? 

The Minsk Agreement can be implemented 

very fast if Moscow makes the decision 

to steer clear of Ukrainian territory. 

Once its soldiers (“on vacation“ or not) are 

withdrawn – the war is over. Thousands armed 

Russian citizens in the Eastern Ukraine 

must go. The Ukrainian border must be 

under Ukrainian control. Once that happens, 

there is no obstacle for peace. But I 

have a feeling that official Moscow is still 

waiting for something. 

What for? 

It seems at times, they are looking forward 

to the moment when the United Europe 

falls apart, when the anti-EU moods 

and political forces take over. They call it 

”the coming conservative revolution“. I also 

hope, that after the presidential elections in 

Austria and France, after the recent local 

elections in Germany, they will finally realise: 

Europe isn‘t about to collapse, Europeans 

will hold to all the positive things 

that the United Europe brought in the last 

Born in Kiev , Mr. Scherba serves as the Ambassador 

of the Ukraine to Austria since December 2014. He 

started his diplomatic career in 1994, with posts in 

Germany (1996-2000) and in the USA (2000-2008). 

After a period of being adviser to Arsenij Jazenjuk, the 

former Prime Minister of the Ukraine, he acted as 

Special Envoy for Ukrainian diplomacy. 



51

LE MONDE UKRAINE | INTERVIEW 

Olexander Scherba, the Ambassador of 

the Ukraine, during the interview with 

Cercle Diplomatique, at the beautiful 

Embassy in Vienna‘s 18 th district. 

half a century. And one more thing: if Russians 

look forward to a new division on the 

continent and in the world – I think they 

are in for a bitter disappointment. It won‘t 

happen. And at any case, Ukraine surely 

won‘t put up with being a Russian zone of 

influence again. 

How would you judge the recent death of the 

OSCE observer there? 

This is a terrible tragedy which is the responsibility 

of the occupants and their proxies 

who control the place, where the incident 

occurred. To my knowledge, the 

explosion happened in the afternoon, 

when the monitors where heading back after 

completing their mission on that day. 

Which means: the explosive wasn‘t there in 

the morning, but someone put it on their 

way in the afternoon. What would be the 

motive of that, other than scaring them off 

and keeping this part of Ukraine under a 

100 percent Russian control, as it is the case 

now? Still, I do hope that it won‘t weaken 

the determination of the OSCE SMM monitors 

to help bringing peace back to Ukraine. 

We want peace – and, by all accounts, it 

won‘t come without international help and 

pressure on those who came to our land 

and created these so-called “people‘s republics“. 

Because of Austria‘s Presidency of the OSCE, does 

this incident have any implications for the 

bilateral relations between Austria and the 

Ukraine? 

On the contrary. We very much appreciate 

what Austria does in the OSCE. Austria 

took the right tone from the very beginning: 

put the ordeal of civilians above other 

aspects of the war – and try to help. This 

applies for political decisions, just as much 

as for rendering humanitarian help and 

upholding the sanctions on Russia. 

So how would you paint the current bilateral 

relations between the Ukraine and Austria, which 

actually date back deep to the monarchy? 

Those memories are alive and rather 

warm. Western Ukrainians call Austria 

“babtsja Avstrija“ – “Grandma Austria“. 

You still can find portraits of Emperor 

Franz Josef I in some homes, and a Maria 

Theresa monument stands in Uzhgorod. 

However, even more than “the Grandma 

Austria“ we like today‘s vibrant, modern, 

young and future-oriented Austria. You 

might be a small European country, but 

you are a giant among our partners. The 

most obvious example: Raiffeisenbank International 

has become one of the biggest 

foreign banks and one of the biggest investors 

in the country. In the insurance industry, 

we have a very healthy competition 

between Uniqa and the Vienna Insurance 

Group which lead the market. Fischer 

Sports is for years very successful, produ- 


cing sport equipment in Ukraine‘s west. I 

can go on and on with these positive examples. 

Yet, Ukraine has much more to offer. 

The agriculture sector, which is booming. 

Look at the IT-Sector, with Ukraine 

increasingly dominating the outsourcing 

market in Europe. On the one hand, we 

have one of the highest proportions of the 

people with a university degree to the overall 

population. On the other hand, the labour 

costs are rather low. The latter point is 

unfortunate for us, but a timely point for 

investors to enter the market. 

Coming to the European perspective, which would 

be the next milestone after the Association 

Agreement went into action in 2016? 

We are extremely appreciative about the 

upcoming visa-free regime. As a point of 

appreciation and recognition of our effort 

on the European way, this step is of utmost 

importance – most of all psychologically. 

Europe stands for freedom. And this newly 

acquired freedom of movement for our citizens 

means, that we are on the right way 

and that European decision-makers do appreciate 

our immensely difficult transformation. 

And as to the economic advantages 

of the Deep and Comprehensive Free 

Trade Area with the EU – it bears fruit. The 

European Union is already our economic 

partner number 1. We are very much aware 

that we live in a new economic reality. After 

Russia decided not to be our friend anymore, 

we have to be looking out for other markets. 

In Europe, Asia, Africa. Clearly, the 

EU market is extremely competitive. But 

not impossible to compete. Europe is our 

inspiration and our future. And we think it 

is obvious that Ukraine, as a new developing 

market, will be instrumental for 

Europe‘s economic future as well. Mark my 

words: Ukraine will be “the next hot thing“ 

for investors and for Europe as a whole. 

“Austria might be a small European 

country. But it is a giant among the 

Ukrainian economic partners.“

LE MONDE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME | INTERVIEW 

H.E. Yury Fedotov 

“Today, criminals are clever and highly adaptive. We underestimate them at our peril.“ 

FACTS & 

FIGURES 

In an eye-opening interview, Yury Fedotov, the Executive Director of the 

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, offers a deep look into how the 

UNODC is fighting the world‘s multi-trillion-dollar crime business. 


H.E. YURY FEDOTOV 


CD: Director Fedotov, how do we have to picture 

organised crime today? 

Yury Fedotov: The old image of the 

mobsters who sat at a kitchen table planning 

their latest criminal act has changed. 

Today, they are just as likely to sit around a 

boardroom table, alongside bankers, accountants 

and lawyers, authorising the global 

movement of hundreds of millions of 

dollars. Trans-border criminals are clever, 

sophisticated and highly adaptive. We underestimate 

them at our peril. Modern criminal 

networks are capable of swiftly changing 

routes, locations and personnel. 

In regard to the upcoming 20th anniversary of 

UNODC, which balance would you draw regarding 

the goal of your agency? 

Making the world safer from drugs, organised 

crime, corruption and terrorism is 

a tremendous responsibility, especially due 

to the rapid evolution of these threats. It is 

not easy to achieve all these objectives and 

build a system of priority because all challenges 

must be handled to improve the life 

of people everywhere. We are trying to do 

our best with limited resources. UNODC‘s 

goal is threefold: bring together government 

and other partners, to discuss trends 

in transnational organised crime; agree solutions 

based on our extensive capacities in 

research and analysis; and deliver these solutions 

at the grassroots level through our 

global field network and in close cooperation 

with civil society. I am justifiably proud 

of UNODC‘s successes in helping to make 

the world safer – and which will be celebrated 

at our 20 th Anniversary in September. 

Can you give us some examples? 

UNODC has assisted millions of prisoners, 

thanks to the adoption at the UN 

General Assembly of the revised “UN Standard 

Minimum Rules for the Treatment of 

Prisoners“. It is one of the most significant 

developments in modern international law 

and a blueprint for 21 st century prison management. 

As a tribute to Nelson Mandela, 

the standards are called the “Mandela Rules“. 

Our mandate on terrorism prevention, 

coupled with our lengthy experience on justice 

and the rule of law, ensures, that we are 

leading the way on tackling radicalisation of 

prisoners and violent extremism. This is a 

necessity. The case of Anis Amri, shot dead 

before Christmas by Italian police after killing 

12 people in a terrorist attack in Berlin, 

was, like many others, radicalised in prison. 

And what are the main achievements of UNODC‘s 

fight against illicit drugs? 

In the area of illicit drugs, our work in 

Colombia, but also in Peru and elsewhere, 

has lifted tens of thousands of farming families 

out of the clutches of the criminal groups 

by encouraging the cultivation and production 

of licit crops such as coffee and cocoa. 

This is helping people not just to escape 

crime, but also to ensure that livelihoods are 

sustained and development strengthened. 

And together with the World Customs Organisation, 

UNODC manages the Global 

Container Control Programme (GCCP). In 

its first ten years of existence, Port Control 

Units established under the programme 

have been instrumental in seizing more 

than 100 tons of cocaine, nearly three tons of 

heroin and 60 tons of cannabis, as well as 

over 1,200 tons of precursor chemicals. 

UNODC has also made advances in the 

area of human trafficking. We manage the 

UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of 

Trafficking in Persons which has supported 

thousands of human trafficking survivors 

all over the world. And our Maritime 

Crime Programme has built prisons in the 

region for Somali pirates and helped to 

train coastguard. So far, 1,300 Somali people 

have been processed through the courts 

of 21 states. UNODC helped in the freeing 

of 150 hostages, including last year‘s release 

of 26 crew members from the FV Naham 3. 

Despite of this impressive work worldwide, crime 

in economic terms is estimated to have grown to 

some 2.1 trillion US-Dollar cash flows each year. 

What would you regard as the main reasons for 

this growth? 

I think, there are several narratives at 

play. There is the story of how crime grew 

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE 

ON DRUGS AND CRIME 

The UNODC was established in 1997 in Vienna 

by combining the UN International Drug Control 

Programme and the Crime Prevention and 

Criminal Justice Division – two commissions 

which still provide the governing guidelines of 

the agency. It has an estimated biannual budget 

of some 760 million US-dollar, which for 90 % 

is funded by voluntary contributions, mainly 

from governments, and a stuff of some 2,000 

people worldwide. Mr. Yury Fedotov, the 

Executive Director of UNODC since 2010, is 

head of some 70 offices worldwide, including 

21 field offices and two liaison offices in Brussels 

and New York. 

The main goal of UNODC is to better equip 

governments to handle drug-, crime-, 

terrorism-, and corruption-related issues, to 

maximise knowledge on these issues among 

governmental institutions and agencies, and 

also to maximise awareness of said matters in 

public opinion, globally, nationally and at 

community level. 

To achieve this, UNODC operates in 4 divisions. 

There are the field offices network to directly 

fight crime and illicits drugs. The Division for 

Policy and Public Affairs runs drug laboratories, 

provides training to local law enforcement 

authorities and is engaged in research and 

analysis. The Division for Treaty Affairs is 

packed with lawyers and liaison officers in 

charge of government relations. And finally 

there is a division mainly dealing with 

organisation, management and finance. 

According to David Dadge, the voice of UNODC, 

there is one main narrative of the agency; ”The 

growth of crime goes hand in hand with the 

growth of UNODC.“ 

A UNODC security officer at its 

Vienna headquarter where it has 

been located for 20 years. 

Born in Saratov, Russia, Mr. Fedotov is one of the 

highest ranking diplomats of the Russian Federation. 

He was appointed to Executive Director of the United 

Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and 

Director-General of the United Nations Office in 

Vienna (UNOV) on 9 July 2010. 


“Crime is a transnational business 

worth USD 2.1 trillion, so powerful, 

that no single state can deal with it.“

LE MONDE UNODC | INTERVIEW 

into a transnational business worth USD 

2.1 trillion. The growing perception among 

member states that trans-border crime is 

so large, so powerful, no single state can 

deal with its deadly impact. And there is 

the overlapping story of how crime came to 

be recognised as an obstacle to sustainable 

development. Weave into these storylines 

illicit drugs, the rise of violent extremism, 

spreading terrorism, the phenomenon of 

foreign-terrorist-fighters, maritime crime 

and stubborn piracy off the Horn of Africa, 

as well as endemic corruption, and you 

have a powerful story of how drugs and 

crime moved centre stage to become a major 

global trend. Tragically, this is before 

you even include paralysing cybercrime, 

dire human trafficking and the tide of misery 

caused by migrant smuggling. Today, 

drugs and crime are a chronicle of our modern 

world and the global thief of development 

and human opportunity stealing 

wealth and hopes from families and communities. 

Crime aggravates inequality and 

violence, particularly in vulnerable countries 

seeking to escape bloody conflicts. It is 

for all these reasons that UNODC‘s role 

has expanded as countries have come to recognise 

the importance of partnership, cooperation 

and coordination in their efforts 

against the criminals and the terrorists. 

Where do you draw the line between what is not 

yet a crime and what is one? For example, when 

certain forms of financial transactions might be 

legal in some jurisdictions but would be 

considered as money laundering in others? 

Concepts of crime are not static or set in 

stone. They evolve just as societies develop. 

Certain activities, once considered as normal 

and acceptable, become unacceptable 

and are established as criminal offences. 

Taking or offering bribes is now criminalised 

in many countries as a form of corruption, 

but it is only a few decades ago – 

prior to the adoption of the UN Convention 

against Corruption – that these were considered 

as a normal business practise. The 

acceptance of violence against children or 

violence against women was likewise much 

higher in the recent past. Now, these forms 

of violence have become a priority for criminal 

justice systems with the adoption by 

the Crime Commission – and then the General 

Assembly – of standards outlining 

strategies to prevent and combat them. I 

view this movement positively. You mentioned 

money laundering. The UN Conventions 

against Corruption and Transnational 

Organised Crime clearly oblige 

Member States to criminalise it. There are 

also FATF Standards that oblige any State 

that wishes to be a part of the global financial 

system, to criminalise money laundering. 

There are no “legal forms“ of money 

laundering. The real problem is not in a legal 

definition, but the practical application 

of anti-money laundering legislation. 

What does that mean in practise? 

Banks must know their clients, they 

need to report suspicious transactions to 

the Financial Intelligence Units. UNODC 

assists countries in conducting so called 

“mystery shopper“ exercises. This is, where 

an anti-money laundering officer goes to 

the banks and pretends to be a person asking 

for very suspicious transactions. 

Banks should suspect money laundering 

“20 percent of drug users buy their drugs on the 

Internet. And they do not pay with credit cards – 

they use cryptocurrency. A teenager with a computer 

can run a drug business worth millions.“ 

UNODC‘s Executive 

Director Yury Fedotov also 

holds the rank of 

Under-Secretary-General 

of the United Nations. 

Prior to this, he served as 

Ambassador Extraordinary 

and Plenipotentiary of the 

Russian Federation to the 

Court of St. James‘s in 

London for five years. 

Before that, from 2002 to 

2005, he was the Deputy 

Minister of Foreign Affairs 

of the Russian Federation 

for International 

Organisations. 

“Concepts of crime are not static or set in stone. They evolve as societies develop.“ 

and alert government agency. Thirteen 

banks in the jurisdiction either politely declined 

the request or reported the suspicious 

behaviour. But one bank said: ”Oh, 

you need some professional services. We 

can advise you how to do the things properly 

so that you will not be detected“. Such 

behaviour is deeply worrying, especially 

when criminals control financial institutions 

and facilitate money laundering. UN- 

ODC, through its Global Anti-Money 

Laundering Programme, is helping countries 

to address these problems. 

How do you support them? 

UNODC helps governments to train 

their financial investigators, and it brings 

results. After several years of trainings, last 

year, the South African countries seized 

USD 23 million of crime proceeds. The 

only “gray“ area, where money laundering 

is not adequately criminalised, concerns 

cryptocurrencies. The Bitcoin market is 

growing and now has a capitalisation of 

some USD 30 billion. But there is no uniform 

legal definition of cryptocurrencies: is 

it a monetary instrument, currency, commodity 

or an entirely different animal altogether? 

Is it, for instance, taxable? Can it be 

FOTOS: PHOTO: XYXXYXYXY 

RALPH MANFREDA 

a tool for the purposes of money laundering? 

These questions remain open. I would 

even say, that many law enforcement agencies 

have limited knowledge on bitcoin 

operations and how to conduct investigations. 

But criminals know it well. The recent 

World Drug Report 2016 shows, that 

over 20 per cent of drug users buy their 

drugs on the Internet. And they do not pay 

with credit cards – they use cryptocurrency. 

A teenager with a computer can run a 

drug business worth millions by receiving 

orders on the Dark Web, obtaining payment 

in bitcoins, and sending the illicit 

drugs by mail. 

How is UNODC addressing terrorism and violent 

or criminal extremism? 

These are two of the world‘s greatest 

challenges. Both threaten international 

peace and security and are connected to information 

technologies, including the Internet, 

to spread violent and extremist 

ideologies. It is also closely related to the 

movement of foreign terrorist fighters across 

borders. The speed of these changes is 

evidenced by the rise of ISIL. This group 

has been joined by large numbers of foreign 

terrorist fighters with significant numbers 

from Europe, South Asia and South- 

East Asia. Some are returning from conflict, 

and they have the ability and intention to 

conduct further terrorist attacks. UNODC 

helps through its Global Programme on 

Strengthening the Legal Regime Against 

Foreign Terrorist Fighters in the Middle 

East, North African and Balkan Regions. 

Our portfolio on countering terrorist financing 

in relation to FTFs is also growing 

and UNODC has a new project, supporting 

States to specifically target ISIL-related 

funding. There is a direct connection between 

conflict and human trafficking. One 

of our most important messages is, that 

conflict makes people, especially women 

and children, vulnerable and fragile. Armed 

groups view civilians as a potential 

source of funding. ISIL has apparently sold 

women and girls or coerced them into 

marriage with fighters. The Nigerian group 

Growing ideas for the 

Europe of tomorrow. 

Alpbach Political Symposium 

August 26 to 29, 2017, Tyrol/Austria 

Every summer the Alpine village of Alpbach 

turns into Europe’s summer capital of discourse. 

Register now and gain insights into Europe’s 

future together with renowned speakers from 

across the world! 

DEBATES ON: 

Brexit, climate change, innovation in government, drug policy, 

the Dublin dilemma, Europe‘s next narrative, fundamental digital 

rights, the future of the Arctic, genome editing, geoengineering, 

green innovation, military cooperation, populism & democracy, 

security 4.0, trade policy and the law, … 

SELECTED SPEAKERS: 

Farah Abdi (SOM), Eyal Benvenisti (IL), Chantal Bilodeau (CAN), 

Sven Biscop (BL), Cathryn Clüver (US), Rowan Conway (UK), 

Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd (UK), Ruth Dreifuss (CH), Alexey 

Gromyko (RU), Peter Grünenfelder (CH), Ulrike Guérot (D), 

Wolfgang Ischinger (D), John Keane (AU), Ivan Krastev (BGR), 

Pascal Lamy (FR), Mariana Mazzucato (US), Wolfgang Merkel (D), 

Robby Mook (US), Eleonore Pauwels (US), Jeffrey Sachs (US), 

Ina Spinnangr (NOR), Jan Zielonka (PL) and many more. 

PROGRAMME: 

3-day conference with plenaries, breakout sessions, 

fireside talks, professional programmes, 

mountain hikes and breakfast clubs. 

Date: August 26 to 29, 2017 

Venue: Congress Centre Alpbach, Tyrol, Austria 

Participation fee: 800 EUR 


www.alpbach.org

LE MONDE UNODC | INTERVIEW 

Yury Fedotov, the Executive Director of the 

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 

took his precious time to sit down for an 

in-depth-interview with Cercle Diplomatique‘s 

author Rainer Himmelfreundpointner. 

“Is the world sufficiently prepared 

and equipped against cybercrime? 

No. Cybercrime continues to grow 

borderless at an alarming rate.“ 

Boko Haram has been involved in enslaving 

women and girls through trafficking 

in person. All of this creates a grim cycle of 

terror and tragedy. Conflict creates instability, 

forcing millions of women, children 

and men to flee. And defenceless people 

vulnerable to exploitation by migrant 

smugglers and human traffickers. Profits 

are then funnelled back for the commission 

of further crimes and terrorism. 

UNODC‘s work, along with its partners, 

including Interpol and Europol, but also 

many others, is about breaking into this 

cycle, helping victims, while bringing the 

criminals and terrorists to justice. 

In the light of the recent global cyber-attack and 

the immense growth of cybercrime, is the world 

sufficiently prepared and equipped against it? 

What would be the UNODC’s to-do-list? 

Organised criminals and terrorists seek 

to exploit every available opportunity to 

further their objectives. Cybercrime, in 

particular, continues to grow at an alarming 

rate and, even more so than other 

crimes, is borderless. In 2016, as an example, 

689 million people in 21 countries experienced 

cybercrime. We see cybercriminals 

on one continent, launching attacks on 

websites on another. Children are sexually 

exploited online irrespective of their geographic 

proximity to the offender, and 

businesses are defrauded globally through 

phishing scams. Is the world sufficiently 

prepared and equipped against these threats? 

No. But at UNODC, we are playing 

our part in responding to cybercrime and, 

crucially, preventing it. In El Salvador, for 

example, UNODC has built and mentored 

the National Cybercrime Unit within the 

National Civil Police. We also train prosecutors 

and judges. Working across Government, 

we have explained and sensitised key 

policy-makers to the threat ensuring a nuanced 

and threat-based response. 

Around the world, we are actively working 

to build capability to detect, investigate 

and disrupt cybercrime. In Tunisia we‘re 

delivering a cross-government programme 

to counter cybercrime – the first of its kind 

in the country. In Eastern Africa, we‘re 

about to provide new, specialist, countercybercrime 

support to local agencies, and, 

in South East Asia, we are using our specialist 

in-house counter-cybercrime mentor 

to ensure that our local partners make the 

best choices when investigating complex 

cybercrime. In 2016 alone, our Global Programme 

on Cybercrime, whilst relatively 

modest in size, trained investigators, prosecutors 

and judges from over 50 countries. 

Our work is having a direct, positive 

impact on the cyber landscape in regions 

that are highly vulnerable. 

But at the end of the day the user has to care for 

PHOTO: RALPH MANFREDA 

his cyber security. How does UNODC reach them? 

At a policy level, UNODC Vienna has 

continued since 2011 to host an Intergovernmental 

Expert Group on Cybercrime: 

a forum, where experts from around 

the world can meet to initiate often-challenging 

discussions on cybercrime and 

current developments, including international 

cooperation and best practices to 

counter cybercrime. The “human element“ 

is often described as “the weakest link“ in 

defending cybercrime. People can, and 

should, however, be our strongest link. 

With education from an early age, and ongoing 

mentoring, support and sensitisation, 

people can make cyberspace a hostile 

environment for those who wish to exploit 

it. Cybercrime is, as I said, truly borderless 

– all countries are harmed by it and cybercriminals 

intentionally exploit investigative, 

legislative and policy gaps. At UNODC, 

we‘re playing our part in countering this 

rapidly evolving threat and we encourage 

everyone to play their part in this effort. 

Together, we are making communities safer, 

promoting prosperity and, ultimately, 

saving lives. 

Last but not least: Has Vienna proven to be the 

right place for UNODC? 

I do not believe there is a better place in 

the world for UNODC to have its headquarters. 

Not geographically, and certainly 

not diplomatically. Austria is a champion 

of multilateral diplomacy, and a leading 

supporter of both the wider United Nations 

and UNODC. We have benefited tremendously 

from the Austrian government‘s support, 

its wisdom and its willingness to encourage 

our broad mandate. In terms of 

how cooperation works, shared responsibility 

is the driving force. Still, it can always 

be enhanced and made more effective and 

efficient. Information sharing, joint operations 

and mutual legal assistance are all pivotal. 

These cannot be achieved without 

countries ratifying and fully implementing 

the drug, crime and corruption conventions, 

as well as the international terrorism 

instruments. Austria is often at the forefront 

of these activities. Cooperation is also 

essential in stopping opium, moving from 

Afghanistan to Western Europe using the 

Balkan route, or being trafficked down to 

Australia and the Pacific using the Southern 

route. Elsewhere, cooperation and 

coordination is vital regarding the smuggling 

of migrants and human trafficking 

from North Africa, across the Mediterranean, 

to southern Europe, or to confront 

wildlife crime that sees animal parts trafficked 

from Africa to Asia. Being in Vienna, 

at the heart of Europe, we are close to so 

many of these routes, and perfectly situated 

to take on these multiple and interconnected 

challenges. 

»… a place where 

excellence meets passion . « 

AUSTRIA CONNECT 

WIR BAUEN BRÜCKEN IN DIE WELT 

AUSSENWIRTSCHAF T AUSTRIA 

CENTROPE 

GREATER CHINA 

GUS 

IBERISCHE HALBINSEL 

PACIFIC 

SÜDOSTEUROPA 

UNITED KINGDOM 

USA 

Vernetzen Sie sich auf unseren weltweit stattfindenden Konferenzen 

mit Top-Managern und Experten, den Leitern österreichischer 

Niederlassungen sowie Österreichern im jeweiligen Exportmarkt! 

wko.at/aussenwirtschaft/austriaconnect 

IB World School – Music and Arts Academy – Superior Boarding 

Bastiengasse 36 – 38 | 1180 Wien | Austria | www.amadeus-vienna.com

Fine hotels 

LE MONDE ESSAY 

The Future of Europe – 

is there any left? 

CERCLE 

DIPLOMATIQUE 

selected by 

ECONOMIQUE et TOURISTIQUE INTERNATIONAL 

can also be found in these exclusive hotels: 

Ulrike Guérot 

is a political scientist and 

founder and Director of the 

European Democracy Labs 

at the European School of 

Governance in Berlin. 

In April 2016, the Danube 

University Krems appointed 

her as Professor for 

European Policy and the 

Study of Democracy and 

also as head of this 

department. 

The EU: Squeezed between external threats and domestic populism 

What Europe, what future? Barely something has 

been as uncertain as Europe‘s future these days, more 

precisely: the future of the EU. Yesterday‘s most impressive 

peace project seems gone: it is squeezed between 

external threats, stemming from Putin, an ever 

more authoritarian Turkey or the IS. In addition, Europe 

now needs to confront all these changes in the 

international security architecture without its former 

leader, the US, which has left classical features of Western 

foreign policy and, with President Trump, has 

become unpleasantly unreliable und no longer trustworthy. 

Notwithstanding, the EU is also under domestic 

stress, stemming from the biggest social crisis as a 

consequence of a drastic mismanagement of the Euro 

crisis on the one hand, and the tech revolution of the 

robotics, liquidating classical employment en masse, 

on the other. Both threats together should bring about 

the emancipation of the EU, should bring the European 

countries closer together, in the aim to secure 

Europe’s position in the world. Yet, the opposite is 

happening. The EU seems helpless, nearly inexistent 

in these entire crises. Following the Pew Review of 

2016, only 47% of people still have trust in the EU and 

its institutions. The EU seemed already overwhelmed 

with the refugee crisis; and whether there will be another 

showdown with the Greek debt crisis in the summer, 

spilling over onto Italy remains to be seen. It 

could be the end of the EU, shortly after the 60 anniversary 

has been celebrated with pomp in Rome last 

March. 

Europe is under deep strain of right-wing populism 

and nationalism, now eroding the democracies of 

many of its member states. On top, Brexit will most 

likely not be a success, as Theresa May keeps repeating, 

but more a move eyes wide shut into disaster. The 

country that wanted to secure its nation against the 

European continent has gotten the quite opposite: the 

nearly-implosion of this nation, now being divided 

into the Youth and the City of London, the industrial 

regions of Northern England or Scotland and North- 

Ireland. 

Nationalism and populism are not only on the rise: 

they have already conquered substantial parts of Europe. 

In Hungary, newspapers and universities are 

closed, there as well as in Poland, independent justice 

is threatened. This has triggered protest in the streets, 

but civil society, as active as it is in Hungary, Poland or 

Romania, unfortunately can‘t change things. 

Sure, Norbert Hofer has been avoided in Austria, 

Geert Wilders and his PVV didn’t succeed becoming 

strongest party in the Netherland, and Marine Le Pen 

will probably not become next President of France, 

but Europe is deeply entrenched with populist movement 

and parties that make politics dysfunctional on 

both national and European level. 

Five Scenarios which won’t help 

Early March, President Juncker has announced 

Five Scenarios on the Future of the EU, 29 colourful 

pages. They were announced as the basis for a deep 

and sound discussion about the future of the EU after 

Brexit. Yet, not even a month later, the proposals have 

vanished of the public sphere. There is not much, not 

to say any official discussion about them. Admittedly, 

the five scenarios are not sexy by any standard. One 

could even question whether all the five could be 

called scenarios. 

The first is to keep everything as it is: is this a plausible 

“scenario“, when everything is breaking down? 

The second is to go back to a single market. But what 

about the single currency then, which was made to 

ease out a single market? The third scenario is “differentiated 

integration“ but which can already happen 

under existing treaties, yet never used. And if so: are 

we really to save the EU with differentiated integration 

in the field of electro mobility? Is this the way to secure 

our children’s future on the European continent? 

One would guess that not. 

So, the only debatable scenarios are scenarios four 

and five: the EU should do fewer things together 

(four), but then better, or should do all things together 

(scenario five), but then also “right“. The question is 

thus what “right“ means. Hasn‘t the EU done things 

“right“ so far? The suggestion is that it has not, as the 

EU has never answered to the question of sovereignty 

– who governs – properly. But is seems as if it is about 

time for the EU to sort out of its ambivalence: either 

Europe decides, but then the member states of the EU 

are no longer sovereign in the classical sense. Or there 

is no Europe. The question of legitimacy in the European 

policy space must be revisited with urge! 

PHOTO: ULLSTEIN_BILD-MÜLLER-STAUFFENBERG 

Everything must change so that everything remains as it is in 

Europe 

If we want to maintain democracy and peace, freedom 

and rule of law in Europe, nearly everything must 

change in the EU. For long, political science has 

thought that the way democracy functions in national 

democracies cannot be applied to the EU. That‘s why 

the EU was given its specific institutional trilogy made 

out of Commission, European Parliament and the 

Council, called sui generis. Time has come to call this 

system into question. Europe, especially the Eurozone, 

needs a profoundly redesigned basis of legitimacy. In 

short: as everywhere, the European people must be the 

sovereign of the political system, there must be division 

of power and European citizens must be equal in front 

of the law. The EU offers none of this. The principle of 

political equality is yet the condition sine qua non for 

all democracies, starting with voting equality (”one person, 

one vote“), passing by tax equality and ending with 

equal access to social rights. If there is still the aim to 

engage in a political project on the European continent 

– which might be out into question – then there is no 

other way than striving, over time, for political equality 

of all European citizens in a newly defined European 

citizenship. Beyond Junckers‘ mere scenarios, this 

should be penned down and put into action. 

Since a couple of month, there is #pulseofeurope, a 

civil society movement, demonstrating all Sundays for 

Europe. Thousands of people are in the streets in many 

towns across Europe, because the sentiment is growing 

in the public that there is a lot to lose, if Europe fails and 

does not remedy itself. The moment is thus appropriate, 

public support is there, in order to engage into a paradigm 

change about the EU, which would place the 

people in the middle of the project! 

Der neue Bürgerkrieg 

(The New Civil War) 

Europe is in deep crisis. Ulrike Guérot 

calls for a radical new beginning: 

Finally, after a common market and a 

common currency, a common 

European democracy has to follow - 

the only way to preserve the 

cosmopolitan Europa which the 

majority of Europeans still desires. 

Hardcover ISBN: 978 354 907 4916 

ePub ISBN: 978 384 371 6307 

published in May 2017, Ullstein 

Hotel TOPAZZ 

Lichtensteg 3 

1010 Wien 

T. +43 1 5322250 

hoteltopazz.com 

These selected hotels offer 

CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - ECONOMIQUE et TOURISTIQUE INTERNATIONAL 

as a special service: 

Almdorf Seinerzeit ● Hotel Altstadt Radisson Blu ● Hotel Astoria ● Astoria Relax & Spa-Hotel ● 

Hotel Bristol A Luxury Collection Hotel Vienna ● Austria Trend Hotel Europa ● Fleming‘s Deluxe Hotel 

● Golden Hill Country Chalets & Suites ● Hotel de France Wien ● Hotel Goldener Hirsch A Luxury 

Collection Hotel Salzburg ● Gradonna****s Mountain Resort ● Hilton Danube ● Hilton Vienna Plaza ● 

Hilton Vienna ● Hotel Imperial A Luxury Collection ● Steigenberger Hotel Herrenhof ● Imperial Riding 

School Renaissance Hotel Vienna ● Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol ● Kitzbühel Country Club ● Hotel Kitzhof 

Mountain Design Resort ● Hotel Lamée ● Loisium Langenlois ● Loisium Südsteiermark ● Luxuslodge 

„Zeit zum Leben“ ● Meliá Vienna ● MGallery by Sofitel Hotel am Konzerthaus Vienna ● Park Hyatt Vienna 

● Palais Coburg ● Palais Hansen Kempinski Vienna ● Austria Trend Hotel Park Royal Palace Vienna 

● Austria Trend Parkhotel Schönbrunn ● The Ritz-Carlton Vienna ● Sacher Salzburg ● Sacher Wien ● 

Austria Trend Hotel Savoyen Vienna ● Schloss Fuschl, A Luxury Collection Resort & SPA ● Romantik 

Hotel Schloss Pichlarn ● The Guesthouse Vienna ● Austria Trend Hotel Schloss Lebenberg ● The Ring, 

Vienna‘s Casual Luxury Hotel ● Hotel Topazz ● Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom ● Stanglwirt ● Vienna 

Marriott Hotel ● Vila Vita Pannonia 

Would you like to belong to these exclusive hotels? 

If so, please contact us! 

office@firstclassmedia.at 

ECONOMIQUE et TOURISTIQUE INTERNATIONAL 


LE MONDE NEWS 

Latest update from around the globe 

Text: Daniela Pötzl 

PHOTOS: PHILIPP NADERER, OFID, AUSTRIAN AIRLINES 

Life Science 

Prime location 

Vienna 

Around 480 organisations are 

active in the life science sector 

in Vienna, approximately 10 

billion euro in turnover is 

generated per year. The Vienna 

Biocenter in Neu Marx will soon 

also be the home to various 

new start-ups. In total, there 

are 72 flexible laboratory 

spaces and 32 office spaces 

available across an area of 

1,100 m2. As the European 

Medicines Agency (EMA) will 

have to leave its seat in London 

due to Brexit, Vienna has now 

positioned itself as a candidate 

for the organisation’s subsequent 

base. 

viennabiocenter.org 

ema.europa.eu 

Airline 

Internet on board 

Austrian Airlines launches Internet on board in real time operation. All 31 Airbus aircraft of the fleet have been 

technically upgraded. Accordingly, passengers will also be able to use the Internet on short-haul and medium-haul 

flights as they fly above the clouds, and choose between the rates: FlyNet Message for three euros, FlyNet Surf for 

seven euros and FlyNet Stream for 12 euros for each leg of the journey. The digital entertainment programme for 

mobile devices will also start this summer. 

austrian.com 

European Forum Alpbach 

Between two poles 

European Union 

Years of recovery 

In its Spring Economic 

Forecast published in May, 

the European Commission 

expects euro area GDP 

growth of 1.7% in 2017 and 

1.8% in 2018.The European 

economy has entered its fifth 

year of recovery, which is now 

reaching all EU Member 

States. This is expected to 

continue at a largely steady 

pace this year and next. 

europa.eu 

Award 

Lifetime achievement 

Suleiman J. Al-Herbish, Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International 

Development (OFID), was awarded the 2017 Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah 

International Energy Award for Lifetime Achievement for the Advancement of 

the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) at the 

Sheraton Hotel, Doha in May. Mr Al-Herbish dedicated the award foremost to 

his family, without whose constant support, he said, he would not be 

receiving the honour and he further dedicated the award to the staff of OFID. 

ofid.org 

From August 16 to September 1, 2017, 

hundreds of people from the worlds of 

science, politics, business, culture and civil 

society will gather at the European Forum 

Alpbach in Tyrol to debate ”Conflict and 

Cooperation“. This international 

symposium will focus on approaches for 

strengthening democracy and science, the 

rise of artificial intelligence and social and 

ecological innovations. Its international 

guests include Michael Ignatieff, Rector of 

the Central European University of 

Budapest, which is threatened with 

closure, Marcia McNutt, President of the 

US National Academy of Sciences, and 

Baron Thomas of Cwmgiedd, Lord Chief 

Justice of England and Wales, whose 

ruling brought Brexit before the British 

Parliament. 

alpbach.org 

HOTELS THAT DEFINE THE DESTINATION 

Lebendige Geschichte erleben, stilvoll Wohnen im Herzen Wiens 

und Kulinarik auf höchstem Niveau – seit genau 125 Jahren 

steht das Hotel Bristol Vienna, a Luxury Collection Hotel, 

für sehr persönlichen Service und den Charme Wiens. 

Living history, stylish living in the heart of Vienna, and supreme 

cuisine – the Hotel Bristol Vienna, a Luxury Collection Hotel, 

has been a synonym for finest personal service and 

Viennese charm for exactly 125 years. 

EXPLORE THE DESTINATION AT THE LUXURYCOLLECTION.COM/BRISTOL 

FOLLOW US 


#bristolvienna 


63

L'AUTRICHE 

DER NAME IST 

PROGRAMM. IN 

L’AUTRICHE DREHT SICH 

ALLES UM DEN STANDORT 

ÖSTERREICH, SEINE 

WIRTSCHAFT UND SEINE 

BEDEUTUNG AUF DEM 

INTERNATIONALEN 

PARKETT. 

THE NAME SAYS IT ALL. 

IN L’AUTRICHE THE FOCUS IS 

ON AUSTRIA, ITS ECONOMY 

AND ITS ROLE ON THE 

INTERNATIONAL STAGE. 

NEU 

AB 

APRIL 

Los Angeles 

PERFEKTE WELLE 

Mit myAustrian fliege ich mit herzlichem Service nonstop ins spektakuläre Los Angeles. 

Dort finde ich zwischen Wellen und Strand meinen persönlichen American Dream. 

the charming way to fly

L’AUTRICHE GREEN TECHNOLOGY 

Wer Green Tech sagt, muss Österreich sagen 

Green Tech is just another word for Austria 

Andritz. Letzte 

Qualitätskontrolle für 

hochmoderne 

Kraftwerksturbinen. 

Andritz. Last quality check for a 

high tech power plant turbine. 

Umwelttechnologie aus Österreich 

genießt einen weltweiten Spitzenruf 

und zählt zu den am schnellsten 

wachsenden Industrien des Landes. 

Green Tech made in Austria enjoys a 

remarkable reputation worldwide and 

is one of the fastest growing industries 

of the country. 



Umwelttechnologie 

in Österreich. 

Green Tech in 

Austria. 

Trotz Krise, ist der Sektor in den 

vergangenen Jahren immens 

gewachsen. Die internationale 

Nachfrage ist enorm. 

The sector is growing despite 

of the crisis and international 

demand is extremely high. 

Best Water Technology: Das 

Unternehmen, das Wasser in das 

reinste Vergnügen verwandelt. 

Best Water Technology. An 

Austrian company, turning even 

waste water into a fountain of joy. 

PHOTOS: FOTOLIA, BEIGESTELLT 

Haben Sie schon mal von der Firma Brantner 

gehört? Grundsolider Familienbetrieb aus 

Krems in Niederösterreich, 1936 gegründet, 

etwa 2.500 Mitarbeiter, knapp 240 Millionen Euro 

Umsatz – sozusagen ein Juwel des österreichischen 

Mittelstands. Doch außerhalb ihrer Branche ist die 

Firma kaum bekannt. Vielleicht auch deswegen, weil 

sich Brantner um den Mist der Menschen kümmert, 

und darüber sprechen die Leute nicht so gerne. Aber 

für Experten sind die 14 Deponien und neun Sortier- 

und Kompostieranlangen, die das Unternehmen 

in Österreich betreibt, wie Pilgerstätten für moderne 

Abfallentsorgung. Infrastruktur-Manager aus 

vielen Großstädten der Welt stehen für die Brantner- 

Technologie Schlange, und in fast allen Metropolen 

der osteuropäischen Länder sowie der Türkei, sorgt 

die Gruppe ebenfalls längst dafür, dass der Müll dort 

nicht auf der Straße liegen bleibt. 

Brantner ist einer der vielen „Hidden Champions“ 

einer Industrie, die eine der Kernkompetenzen der 

österreichischen Wirtschaft mehr und mehr in die 

Welt trägt – Umwelttechnologie oder Green Tech 

made in Austria. Wenn es eine große Konstante in 

den vielen Gesprächen, die „Cercle Diplomatique“ 

mit hochrangigen Vertretern der diplomatischen 

Gemeinde in Österreich führt, gibt, dann ist es das 

immense Interesse an dieser Vorzeigebranche. „Tatsächlich 

ist die Nachfrage nach österreichischer Umwelttechnologie 

und diesem Know-How – von 

erneuerbaren Energietechniken wie Solar- oder 

Wasserkraft bis hin zur gesamten Abfall- und 

Abwasserwirtschaft – extrem groß“, bestätigt der 

zuständige Minister Andrä Rupprechter. „Heimische 


67


Milliarden Euro. 

Marktvolumen der Umweltindustrie in Österreich. Ziel 2020: 

über 40 Milliarden. 

36Overall revenues of Green Tech companies in billion Euro. 

185.000 

Beschäftigte im Umweltsektor. 

Die Zahl der Green Jobs hat sich in Österreich seit 

Mitte der 90er Jahre verfünffacht. 

The number of ”green jobs“ in Austria. 

1 

3 

5 

2 

1 Voith: Kaplan-Turbine im 

Wasserkraftwerk in 

Wanapum, USA. 

Kaplan turbine at Wanapum 

hydro power plant, USA. 

2 Voith: Doppelendfähre mit 

Schneider-Windkraft- 

Propeller am Bosporus. 

Double-ended propellerferry 

at the Bosporus. 

3 Voith: Wasserkraftwerk 

Kartell in St. Anton. 

Kartell small hydro power 

plant in St. Anton, Austria. 

4 Siemens: 

Wasseraufbereitungsanlage 

Guaraú, São Paulo. 

Waste water facility. 

5 Windpark-Installations- 

Hubschiff, made in Austria. 

Windpark Installation Vessel. 

6 Altpapier-Recyling als 

Green-Tech-Schwerpunkt. 

Recovered paper is recycled 

into new raw material. 

4 

6 

PHOTO: SABESP, BEIGESTELLT 

Umwelttechnologie-Unternehmen sind auch sehr 

stark exportorientiert und führen bis zu 90 Prozent 

ihrer Produkte und Dienstleistungen aus.“ 

Laut Wirtschaftsforschungsinstitut umfasst die 

österreichische Umwelttechnikindustrie rund 400 

hochspezialisierte Betriebe, die mit etwas über 

31.000 Beschäftigten knapp zehn Milliarden Euro 

Umsatz erwirtschaften (2016). Davon stammen zirka 

sieben Milliarden Euro aus dem Export, und dieser 

Sektor wächst jedes Jahr um nahezu zehn Prozent. 

Zu den Top-10-Unternehmen zählen recht 

bekannte Firmen wie Best Water Technology (BWT) 

oder Saubermacher, aber auch weithin unbekannte 

wie Loacker Recycling, oder eben Brantner. Und natürlich 

haben auch etliche österreichische oder hier 

produzierende Großunternehmen von Andritz über 

Siemens bis Voith Green-Tech-Produkte und Entwicklungen 

inzwischen zu einem zentralen Pfeiler 

ihrer Geschäftstätigkeit gemacht. 

Darüber hinaus hat sich das Leitprinzip des 

Umweltschutzes sowohl bei Konsumenten als auch 

bei Herstellern und Dienstleistern inzwischen derart 

tief eingegraben, sodass ressourceneffizientes und 

kreislauforientiertes Wirtschaften heute zum 

Schlüsselfaktor und Zukunftsmodell geworden ist. 

Kurzum: Wer hierzulande auf Green Tech pfeift, ist 

megaout – bei den Kunden und im Business. Daher 

wird dieser Begriff in Österreich deutlich breiter 

gefasst, sei es nun in den Geschäftstätigkeiten oder 

auch am Arbeitsmarkt. 

Anders gesagt: Durch umweltorientierte 

Produktion und Dienstleistungen bringen es 

heimische Unternehmen auf einen Umsatz von rund 

36,5 Milliarden Euro oder deutlich über zehn 

Prozent des BIP. In diesem Green Business sind 

Green Energy – Österreich ist Weltmeister 

Renewable Energy – Champion Austria 

Österreich 

Schweden 

Portugal 

Spanien 

Italien 

Deutschland 

Frankreich 

Großbritannien 

16 

12 

32 

30 

24 

Dank des Wasserreichtums, ist Österreich globale Nummer 

eins in nachhaltiger Stromproduktion (in Prozent, 2012). 

Thanks to its natural water resources, Austria is the leading 

sustainable electricity producer. QUELLE: ÖSTERREICHS ENERGIE, EUROSTAT 

44 

59 

76 

mehr als 185.000 Menschen beschäftigt, damit hat 

sich die Anzahl der heimischen Green Jobs in nur 20 

Jahren in etwa verfünffacht. Außerdem sichert der 

Umweltsektor laut Wifo indirekt rund 60.000 weitere 

Arbeitsplätze sowie dadurch induzierte Umsätze in 

der Höhe von etwa 8,4 Milliarden Euro in anderen 

Branchen. 

Letztere Zahlen beziehen sich auf das Jahr 2014, 

doch neuere, allerdings noch nicht abgeschlossene 

Untersuchungen deuten darauf hin, dass sich das 

Öko-Geschäft trotz der Wirtschaftsflaute in den 

vergangenen Jahren prächtig entwickelt hat und 

weiter wächst. „Unser Ziel ist es“, sagt Minister 

Rupprechter, „bis 2020 bei der Beschäftigung die 

200.000er-Grenze zu überschreiten und einen 

Umsatz von mindestens 40 Milliarden Euro zu 

erreichen.“ Allein sein „Lebensministerium“ hat 

daher etwa im Jahr 2015 knapp 2.200 Projekte zur 

Vermeidung von klimarelevanten Gasen und 

Verbesserung der betrieblichen Energieeffizienz mit 

knapp 70 Millionen Euro gefördert, insgesamt sind 

aus dieser öffentlichen Hand in den vergangenen 20 

Jahren etwa 7,3 Milliarden Euro Fördergelder in 

knapp 150.000 Umweltprojekte und -entwicklungen 

geflossen. 

Nicht zuletzt deswegen, gilt Österreich als Umweltmusterland 

mit hochentwickelter Industrie im 

Bereich Umwelttechnik und erneuerbare Energie. 

Darauf spezialisierte Unternehmen sind weltweit 

Frontrunner im Wasser- und Abfallmanagement 

und Pioniere bei Technologien für die Erzeugung 

von Bioenergie sowie in zukunftsorientierten 

Bereichen wie nachhaltiges Bauen, ultraleichte 

Fahrzeuge oder vernetzte Smart Cities. Und die enge 

Verzahnung von Forschung und Wirtschaft in 

regionalen Clustern und Kompetenzzentren versteht 

sich von selbst. 

Fazit: Österreich liegt wegen dieser starken 

Konzentration auf Umwelttechnologie bei „grünen“ 

Patenten weit über dem OECD-Durchschnitt und ist 

in allen internationalen Umwelt-Rankings unter den 

Top 10 platziert. Im Nachhaltigkeitsranking der Zürcher 

Kantonalbank belegt das Land beispielsweise 

Platz 7 und der Environmental Performance Index 

2014 Yale & Columbia University reiht Österreich 

auf Platz 8 von 178 Ländern. Auch wenn es ein 

bisschen wie ein leerer Slogan klingt: Wer Green 

Tech sagt, muss Österreich sagen. 

Vorzeige-Sektor 

Wasserwirtschaft 

Best practice: water 

Gerade wenn es um Wasserund 

Abwassertechnologien geht, 

sind Österreichs Green 

Tech-Unternehmen laut einer 

Studie der ETH Zürich 

Weltspitze. Das liegt natürlich 

auch am immensen natürlichen 

Vorkommen der Ressource 

Wasser in Österreich, wodurch 

das Land weltweit auf Platz eins 

bei der Stromerzeugung aus 

nachhaltigen Energiequellen 

liegt. Dennoch ist es 

bemerkenswert, dass Österreich 

etwa im „Global Cleantech 

innovation Index 2014“ bei der 

Anzahl der Patente sogar 

Deutschland auf die Plätze 

verweisen konnte. Allein der 

Bereich Abwasserbehandlung 

bringt es auf fast drei Milliarden 

Euro Umsatz und ist einer der 

wichtigsten Exportträger des 

Landes. 

When it comes to water and 

waste water management, 

Austria‘s green tech companies, 

according to a recent study of 

the ETH Zurich, rank amongst 

the best worldwide. This 

expertise is mainly due to the 

natural richness of water Austria 

enjoys and because of which, it 

is the global number one 

country in sustainable energy 

production. But nevertheless, it 

seems remarkable that Austria 

even managed to overtake 

Germany in the ”Global 

Cleantech Innovation Index 

2014“ in the segment of patents. 

Just the sector of waste water 

management also acounts for 

some 3 billion Euro in sales and 

is one of Austria‘s most 

important export pillars. 



69


7,2 

Milliarden Euro 

Die Summe der Umwelttechnologie- 

Fördergelder in den vergangenen 20 Jahren. 

Billion Euro of public Green Tech investments. 

Seestadt Aspern – das 

Smart-City-Vorzeigeprojekt 

der Stadt Wien für 20.000 

Bewohner. 

The newly erected 

”Seestadt Aspern” is one of 

the most prestigious smart 

city-projects of Vienna 

where some 20,000 people 

shall find their new homes. 

Ever heard of the Brantner Group? Founded in 

1936, this solid family company in Krems in 

Lower Austria is running a 240-million-Eurobusiness 

with some 2,500 employees, but hardly 

anyone knows it. That‘s also because they take care of 

people‘s waste, something they hardly talk about. But 

for international experts in waste management, 

Brantner‘s 14 dumpsites and 9 composting plants in 

Austria are sort of a pilgrimage destination. 

Brantner is part of Austria‘s “hidden champions“ 

which make up a core industry of the country‘s economy 

– environmental technology or Green Tech. If 

there is a fixed constant, characterising the many 

talks “Cercle Diplomatique“ conducts with highranking 

diplomats from all over the world, it is the 

immense interest they share in this Austrian showcase-industry. 

”International demand for Austrian 

know how in Green Tech – from renewable energy 

technology like solar oder wind power to waste and 

waste water management – is indeed extremely 

high“, Andrä Rupprechter, the minister in charge of 

this sector, says. ”Also, Austrian Green Tech companies 

are heavily active in international markets, some 

of them are even exporting up to 90 percent of their 

products and services.“ 

According to the Austrian Institue for Economic 

Research (Wifo), the Austrian Green Tech industry 

consists of some 400 highly specialised companies 

which are employing some 31,000 workers and 

technical experts and sharing revenues of some 10 

billiion Euro (2016), of which 7 billion Euro are generated 

in exports. There are some well known companies 

like Best Water Technology or Saubermacher, 

featuring the top-10-list, but most of them like 

Brantner or Loacker Recycling prefer to act behind 

the curtains. Additionally, many big Austrian companies 

like Andritz, Siemens or Voith have turned 

Green Tech products and services into a central pillar 

of their businesses. 

It is fair to say, that protection of environment has 

become a guiding principle in Austria, not only for 

consumers, but for the production and services sector 

as well. Whoever does not take care of it, may be 

out of business very soon. So, environmental orientated 

productions and services all over Austria‘s economy 

account for some 36.5 billion Euro in sales, or 

well above 10 percent of its GDP, and are providing 

some 185,000 green jobs – which is five times the figure 

of 20 years ago. Plus, according to a recent study 

of Wifo, the green sector also is securing some 60,000 

additional jobs in other industries, thus inducing 

further revenues of some 8.4 billion Euro. Most of 

these figures date back to 2014, and new research 

indicates solid growth rates despite the recent 

economic stillstand. ”Until the year 2020“, 

Rupprechter says, „we want to break the 200,000 

jobs-barrier and Green Tech revenues shall settle 

over 40 billion Euro.“ 

To achieve these goals, Rupprechter‘s ministry in 

2015 alone, has subsidized nearly 2,200 projects aiming 

at the reduction of climate-relevant gases or 

the increase of energy efficiency with some 70 million 

Euro. All in all, Austrian environmental technologies 

have been supported by the taxpayer with some 

7.3 billion Euro over the last 20 years. 

As a result of this massive public investment, Austrian 

Green Tech companies enjoy an excellent reputation 

worldwide. Both companies and research organisations 

can boast a high level of specialised 

know-how in sustainable construction, waste management, 

innovative energy solutions and resource 

efficiency. Furthermore, the number of environmental 

patents which have been granted in Austria, is particularly 

high compared to OECD-average. And 

thanks to this green expertise, Austria is ranked as a 

top-10-country in most of the international sustainability 

indices like the one of the Kantonalbank Zürich 

(Nr. 7) or the Environmental Performance Index of 

Yale University (Nr. 8). That is why Green Tech is just 

another word for Austria. 

PHOTO: SCHREINERKASTLER.AT 

B U I L D I N G / L I V I N G / I N V E S T / 

Life close to the Water! 

Drygalskiweg 11 | 1210 V i e n n a 

9 Appartements and 

1 Penthouse 

from 64 till 160 m 2 . 

Hart + Hart Bauträger GmbH 

Wa g ra m e r Straße 22, 1220 V i e n n a , Ph +43 1 2 0 93777-0, office@hart-hart.at 

www.hart-hart.at 


L’AUTRICHE FUTURE LAB 

Gerhard Wölfel 

„Die Menschen machen den Unterschied.“ 

“It is the people who make the difference.” 

Mehr als 30 Jahre Erfolg 

More than 30 years of success 

Der Geschäftsführer des BMW Group Werk Steyr über jene Maßnahmen, die den besten Arbeitgeber 

Österreichs ausmachen. The Managing Director of the BMW Group plant in Steyr about the measures 

he took to make him Austria´s best employer. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Gerhard Wölfel studierte 

Kunststofftechnik/Chemotechnologie 

an der FH Würzburg und trat 

1982 in die BMW AG im Werk 

Dingolfing in der Qualitätssicherung 

ein. Seit 2009 ist er 

Geschäftsführer der BMW 

Motoren GmbH in Steyr (OÖ). 

Gerhard Wölfel studied plastic 

technology/chemotechnology at 

the Würzburg University of 

Applied Sciences and joined the 

BMW plant´s quality assurance at 

Dingolfing in 1982. He has been 

the Managing Director of BMW 

Motoren GmbH in Steyr (Upper 

Austria) since 2009. 

Das Wirtschaftsmagazin „Trend“ ermittelte 

gemeinsam mit Statista, 

Xing und kununu die besten Arbeitgeber 

Österreichs aus 70.000 Bewertungen 

zu mehr als 1.000 heimischen Unternehmen. 

Diese Auszeichnung für unser 

Motorenwerk – gepaart mit der Tatsache, 

dass wir im Jahr 2016 das beste Ergebnis 

aller Zeiten erreicht haben - ist für mich 

ein Beweis, dass es für Produkte in Premiumqualität 

vor allem erstklassige Mitarbeiter 

braucht. 

Jedes zweite, neue Fahrzeug der BMW 

Group weltweit hat mittlerweile einen Motor 

aus Steyr. Bei uns produzieren rund 

4.500 Mitarbeiter bis zu 6.000 Diesel- und 

Benzinmotoren am Tag. Damit das funktioniert, 

braucht es nicht nur ein Produktionssystem 

am Puls der Zeit, sondern auch 

und vor allem Mitarbeiter, die motiviert, 

gesund und fit sind. 

Wir haben dazu ein Gesundheitsmanagement 

entwickelt, das auf zwei Säulen 

basiert: 

Zum einen auf der Optimierung des Arbeitsumfelds: 

Das umfasst sämtliche ergonomische 

Aspekte aber auch Themen wie 

Lärm oder Licht. In vielen Bereichen der 

Motorenmontage wurde der gesamte Deckenbereich 

schallisoliert. Das unterstützt 

die Mitarbeiter bei der Konzentration, reduziert 

den Lärm und Stresspegel und fördert 

damit die Qualität der Arbeit. Die 

Mitarbeiter können durch den Einsatz von 

Hängebahnen individuell die Arbeitshöhe 

einstellen und im Sitzen oder im Stehen arbeiten. 

Zusätzlich wechseln die Kolleginnen 

und Kollegen regelmäßig den Arbeitsplatz, 

um einseitige Belastungen zu 

vermeiden. 

Zur Gesundheitsprävention gehören 

auch innovative Arbeitszeitmodelle und 

gute Vereinbarkeit von Familie, Freizeit 

und Beruf. Wir bieten flexible Arbeitszeiten 

inklusive der Möglichkeit zur Mobilarbeit 

und eine Kinderferienbetreuung. Wir 

versuchen, dies auch soweit möglich in den 

produzierenden Bereich auszudehnen. So 

haben wir gerade ein Schichtmodell getestet, 

das sich durch sehr kurze Schichtblöcke 

auszeichnet. Diese werden von den 

Mitarbeitern als weniger belastend empfunden. 

Der zweite Schwerpunkt liegt auf der 

Förderung des Gesundheitsbewusstseins. 

Unser Angebot umfasst unterschiedlichste 

PHOTOS: BMW MOTOREN GMBH STEYR, WERKSKOMMUNIKATION 

Schulungen für die jeweiligen Zielgruppen: 

von sportlich bis untrainiert, von der Produktion 

bis zur Verwaltung, vom Lehrling 

bis zum langjährigen Mitarbeiter. Daneben 

haben wir ein betriebseigenes Fitnessstudio, 

wo wir neben Gerätetraining auch viele 

Kurse wie Pilates, Rückenfit oder Zumba 

anbieten. Als einziges Unternehmen in Österreich 

bieten wir seit kurzem auch eine 

Boulderwand für unsere Mitarbeiter, die 

unter anderem für therapeutisches Klettern 

genutzt wird. 

Unser Ziel ist es, mit unserem Gesundheitsmanagement 

und vielen weiteren Initiativen 

heute jene Maßnahmen zu treffen, 

die uns helfen, morgen und in Zukunft gesund 

und fit zu sein. Dabei ist uns die Meinung 

unserer Mitarbeiter – die wir regelmäßig 

einholen – sehr wichtig. 

Der Erfolg gibt uns recht: Das zeigt 

nicht nur die kürzlich erhaltene Auszeichnung. 

Die Arbeitszufriedenheit bei uns im 

Werk ist sehr hoch. Es ist sehr schön zu sehen, 

mit welcher Leidenschaft und mit welchem 

Stolz unsere Mitarbeiter hinter unserem 

Unternehmen stehen. 

Together with Statista, Xing and 

kununu, the business journal 

„Trend“ determined the best employers 

in Austria from 70,000 ratings on 

more than 1,000 domestic companies. This 

award for our company – coupled with the 

fact that we have achieved the best results 

ever since 2016 ¬– is proof for me that producing 

premium-quality products needs 

first-class employees. 

Currently every second new vehicle 

made by the BMW Group around the 

world has a motor made in Steyr. About 

4,500 employees produce up to 6,000 diesel 

and petrol engines per day. In order to 

achieve this, you not only need a cutting 

edge production system but also, above all, 

employees who are motivated, healthy and 

fi t . 

For this reason, we have developed a 

health management system based on two 

pillars: 

The first one focuses on the optimisation 

of the work environment: this covers all 

ergonomic aspects but also topics such as 

noise or light. The entire ceiling area has 

been sound-proofed in many areas of the 

engine assembly. This helps the employees 

to concentrate, reduces the noise and stress 

levels and thus promotes the quality of 

their performance. The employees can individually 

adjust the work height by using 

lifting rails enabling them to choose if they 

want to work while sitting or standing. In 

addition, the colleagues regularly exchange 

their workplaces to avoid unilateral strain. 

Health care prevention also includes innovative 

work time models and a good balance 

between family, leisure and work. We 

offer flexible hours including the possibility 

of mobile work and childcare during holidays. 

We try to extend this as far as possible 

into the production area. We just recently 

tested a shift work model which features 

very short shifts. These are perceived as less 

strenuous by the employees. 

The second one focuses on the promotion 

of health consciousness. We offer a wide 

range of training for each of the target 

groups: from athletic to untrained, from 

production to administration, from apprentices 

to long-term employees. In addition, 

we have a company-owned fitness studio. 

Besides the basic equipment training, 

we offer many courses such as Pilates, back 

fitness or Zumba. We are the only company 

in Austria to offer our employees a boulder 

wall which is also sometimes used for therapeutic 

climbing. 

Our goal is that with our health management 

and many other initiatives we 

take the necessary measures today that will 

help us to be healthy and fit tomorrow and 

in the future. The opinion of our employees 

– which we regularly seek – is very important 

to us. 

Success proves us right: this is not only 

shown by the recent award. Work satisfaction 

at our plant is very high. It is very pleasing 

to see the kind of passion and pride 

our employees back our company with. 

Das BMW Werk Steyr ist das weltweit größte 

Motorenwerk und Dieselmotoren-Entwicklungszentrum 

des Konzerns. Hier werden 3-, 4- und 

6-Zylinder Benzin- sowie Dieselmotoren gebaut, 

welche in den internationalen Fahrzeugwerken 

der BMW Group in BMW und MINI Automobile 

verbaut werden. Das BMW Group Werk Steyr 

zählt mit seiner über 30-jährigen Erfolgsgeschichte 

zu den größten und wichtigsten 

Industriebetrieben Österreichs. 

The BMW plant in Steyr is the world‘s largest 

engine and diesel engine development centre. 

Here, 3-, 4- and 6-cylinder petrol and diesel 

engines are built, which are then installed into 

BMW and MINI vehicles in the international 

BMW Group‘s assembly plants. With more than 

30 years of success, the BMW Group plant in 

Steyr is one of the largest and most important 

industrial companies in Austria. 

bmw-werk-steyr.at 



73

L‘AUTRICHE BUSINESS 

Neues aus Österreich 

News from Austria 


PHOTOS: LUKAS BECK, WIEN TOURISMUS/ PETER RIGAUD, NLK FILZWIESER, AMUSE BOUCHE 

AUSTRIA, LAND TIROL/ LAIR 

Kongresse | Congresses 

Wiens Top-Platzierung | Vienna’s top ranking 

In der im Mai von der International Congress and Convention Association 

(ICCA) publizierten Zählung der weltweit abgehaltenen internationalen 

Kongresse 2016, nimmt Wien den 2. Platz ein. Mit 186 einschlägigen 

Veranstaltungen wurde die Stadt nach Paris (196) und vor Barcelona (181) 

gereiht. In der Länder-Statistik erreichte Österreich mit 268 Veranstaltungen 

den 12. Platz. Auf Platz 1 liegen die USA, gefolgt von Deutschland und 

Großbritannien. 

In the census of the globally held international congresses in 2016, 

conducted in May by the International Congress and Convention 

Association (ICCA), the city of Vienna managed to take the 2nd place. 

With 186 pertinent events, the city was listed after Paris (196) and before 

Barcelona (181). In the country statistic, Austria reached 12th place with 

268 events. First place was taken by the USA, followed by Germany and 

the United Kingdom. 

wien.info 

Amuse Bouche 

Engagierte Lehrlingsinitiative | Committed apprentice initiative 

Das Bundesministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Wirtschaft (BMWFW) ehrte 

anlässlich des zehnjährigen Jubiläums von Amuse Bouche die Gesamt-Koordinatorinnen 

Piroska Payer und Barbara Payer im Rahmen einer Festveranstaltung. Geehrt wurden auch 

zahlreiche namhafte Unterstützer, u.a. aus Österreichs Top-Hotellerie, sowie das Magazin 

Cercle Diplomatique (im Bild CD-Herausgeberin Andrea Fürnweger, 3. v. l.). 

The Federal Ministry for Science, Research and Economics (BMWFW) has honoured the 

project coordinators Piroska Payer and Barbara Payer on the occasion of the initiative’s 

10-year-anniversary in the form of a festive event. Many notable supporters, such as 

various members of Austria’s first-class hotels as well as the magazine Cercle Diplomatique 

(picture: CD publisher Andrea Fürnweger, 3rd from left) were also honoured. 

amuse-bouche.at 

Wiener Sängerknaben | Vienna Boys’ Choir 

Neues UNESCO-Kulturerbe | 

New UNESCO World Heritage 

Auszeichnung | Accolade 

Zwischen Thailand und Tirol 

| Between Thailand and Tyrol 

Mit einer hohen Landesauszeichnung 

wurde kürzlich in Innsbruck die thailändische 

Prinzessin Maha Chakri Sirindhorn 

ausgezeichnet. Mit dem „Großer Tiroler 

Adler“- Orden werden Personen geehrt, 

die von besonderer politischer, 

wirtschaftlicher oder kultureller 

Bedeutung für Tirol sind. Die Prinzessin 

setzt sich seit 35 Jahren als Brückenbauerin 

zwischen Thailand und Tirol ein. 

The Thai princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn 

was recently awarded a high national 

accolade in Innsbruck. The order of the 

“Great Tyrolian Eagle“ is awarded to 

individuals who are of special political, 

economic or cultural significance to Tyrol. 

The princess has built bridges between 

Thailand and Tyrol for the last 35 years. 

tirol.gv.at 


Historisch | Historic 

Dienstauto als Museumsstück | Official car 

as museum piece 

Anlässlich des Jahrestages zur Unterzeichnung des Österreichischen 

Staatsvertrages am 15. Mai 1955 nahm Landeshauptfrau Johanna 

Mikl-Leitner ein ganz besonderes Objekt in Empfang. Der 

Dienstwagen des ehemaligen Außenministers und Landeshauptmanns 

von Niederösterreich Leopold Figl wird ab 10. September 2017 

im Haus der Geschichte im Museum Niederösterreich zu sehen sein. 

To mark the occasion of the anniversary of the signing of the 

Austrian State Treaty on 15 May 1955, provincial governor 

Johanna Mikl-Leitner had the opportunity to receive a truly 

special object. From 10 September 2017, the official car of the 

former foreign minister and provincial governor of Lower 

Austria, Neopold Figl, will be presented in the House of History 

in the Museum Niederösterreich. museumnoe.at 

Die Wurzeln der Wiener Sängerknaben reichen über 

500 Jahre zurück. Zunächst musizierten die Knaben 

am Hof des Kaisers zu kirchlichen Anlässen. Konzerte 

und Tourneen in alle Welt gehören zum Alltag des 

Traditionschors. Der Schulcampus wurde mittlerweile 

erweitert und bietet auch eine Volksschule und ein 

Oberstufengymnasium. Dadurch ist die Ausbildung 

auch Mädchen zugänglich. Derzeit gibt es ungefähr 

100 aktive Sängerknaben, die in vier Chöre aufgeteilt 

sind. Jährlich gibt es über 300 Konzerte. Kürzlich 

haben die Wiener Sängerknaben eine hohe 

Auszeichnung bekommen: Sie sind nun Teil der 

UNESCO-Liste des Immateriellen Kulturerbes in 

Österreich. 

The roots of the Vienna Boys’ Choir go back 500 

years. Initially, the boys were called in to perform 

music at the Emperor’s court for ecclesiastical 

purposes only. Today, concerts and tours throughout 

the world are part of the choir’s everyday affairs. 

Meanwhile, the school campus has been expanded 

and now also provides a primary school as well as an 

upper level secondary school. Education has thus also 

been made accessible to girls. Currently, there are 

around 100 active choir boys, divided into four choirs. 

More than 300 concerts are held annually. Recently, 

the Vienna Boys’ Choir has received a high accolade 

— they have been added to the UNESCO list of 

Austria’s immaterial cultural heritage. 

wienersaengerknaben.at

NIEDERÖSTERREICH 

Special 

Grußworte 

Greetings 

Bilder: Kästenbauer/Ettl 

Physik trifft Medizin: Teilchenbeschleuniger bei MedAustron | 

Physics meets medicine: particle accelerator at MedAustron 

Winzige Teilchen zur Krebsbehandlung 

Tiny Particles for Cancer Treatment 

MedAustron in Wiener Neustadt (NÖ) ist eines der modernsten Zentren für Ionentherapie und Forschung. Patientinnen und Patienten 

profitieren dort von einer innovativen Form der Strahlentherapie. | MedAustron in Wiener Neustadt is one of the most cutting-edge 

centres for ion beam therapy and research. Patients benefit from an innovative form of radiation therapy. 

Bei der Ionentherapie erfolgt die Bestrahlung 

mittels geladener Teilchen. Diese Therapiemethode 

verdanken wir der Teilchenphysik: die besonderen 

Eigenschaften dieser Teilchen ermöglichen 

es, die Strahlendosis präzise im Tumor zu 

platzieren und dadurch das umliegende Gewebe 

besser zu schonen. Das macht diese Methode optimal 

zur Behandlung von Tumoren in der Nähe 

von strahlungsempfindlichen Organen. Außerdem 

können die Nebenwirkungen und Langzeitschäden 

der Strahlentherapie reduziert werden. 

Komplexe Technik 

Um diese Form der Bestrahlung zu ermöglichen, 

ist ein komplexer Teilchenbeschleuniger nötig, 

der bei MedAustron in enger Zusammenarbeit 

mit dem Europäischen Kernforschungszentrum 

CERN entwickelt wurde. Ein sogenanntes Synchrotron 

beschleunigt die geladenen Teilchen 

auf bis zu zwei Drittel der Lichtgeschwindigkeit, 

Sorgfältige Planung ist nötig.| Thorough planning is necessary. 

bevor diese in die Bestrahlungsräume und dort 

millimetergenau auf den Tumor gelenkt werden. 

Therapie und Forschung 

Mit der Ionentherapie steht den Medizinern eine zusätzliche 

Option in der Krebstherapie zur Verfügung, 

die neue Perspektiven für bisher schwer behandelbare 

Tumore eröffnet. Seit Ende 2016 werden bei 

MedAustron Patientinnen und Patienten mit dieser 

innovativen Therapie behandelt. Das Zentrum wird 

nun sukzessive ausgebaut und wird im Vollbetrieb 

etwa 1.000 Patienten jährlich behandeln können. Neben 

der Therapie wird die österreichweit einzigartige 

Anlage auch für Forschung genutzt, um im Interesse 

der Patienten die Therapie stetig weiterzuentwickeln. 

◆ 

Ion beam therapy uses charged particles for irradiation. 

This form of treatment is based on particle 

physics: the special physical properties of ions allow 

to focus the maximum radiation dose exactly 

to the area of the tumor while mostly sparing the 

healthy tissue. Thus, this form of therapy is optimal 

for treating tumors close to radiation sensitive 

organs. Side effects and long-term effects can be 

significantly reduced. 

Complex Technology 

To facilitate such a kind of irradiation, a complex 

particle accelerator is necessary – the one at Med- 

Austron was developed in close cooperation with 

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear 

Research. A so-called synchrotron accelerates the 

Einzigartig in Österreich: Ionentherapie bei MedAustron | 

Unique in Austria: ion beam therapy at MedAustron. 

charged particles up to two thirds of the speed of 

light before they are directed in the treatment 

rooms, where they emit their radiation directly to 

the tumor volume down to the millimeter. 

Therapy and Research 

Ion beam therapy offers an additional option for 

cancer therapy and provides new prospects for 

tumors that have been difficult to treat so far. Patients 

are treated with this innovative method at 

MedAustron since late 2016. The center will now 

be expanded step by step, offering a capacity of up 

to 1,000 patients per year in full operation. Additionally, 

MedAustron offers the possibility to conduct 

translational research in order to continously 

improve the treatment method. 

Vorzüge und Stärken Niederösterreichs präsentieren 

Presenting the strengths and advantages of Lower Austria 

Das Magazin „Cercle Diplomatique“ 

ist seit 1971 

das führende Magazin 

Österreichs für das diplomatische 

Corps, für internationale Organisationen, 

für Wirtschaft, Kultur 

und Tourismus. Schon allein aus 

diesem Grund freut es mich sehr, 

dass in dieser Ausgabe unser Bundesland 

Niederösterreich eine bedeutende 

Rolle spielt und der Berichterstattung 

über unser Land 

sehr viel Platz eingeräumt wird. 

Es freut mich aber auch deshalb 

sehr, weil damit unsere Vorzüge 

und Stärken, wie etwa unsere 

dynamische Wirtschaft, unsere 

innovative Wissenschaftslandschaft 

oder auch unsere international 

anerkannte Kulturszenerie, 

weit über die Grenzen unseres 

Landes hinausgetragen werden. 

Als Landeshauptfrau von Niederösterreich 

bedanke ich mich 

dafür sehr herzlich bei allen Verantwortungsträgern 

des Magazins 

und wünsche allen Leserinnen 

und Lesern eine spannende und 

aufschlussreiche Lektüre! 

The magazine ”Cercle Diplomatique“ 

has been 

Austria‘s leading magazine 

on the economy, culture and tourism 

for the Diplomatic Corps and 

various international organisations. 

For this reason alone, I am 

delighted that Lower Austria plays 

a special role in this edition and 

that plenty of space has been dedicated 

to our wonderful province. 

I am particularly excited about 

this because our strengths and advantages, 

such as our dynamic 

economy, our innovative scientific 

landscape and our internationally 

recognised cultural scene will be 

disseminated far beyond the borders 

of our province. 

As Governor of Lower Austria, 

I would like to thank all those bearing 

responsibility in the production 

of the magazine and wish all 

readers an exciting and enlightening 

read! 

Ihre | Yours sincerely, 

Johanna Mikl-Leitner 

JOHANNA MIKL-LEITNER 

Landeshauptfrau von 

Niederösterreich 

Governor of Lower 

Austria 

Die studierte Wirtschaftspädagogin 

war von 2011 

bis 2016 Innenministerin. 

Seit dem 19. April 2017 ist 

sie die neue amtierende 

Landeshauptfrau von 

Niederösterreich. 

Mikl-Leitner studied 

Business Education and 

was Interior Minister 

between 2011 and 2016. 

Since 19 April 2017, she is 

the new incumbent 

Governor of Lower Austria. 

www.medaustron.at 


LOWER AUSTRIA TECHNOLOGY 

Volle Kraft voraus! 

Full speed ahead! 


Wäre Niederösterreich ein Raumschiff, würde es sich wohl gerade mit der TV-bekannten Warpgeschwindigkeit 

fortbewegen. Denn die neue Landeshauptfrau Johanna Mikl-Leitner will, neben technologischen 

Vorzeigeprojekten, Österreichs größtes Bundesland nun auch zum schnellsten machen. 

If Lower Austria were a spaceship, it would undoubtedly be travelling via warp speed as made famous on 

TV. After all, Lower Austria‘s new governor, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, now intends to turn Austria‘s largest 

province into the fastest as well, and additionally seeks to impress with several technology-related 

flagship projects. 

Um eine leistungsfähige Infrastruktur für alle 

zu erlangen, wurde daher die erst für Ende 

2018 geplante Evaluierung der Breitbandoffensive 

bereits auf diesen Sommer vorgezogen. Der 

„Masterplan Digitalisierung“ mit 92 konkreten Maßnahmen 

zielt in Niederösterreich auf alle Bereiche ab: 

von der Arbeitnehmer-Förderung über Schulen bis 

hin zur Landwirtschaft. Auch im Bereich der Verwaltung 

soll die Digitalisierung eine große Rolle spielen. 

Zur optimalen Koordinierung aller Maßnahmen im 

Land wird auch eine neue Stabstelle für Technologie 

und Digitalisierung eingerichtet werden. Bis Ende 

2017 wird das „Haus der Digitalisierung“ entwickelt, 

die Umsetzung ist für das Jahr 2018 vorgesehen. Insgesamt 

werden rund 60 Millionen Euro für die landesweite 

Digitalisierungsoffensive bereitgestellt. 

Neues Forschungszentrum 

Technopole werden in Niederösterreich Standorte 

genannt, an denen Forschungsinstitute, Ausbildungseinrichtungen 

und Unternehmen eine Einheit 

bilden, um international anerkannte Spitzenforschung 

zu betreiben. Nun kommt ein neuer hinzu: 

In den kommenden Monaten errichtet ecoplus, die 

Wirtschaftsagentur des Landes Niederösterreich, auf 

rund 9.400 m2 das Technologie- und Forschungszentrum 

Seibersdorf. „Insgesamt wurden über 100 

Millionen Euro in die Technologie- und Forschungszentren 

Krems, Wiener Neustadt, Tulln und Wieselburg 

investiert. Nun kommen weitere rund 32 Millionen 

Euro hinzu, die dem Forschungs- und 

Wirtschaftsstandort Niederösterreich zugutekommen“, 

so ecoplus-Geschäftsführer Helmut Miernicki. 

Davon entfallen 17 Millionen Euro auf Seibersdorf 

und 15 Millionen Euro auf das geplante Technologiezentrum 

‚IST Austria PARK‘ in Klosterneuburg, 

dessen Baustart noch heuer erfolgen wird. 

Noch in der Testphase und 

zum Abheben noch nicht 

bereit. 

Still in the test phase, yet not 

ready for take-off. 

Schnelles Internet 

für alle. 

Fast internet for all. 

PHOTOS: FOTOLIA, FH WIENER NEUSTADT 

Satellit greift nach den Sternen 

Die Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt mit den 

Studienrichtungen Technik, Wirtschaft, Gesundheit, 

Sport und Sicherheit zählt zu den Top-Fachhochschulen 

des Landes. Nach Jahren intensiver Forschungs- 

und Entwicklungsarbeit wird in der Fachrichtung 

Technik nun ein langjähriges Projekt diesen 

Sommer in den Orbit befördert. Der Nanosatellit 

Pegasus wurde im Rahmen des europäischen Projekts 

QB50 mit viel Herzblut von Mitarbeitern und 

Studierenden des Master-Studiengangs „Aerospace 

Engineering“ in Zusammenarbeit mit der FOTEC, 


Die Breitband-Initiative, 

geplant für 2018, wurde 

in Niederösterreich auf 

den heurigen Sommer 

vorverlegt. In Lower Austria, 

the broadband initiative was 

moved forward from 2018 to 

this summer. 


79

LOWER AUSTRIA TECHNOLOGY 

Hoch hinaus: Der QB50 ist 

eine Weltpremiere und soll 

nähere Informationen über 

die Thermosphäre bringen. 

Flying high: The QB50 is a 

world premiere and is 

supposed to bring additional 

information of the 

thermosphere. 

Seibersdorf on an area of approximately 9,400 m 2 . 

”Altogether, more than 100 million euro have been 

invested into the technology and research centres in 

Krems, Wiener Neustadt, Tulln and Wieselburg. 

Now, around 32 million additional euro will be added, 

which will benefit the research and business region 

of Lower Austria,“ says ecoplus director Helmut 

Miernicki. From this investment, 17 million euro 

will be delegated to Seibersdorf and the other 15 million 

will be going to the planned technology centre 

“IST Austria PARK“ in Klosterneuburg, whose construction 

will commence this year. 

A satellite reaches for the stars 

The University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt 

is superbe and offers a number of fields of study, 

including technology, economics, health, sports 

and security. After years of intensive research and 

development works, the field of technology will see 

one of its long-term projects promoted into orbit this 

summer. The nanosatellite “Pegasus“ was developed 

with heart and soul as part of the European project 

QB50 by the employees and students of the “Aerospace 

Engineering“ master‘s degree in collaboration 

with FOTEC, the research company of the FH Wiener 

Neustadt, as well as the partners TU Wien Space 

Team and Space Tech Group. 

QB50 is a world premiere. After all, the project 

marks the first attempt to find out additional information 

about the least researched layer of the earth‘s 

atmosphere, the so-called thermosphere, through a 

network of 36 small satellites. Very little is known 

about the layer at present. What is known, however, 

is that it protects us from energy-dense, harmful radiation. 

Very few research missions have gone to 

those kind of heights so far, as the friction of the residual 

atmosphere would cause the satellites to crash 

after just a few months. 

Thus, the University of Applied Sciences Wiener 

Neustadt will have the opportunity to present itself as 

an innovative and practice-oriented university, elevating 

Lower Austria to the next level as an attractive 

location for modern technology, research and education. 

Or even to another galaxy, who knows? 

dem Forschungsunternehmen der FH Wiener Neustadt 

sowie den Partnern TU Wien Space Team und 

Space Tech Group entwickelt. 

QB50 ist eine Weltpremiere. Denn bei diesem 

Projekt handelt es sich um den ersten Versuch, durch 

ein Netzwerk von insgesamt 36 Kleinsatelliten nähere 

Informationen über die am wenigsten erforschte 

Schicht der Erdatmosphäre, die so genannte Thermosphäre, 

zu erhalten. Über sie ist derzeit nur wenig 

bekannt. Jedenfalls schützt sie aber vor energiereicher, 

also gesundheitsschädlicher Strahlung. Nur 

wenige Forschungsmissionen wurden bis jetzt in 

dieser Höhe geflogen, da die Reibung der Restatmosphäre 

die Satelliten bereits nach wenigen Monaten 

zum Absturz bringen würde. 

Damit zeigt sich die FH Wiener Neustadt als innovative 

wie auch praxisorientierte Hochschule und 

hebt Niederösterreich als attraktiven und modernen 

Technologie-, Forschungs- und Bildungsstandort 

auf das nächst höhere Level. Oder in die nächste Galaxie, 

wer weiß? 

In order to obtain a powerful infrastructure, the 

evaluation of the broadband initiative, initially 

intended for the end of 2018, was pushed forward 

to this summer. The “Digitisation Masterplan“, with 

its 92 concrete measures, is directed at countless sectors, 

including the promotion of the workforce, 

schools as well as agriculture. Digitisation is also intended 

to play a key role in the area of administration. 

For the optimal coordination of all plans and measures 

in the province, a new centre for technology and 

digitisation is going to be established. By the end of 

2017, development of the “House of Digitisation“ will 

be completed, whereas implementation is scheduled 

for 2018. Altogether, around 60 million euro will be 

spent on the province-wide digitisation initiative. 

New research centre 

“Technopoles“ are places in Lower Austria where 

research institutes, training facilities and enterprises 

form a unit in order to engage in internationally recognised 

research endeavours. And now, there is a 

new addition: in the coming months, ecoplus, the 

business agency of the province of Lower Austria, 

will implement the technology and research centre 

PHOTOS: WELLER, FH WIENER NEUSTADT 

PHOTO: THULE G. JUG 

Eine Plattform für Betriebsansiedlungen in Niederösterreich. 

A platform for business settlement in Lower Austria. 

ecoplus, die Wirtschaftsagentur des Landes Niederösterreich, 

hat für Betriebe, die einen Standort in Niederösterreich 

suchen oder Fragen zu Finanzierungs- und Fördermöglichkeiten 

haben, ein neues Unterstützungsangebot. Auf der 

Web-Plattform www.standort-noe.at können sich Unternehmen 

schnell und einfach einen Überblick über freie Standorte 

in Niederösterreich verschaffen und sich so mit konkreten Anfragen 

an das Team des ecoplus Investorenservice wenden. Das 

spart wertvolle Zeit. Weitere Pluspunkte: Permanente Wartung, 

die aktuelle Daten sicherstellt, kostenlose Nutzung und 

einfache Bedienung. 

ecoplus, the Business Agency of Lower Austria, has a new 

service for businesses looking for a location in Lower 

Austria or with questions on grant and financing opportunities. 

At www.standort-noe.at companies can quickly and easily 

get an overview of available locations in Lower Austria and 

contact the ecoplus investor service team with specific enquiries. 

In this way, valuable time is saved. Further benefits: the 

website is constantly maintained, so information is always up 

to date, and it is free and simple to use. Please note that the 

website is available in German only at the moment. 

INFO: 

noe.gv.at 

ecoplus.at 

fhwn.ac.at 

INFO: 

standort-noe.at 


LOWER AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SUCCESS 

Von Niederösterreich in die Welt hinaus 

From Lower Austria into the world 


Sonnentor ist mit einem Marktanteil 

von 50% in Österreich führend. 

Sonnentor is the market leader in 

Austria with a market share of 50%. 

Die geographische Nähe zur Bundeshauptstadt Wien beflügelt die Wirtschaftskraft Niederösterreichs. 

Zahlreiche Unternehmen spielen hier weltweit in der Top-Liga mit – oftmals mit Alleinstellungsmerkmalen, 

gepaart mit Innovationsfreude und Mut. Wir stellen Ihnen einige Champions vor. 

The geographic closeness to the capital of Vienna spurs Lower Austria‘s economic growth. Countless of 

enterprises here participate in the world‘s top league – often with unique selling points, coupled with an 

innovative spirit and plenty of courage. Here are just a few of our champions. 


Kein Solarium. 

No solarium. 

Auch wenn es auf den ersten 

Blick so aussehen mag – aber 

das hier sind hochklassige 

Scheinwerfer für die Automobil-Industrie, 

gefertigt 

von der Firma ZKW. 

Even though it may look like 

one – these are top-notch 

lighting systems for the automotive 

industry, made by ZKW. 

PHOTOS: ZKW GROUP, SONNENTOR, MARZEK ETIKETTEN & PACKAGING 

Wer bei Sonnentor in Sprögnitz Im Waldviertel 

anruft, wird gleich, wenn er auf die 

Vermittlung warten muss, mit dem ruhestiftenden 

Satz und Firmenmotto „Da wächst die 

Freude“ begrüßt. Grund zum Frohlocken hat der innovative 

Firmenbesitzer Johannes Gutmann schon 

lange. Gerne gibt er öffentlich zu, von vielen einst als 

Spinner abgetan worden zu sein. Als er in den späten 

1980er-Jahren als Einmann-Unternehmen mit seinen 

Kräutern von Bauernmarkt zu Bauernmarkt zog, wurde 

er bald zum „bunten Hund“. Neben den erstklassigen 

Bio-Produkten, verhalfen ihm seine Markenzeichen 

– eine jahrzehntealte Lederhose und seine runde 

rote Brille – zum Durchbruch. 

Bio-Spezialist als Marktführer 

Seit rund 30 Jahren beruht Gutmanns Geschäftsidee 

auf dem Bekenntnis zum nachhaltigen Wirtschaften. 

Als Logo nahm er eine lachende Sonne mit 

24 Strahlen, angelehnt an das alte Symbol freier und 

unabhängiger Waldviertler Bauern am Torbogen, in 

einer kargen Gegend. Bis heute setzt er auf die Unterstützung 

kleinster landwirtschaftlicher Strukturen, 

deren hochwertige Bio-Produkte überregional 

und international vermarktet werden. Eine Winwin-Situation 

für alle. Die Wertschöpfung verbleibt 

zu einem hohen Anteil bei den rund 300 Bio-Bauern. 

Sonnentor ist in Österreich mit einem Marktanteil 

von 50 Prozent im Fachhandel führend und auch 

mit eigenen Franchising-Shops vertreten. In 

Deutschland gehört der Bio-Spezialist mit 25 Prozent 

Marktanteil zu den Top 3. Schon lange sind mit 

Tee, Kaffee, Kakao und feinen Naschereien nicht nur 

Kräuter und Gewürze, sondern auch andere Köstlichkeiten 

im Angebot – momentan um die 900 Produkte. 

Rund 66% der Produkte werden exportiert, 

neben Deutschland und Frankreich auch in die 

Schweiz. 

Leicht & leise 

Schon von Diamond Aircraft gehört? Das Unternehmen 

mit Sitz in Wiener Neustadt und Produktionsstätten 

in Kanada und China, hat sich auf die 

Produktion ein- und zweimotoriger Leichtflugzeuge 

spezialisiert. Ein großer Teil der Flugzeuge sind Spezialversionen, 

die bei der Grenzüberwachung oder 

für den Umweltschutz zur Beobachtung zum Einsatz 

kommen. Wie etwa das Spezialflugzeug DA42 MPP 

(Multi Purpose Platform), das weltweit verwendet 

wird. Die besonders leisen Flugzeuge sind mit mo- 

dernster Film- und Radartechnik ausgerüstet. Die 

Besonderheit: Angetrieben von sparsamen Dieselmotoren, 

kann die MPP bis zu 12 Stunden, ohne aufzutanken, 

in der Luft bleiben. Neben dem Motor ist 

die Verwendung von faserverstärktem Kunststoff 

zum Flugzeugbau ein weiteres Asset. Dieser 

Werkstoff besitzt gegenüber klassischen Flugzeugbaustoffen 

wie Holz und Metall die Vorteile besserer 

Oberflächengüte und höherer Festigkeit bei gleichzeitig 

geringem Gewicht. 

Moderner Kampf gegen Krebs 

Die Ionentherapie ist eine besondere Form 

der Strahlentherapie, die gegen Krebs eingesetzt 

wird. Das Therapiezentrum MedAustron in Wiener 

Neustadt ist seit Ende letzten Jahres in Betrieb: Im 

Herbst nahmen die Wissenschafter ihre Tätigkeit 

auf, im Dezember fand die erste Patientenbehandlung 

statt. Die Bestrahlung erfolgt dabei mittels geladener 

Teilchen – mit Protonen oder Kohlenstoffionen. 

Das österreichische Ionentherapiezentrum ist übrigens 

eine der modernsten Anlagen seiner Art weltweit. 

Auf das Know-how, das die MedAustron-Experten 

beim Aufbau des Zentrums gesammelt haben, 

vertraut man nun im Iran: ein Zentrum nach Vorbild 

der heimischen Anlage wird nun nahe Teheran errichtet. 

Der Unterschied zur herkömmlichen Radiotherapie 

besteht darin, dass sich der Ionenstrahl durch 

Anpassung der Energie exakt in seiner Reichweite 

steuern lässt. Die Strahlendosis wird dabei auf den 

Tumor fokussiert. Dies schont nicht nur das umliegende 

gesunde Gewebe, sondern minimiert auch 

Nebenwirkungen. Die Ionentherapie wird vor allem 

zur Bekämpfung von Tumoren in der Nähe besonders 

empfindlicher Organe wie zum Beispiel Gehirn, 

Rückenmark, Sehnerven, Lunge und Leber angewendet. 

Die Behandlung dauert einige Wochen und 

wird ambulant durchgeführt. 

Heuer werden bei MedAustron etwa 150 Patienten 

mit Protonen behandelt werden. Schon bald werden 

darunter auch Kinder sein, für die diese Form 

der Therapie aufgrund des vulnerablen Gewebes im 

Wachstum besonders vielversprechend ist. Parallel 

wird ab 2018 auch die Therapie mit Kohlenstoffionen 

in Wiener Neustadt verfügbar sein. Im Vollbetrieb 

ab 2020 werden rund 1.000 Patienten jährlich 

bei MedAustron so noch mehr Hoffnung im Kampf 

gegen den Krebs finden. 

Oben: Perfektes Kunstwerk – 

ein Weinetikett von Marzek. 

Top: Perfect masterpiece – a wine 

label made by Marzek. 

Darunter: Sonnentor-Gründer 

Johannes Gutmann mit Oma 

Zach, authentische Bäuerin aus 

der Region Waldviertel. 

Below: Sonnentor founder 

Johannes Gutmann with 

Grandma Zach, authentic and 

regional peasant woman from 

the Waldviertel region. 


83

LOWER AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SUCCESS 

International erfolgreich in Niederösterreich | Internationally 

successful in Lower Austria 

Das Weingut Domäne Wachau fertigt 

Weine, die sich einer hohen 

Exportrate erfreuen. 

The Domäne Wachau winery crafts 

wines with a high export rate. 

BERNDORF BAND 

Hochqualitative Stahlbänder und Stahlbandanlagen. 

High-quality steel strips and steel 

strappings. 

berndorf-band.at 

MARZEK Etiketten & Packaging 

Der Spezialist für (lasergestanzte) Etiketten und 

Faltschachteln. The specialist for (laser-stamped) 

labels and folding boxes. 

marzek.at 

Von oben: Hervorragende 

Beispiele für internationalen 

Erfolg – die Firmen MedAustron, 

Diamond Aircraft und 

Styx Naturcosmetic. 

From top: Excellent examples 

for being internationally 

succesful: the companies 

MedAustron, Diamond Aircraft 

and Styx Naturcosmetic. 


If you call the company Sonnentor in Sprögnitz in 

the Waldviertel region on the phone, you will 

first be welcomed with the soothing company 

slogan “Da wächst die Freude“ (happiness grows 

here) while you wait to be connected. And the innovative 

company owner Johannes Gutmann does indeed 

have several good reasons to be happy. He 

doesn‘t mind publicly admitting that he was denounced 

as crazy at first. After going from farmer‘s 

market to farmer‘s market as a one-man-business 

with his herbs in the 1980s, he soon became well 

known for several reasons. Next to the top-notch organic 

products, his trademark look – decades-old 

leather trousers and his round red glasses – helped 

him facilitate his breakthrough. 

Organic expert and market leader 

For around 30 years now, Gutmann‘s core business 

concept has been founded on sustainable business 

practices. For his logo, he selected a laughing 

sun with 24 rays, based on the old symbol of the free 

and independent Waldviertel farmers. To this day, he 

counts on the support of a small agricultural network 

whose organic products are marketed both at 

home and abroad. A win-win situation for everyone 

involved. A big chunk of the generated revenue remains 

with the around 300 organic farmers. Sonnentor 

is the market leader in Austria with a share of 

50% and also operates its own franchising stores. In 

Germany, the organic specialist is in the top 3 with a 

market share of 25%. Additionally to their herbs and 

spices, the company has added further delicacies to 

their offer, such as tea, coffee and cocoa – currently 

around 900 products. Around 66% of the products 

are exported, besides Germany also to France and 

Switzerland. 

Light & quiet 

Ever heard of Diamond Aircraft? The company is 

based in Wiener Neustadt, has production facilities 

in Canada and China and specialises in the production 

of single- and twin-engine light aircrafts. A significant 

part of the planes is made up of custom 

builds that are used for observation in border control 

or environmental protection. This includes the special 

aircraft DA42 MPP (Multi Purpose Platform) 

which is used around the world. These particularly 

quiet aircrafts are equipped with the latest filming 

and radar technologies. What‘s even more special 

about them: powered by thrift diesel engines, the 

MPP can stay up in the air for 12 hours without having 

to refuel. Next to the engine, the use of fibrereinforced 

synthetic material for the construction of 

the aircraft is an additional asset. This material has a 

number of advantages over the classic aircraft components 

of wood and metal, such as a better surface 

finish and higher resistance, with a simultaneously 

lower weight. 

The modern fight against cancer 

Ion therapy is a special form of radiation therapy 

that is used against cancer. The therapy centre MedAustron 

in Wiener Neustadt has been operational 

since the end of last year – in autumn, the scientists 

assumed their positions, in December the first patient 

therapy took place. The radiation was conducted 

with charged particles – with either protons or carbon 

ions. 

The Austrian ion therapy centre is, incidentally, 

one of the most state-of-the-art facilities of this type 

INFO: 

sonnentor.com 

diamond-air.at 

medaustron.at 

PHOTOS: DOMÄNE WACHAU, MEDAUSTRON, DIAMOND AIRCRAFT, STYX NATURCOSMETIC 

in the world. The know-how that the MedAustron 

experts have accumulated during the development is 

also trusted in Iran where a centre based on the Austrian 

facility is going to be built near Teheran. 

The difference between ion therapy and regular 

radiation therapy is that the ion beam can be controlled 

precisely by amending its energy. The radiation 

dose can thus be focused on the tumour. This not 

only protects the surrounding tissue, but also minimises 

potential side effects. Ion therapy is especially 

used to combat tumours near sensitive organs, such 

as the brain, spine marrow, visual nerves, lung and 

liver. Treatment lasts several weeks and is conducted 

ambulatory. 

This year, 150 patients will be treated with protons 

at MedAustron. Very soon, this will include 

children, for whom this type of therapy is particularly 

promising due to their more vulnerable tissue. At 

the same time, the therapy with carbon ions will become 

available in Wiener Neustadt starting in 2018. 

Launching into full capacity in 2020, around 1,000 

patients a year will receive additional hope in their 

struggle against cancer thanks to MedAustron. 

Lebendige Begegnungen 

auf der Schallaburg 

DOMÄNE WACHAU 

Qualitätsweine mit hoher Exportrate. 

Quality wines with a high export rate. 

domaene-wachau.at 

ERBER GROUP 

Biotech-Vorreiter bei innovativen Futtermitteladditiven, 

Entgiftung von Mykotoxinen (Schimmelpilze) 

sowie biotechnologischem Pflanzenschutz. 

Biotech pioneer with innovative fodder additives, 

detoxification of mycotoxins (mould) as well as 

biotechnological plant protection. 

erber-group.net 

F/LIST 

Begann als Tischlerei, stattet heute Business-Jets 

und Luxusjachten aus (z.B. mit Echtsteinboden und 

integrierter Heizung). Began as a carpentry, today 

fits business jets and luxury yachts (for example, 

genuine stone flooring with integrated heating). 

f-list.at 

IFE 

Elektrisch angetriebene Einstiegssysteme für 

Schienenfahrzeuge. Electrically powered 

entrance systems for rail vehicles. 

ife-doors.at 

NOVOMATIC 

Einer der größten Gaming-Technologiekonzerne 

weltweit als Betreiber, Systemgeber und 

Software-Entwickler. One of the biggest gaming 

technology corporations in the world, acting as 

operator, system provider and software developer. 

novomatic.com 

SCHIEBEL 

Entwicklung & Fertigung von hochmodernen 

Minenerkennungsgeräten und dem unbemannten 

Camcopter (mit Kamera). Development & manufacturing 

of state-of-the-art mine recognition 

devices and unmanned Camcopter (with camera). 

schiebel.net 

STYX NATURCOSMETIC 

Naturkosmetik aus dem Pielachtal. Natural 

cosmetics from the Pielachtal valley. 

styx.at 

ZKW GROUP 

Kompetenzzentrum für hochklassige 

Beleuchtungssysteme für die Automobilindustrie. 

Competence centre for top-notch lighting 

systems for the automotive industry. 

zkw-group.com 

Die Schallaburg widmet sich in jährlich wechselnden 

Ausstellungen aktuellen Fragen unserer Zeit. 

Das Zusammenspiel von gegenwartsorientierten 

Ausstellungen, historischem Ambiente und 

weitläufigem Schlossgarten macht die Schallaburg 

zum Lieblingsplatz, der in Erinnerung bleibt! 

Ausstellungen am Puls der Zeit 

Dieses Jahr beleuchten zwei Ausstellungen mit 

einem neugierigen Blick aktuelle Themen unserer 

Gesellschaft: Begegnung und Dialog, Freiheit und 

Bildung rücken in den Mittelpunkt. Die Ausstellung 

„ISLAM“ und die Sonderausstellung „Freyheit durch 

Bildung. 500 Jahre Reformation“ schaffen Räume für 

lebendigen Austausch! 

TIPP: 

Am besten lassen sich die Ausstellungen auf einem 

geführten Rundgang erleben! 

Mehr dazu auf www.schallaburg.at 

Schallaburg: 18. März – 5. November 2017 

Ausstellungen „Islam“ und „Freyheit durch Bildung. 

500 Jahre Reformation“ 

Mo-Fr: 9.00-17.00 Uhr, Sa, So u. Feiertag: 9.00-18.00 Uhr 

Anreise: Vom Bahnhof Melk mit dem Bus WL1 (www. 

oebb.at) oder A1 – Abfahrt Melk. 

Entgeltliche Einschaltung • Fotos: Daniela Matejschek, Klaus Pichler

LOWER AUSTRIA CULTURE 

Viel Raum für Kunst 

Plenty of room for art 

Text: Rois & Stubenrauch 

Ein Museumsneubau für die Landesgalerie und das neue Haus der Geschichte – Niederösterreichs 

Museumslandschaft wächst und erlebt gerade einen spannenden Relaunch. 

A new museum for the Landesgalerie and the new House of History — Lower Austria‘s museum 

landscape is growing and currently going through an exciting renaissance. 

Kunst im öffentlichen 

Raum 

Public art 

PHOTOS: OLGA WUKOUNIG; MUSEUM NIEDERÖSTERREICH; KLAUS ENGELMAYER 

Niederösterreich hat viel vor was Kunst und 

Kultur anbelangt! Ein ambitionierter Museumsneubau 

für die Niederösterreichische 

Landesgalerie wird bald die Kunstmeile Krems bereichern 

und auch in St. Pölten öffnet mit dem Haus der 

Geschichte im September ein neues Museum seine 

Pforten. Nicht nur die Politik des Bundeslandes befindet 

sich also in einem großen Umbruch – auch die 

Kunst, stets eine gewichtige Agenda in Niederösterreich, 

erlebt gerade einige tiefgreifende Neuerungen. 

Markanter Kunstkubus 

Noch klafft neben dem Karikaturmuseum auf der 

Kremser Kunstmeile eine riesige Baugrube, aus der 

die neue Landesgalerie Niederösterreich inzwischen 

schon langsam in die Höhe zu wachsen beginnt. 

Vom zukünftigen Bau ist im derzeitigen Bauabschnitt 

natürlich noch wenig zu erahnen, auf den 

Renderings aber fügt sich der markante Baukörper 

des renommierten Vorarlberger Architekturbüros 

marte.marte bereits kongenial in die Kunstmeile 

Krems ein: Große Arkadenbögen öffnen den monolithischen 

Museumsbau zum Vorplatz hin. Eine 

großzügige Dachterrasse mit Skulpturengarten und 

einem fantastischen Ausblick über die Donau krönt 

das Gebäude. Das Richtfest ist noch für diesen Sommer 

geplant. Im Sommer 2018 wird dann die glanzvolle 

Eröffnung gefeiert. Zu sehen sein werden, neben 

Wechselausstellungen, Teile der rund 60.000 

Werke umfassenden Landessammlungen Niederösterreich, 

ergänzt durch die Sammlungen Zambo und 

Ploil – mit Meisterwerken wie Egon Schieles „Selbstbildnis 

mit Pfauenweste“. 

Während derzeit auf der Baustelle mit Hochbetrieb 

gearbeitet wird, startet auf der gegenüberliegenden 

Straßenseite die Kunsthalle Krems nach einem 

Jahr Auszeit mit der Ausstellung „Abstract Painting 

Now!“ in ihre dritte Dekade. In den ersten 20 Jahren 

ihres Bestehens hat sich das bisherige Flaggschiff der 

Kunstmeile Krems mit hochkarätigen Ausstellungen 

von Yoko Ono bis Pipilotti Rist international einen 

hervorragenden Ruf erarbeitet. Der Ausstellungsraum 

Forum Frohner und das Karikaturmuseum 

komplettieren die Kunstmeile, die zusammen mit der 

neuen Landesgalerie Niederösterreich bald mehr als 

7.000 m² Ausstellungsfläche bespielen wird. 

Hotspots Krems und St.Pölten 

Mit dem Umzug der Kunstsammlung von St.Pölten 

in die neue Landesgalerie nach Krems ist auch 

der Museumsstandort im Regierungsviertel St. Pölten 

mit dem charakteristischen Museumsgebäude 

von Hans Hollein einer Neuorientierung unterzogen 

worden: Den Platz der Kunst nimmt jetzt das neu 

geschaffene Haus der Geschichte ein. Entlang der 

wechselvollen Historie Niederösterreichs, als Land 

im Zentrum Europas, werden aktuelle Themen wie 

Migration oder Nationenbildung abgehandelt. Mit 

der groß angelegten Ausstellung „Die umkämpfte 

Republik. Österreich 1918-1938“ feiert das neue Museum 

am 9. September 2017 seine Eröffnung. 

Kunst auf der grünen Wiese 

Die Kulturagenda wird in Niederösterreich schon 

lange äußerst innovativ gehandhabt. So sprengt etwa 

„Kunst im Öffentlichen Raum Niederösterreich“ seit 

21 Jahren den geschützten musealen Rahmen und 

realisiert, quer über das ganze Land verstreut, künstlerische 

Interventionen, Skulpturen und Installationen 

im Stadtraum, in Dorfzentren und auf der grünen 

Wiese. Etwa der gerade eröffnete 

„Horizontalturm“ von Ingo Vetter und Magdalena 

Frey, eine 24 Meter lange, begehbare Röhre in einem 

Rapsfeld bei Lanzendorf. Ebenso spannend ist 

„Counterpoints. Kunst im Park 2017“ mit temporären 

künstlerischen Eingriffen im Schlosspark Grafenegg 

diesen Sommer, wo u.a. Simon Faithfulls 

“Earth-Spin no.1: Grafenegg”, eine überdimensionale, 

aus der Wiese gestochene Zahl, welche für die 

Erdgeschwindigkeit am Breitengrad Grafeneggs 

steht, zu bestaunen ist. 

Im kürzlich präsentierten Strategiepapier der 

Niederösterreichischen Landesregierung zur Kunst 

steht zu lesen: „Entscheidend für Innovation und 

Fortschritt sind die Freiräume, in denen Kunst und 

Kultur (…) zur Entfaltung gelangen. Daher ist es unsere 

politische Verpflichtung, als Land Niederösterreich 

den Nährboden aufzubereiten, auf dem Kunst 

und Kultur aufblühen und gedeihen können.“ Große 

Worte, denen das Land Niederösterreich tatsächlich 

auch große Taten folgen lässt. 

Lower Austria has much to offer when it comes 

to art and culture! An ambitious new museum 

building for Lower Austria‘s Landesgalerie will 

soon be enriching the art quarter of Krems and St. 

Pölten will also be opening a new museum called the 

House of History. In other words, it‘s not just politics 

that‘s going through a major change at the moment 

HAUS DER GESCHICHTE. 

Im September 2017 wird der neue Teil 

des Museum Niederösterreich in 

St. Pölten eröffnet. 

HOUSE OF HISTORY. 

The new part of the Museum Niederösterreich 

in St. Pölten will be opened this 

September. 

Gelatin, Nase / Nose, 

Rossatz 2014. 



87

LOWER AUSTRIA CULTURE 

NEUE LANDESGALERIE. 

Markanter Museumsneubau für die 

Kunstmeile Krems. 

Striking new museum building as addition 

to the Kunstmeile Krems. 

Kunst Niederösterreich | Highlights Sommer 2017 

KUNSTHALLE KREMS. 

„Abstract Painting Now!“, 

Herbert Brandl, Ohne Titel, 

2007. 

KUNST IM PARK 2017, GRAFENEGG. 

„Earth Spin no. 1“ von Simon Faithfull im Schlosspark. 

“Earth Spin no. 1“ by Simon Faithfull at Grafenegg‘s park. 

– art, always on the agenda and of the utmost importance 

in Lower Austria, is currently undergoing a 

profound renaissance. 

Distinctive art programme 

A massive construction pit still dominates the 

scene next to the Karikaturmuseum in the art quarter 

in Krems, from which the new Lower Austrian 

Landesgalerie is slowly beginning to emerge. There 

are, of course, not too many signs of the upcoming 

building that can be detected from the current building 

phase, but based on computer renderings, the 

distinctive building project by the renowned architectural 

office marte.marte from Vorarlberg will 

fit perfectly into the local art quarter. Big arcade arches 

at the opening of the monolithic museum invite 

into the forecourt, a generous roof terrace with a 

sculpture garden and a fantastic view of the Danube 

river crowns the rest of the building. The Richtfest 

festival is still planned for this summer, then, in summer 

2018, the exquisite opening ceremony will be 

held. Next to temporary exhibitions, there will be 

part of the 60,000 pieces from the Lower Austrian art 

collection, complemented by the Zambo and Ploil 

collections — including masterpieces such as Egon 

Schiele‘s “Self-Portrait with Peacock Waistcoat“. 

KARIKATURMUSEUM KREMS. 

„Simplicissimus. Eduard Thöny“, Gegensätze/Antagonisms, 

1922. 

Whilst the construction site is seeing intensive activity, 

the Kunsthalle Krems, right across the street, is 

launching its third decade of operations with the exhibit 

“Abstract Painting Now!“ after a year off. In the 

first 20 years of its existence, the flagship of the art 

quarter in Krems has amassed an excellent international 

reputation with top-notch exhibits by artists 

like Yoko Ono and Pipilotti Rist. The exhibition hall 

“Forum Frohner“ and the Karikaturmuseum complement 

the art quarter which, together with the new 

Lower Austrian Landesgalerie, will soon cover more 

than 7,000 m² of exhibition space. 

Hotspots Krems and St. Pölten 

With the relocation of the St. Pölten art collection 

to the new Landesgalerie in Krems, the museum premises 

in the government district of St. Pölten, with 

its characteristic museum building designed by Hans 

Hollein, have also undergone a change – the Platz 

der Kunst will now be occupied by the newly created 

House of History. Along Lower Austria‘s diverse history, 

as a province in the centre of Europe, contemporary 

topics such as migration as well as nationbuilding 

will be explored. With the generously sized 

exhibitions “The contested Republic. Austria 1918- 

1938“, the museum will celebrate its opening on 9 

September 2017. 

Art on the green meadows 

Lower Austria‘s cultural agenda has been handled 

rather innovatively for quite some time now. “Art in 

Lower Austria’s Public Spaces“, for example, has been 

breaking out of museum walls for 21 years now, 

spreading across the entire country and uniting arti- 

PHOTOS: MARTE.MARTE; PRIVATSAMMLUNG/WALTER SCHACHINGER; SIMON FAITHFULL; PRIVATSAMMLUNG; NACHLASS WERNER HOFMANN/AUKTIONSHAUS IM KINSKY/PRIVATBESITZ 

stic interventions, sculptures and installations in city 

centres, village squares and on green meadows. The 

recently opened “Horizontal Tower“ by Ingo Vetter 

and Magdalena Frey, for example, is a 24-metrelong, 

walkable tube within a rapeseed field near Lanzendorf. 

Similarly exciting is “Counterpoints. Art in 

the Park 2017“ with temporary artistic endeavours in 

Grafenegg‘s Schlosspark this summer, where, among 

others, Simon Faithfull‘s “Earth-Spin no.1: Grafenegg“, 

an over-dimensional number carved into the 

grass representing the Earth‘s speed at Grafenegg‘s 

latitude, can be admired. 

In the recently presented strategic paper of the 

Lower Austrian Provincial Government on art, it 

says: ”A crucial factor for innovation and progress 

are the open spaces in which art and culture (…) can 

express themselves. Therefore, it is our political duty, 

as the province of Lower Austria, to prepare the breeding 

ground from which art and culture can blossom 

and thrive.“ Big words, which the province of Lower 

Austria has, undoubtedly, followed up to with big 

acts. 

Abstract Painting Now! 

Gerhard Richter, Katharina 

Grosse, Sean Scully … 

02.07–05.11.2017 

Tobias Pils 

Untitled 


Sébastien de Ganay 

Transposition and 

Reproduction 


Dominikanerkirche 

www.kunsthalle.at 

Forum Frohner. Konrad Klaphek, Portait 

Werner Hofmann, um 1980 

Kunsthalle Krems 

„Abstract Painting Now!“, 2.7.-5.11.2017. 

kunsthalle.at 

Karikaturmuseum 

„Eduard Thöny“, bis 10. 09. 2017 

karikaturmuseum.at 

Forum Frohner 

„Hommage an Werner Hofmann: Biennale des 

Jeunes de Paris 1967“, bis 1.10.2017 

forum-frohner.at 

Landesgalerie Niederösterreich 

Geplante Eröffnung des neuen Museums: 

Sommer 2018. 

Planned opening of the new museum: 

summer 2018. 

landesgalerie-noe.at 

Haus der Geschichte 

„Die umkämpfte Republik. Österreich 1918-1938“, 

10.9.2017-24.3.2019. 

museumnoe.at 

Schlosspark Grafenegg 

„Counterpoints. Kunst im Park 2017“, bis 

Oktober 2017. 

“Counterpoints. Art in the Park 2017“, until 

October 2017. 

publicart.at 

Reopening 01.07.2017 

Bernard Frize, Balaire (Detail), 2015, Galerie nächst St. Stephan © Bildrecht, Wien, 2017, Foto: Markus Wörgötter 


LOWER AUSTRIA STATE EXHIBITION 

Aus dem Dornröschenschlaf erwacht 

Awakening from the slumber 

Diplomaten und Feldherren der Habsburger waren einstige Besitzer von 

Schloss Pöggstall im südlichen Waldviertel. Heute kann man dort, im neu 

renovierten Anwesen, die Landesausstellung besuchen. 

Once upon a time, Habsburg diplomats and generals were the rightful owners 

of Pöggstall Castle in the southern region of Waldviertel. Today, anyone can 

visit the newly renovated estate and see its Lower Austria State Exhibition. 


PHOTOS: KATRIN FROSCHAUER, KLAUS PICHLER (2), MARTINA SIEBENHANDL 

Das Schloss Pöggstall im südlichen Waldviertel 

stammt aus dem 13. Jahrhundert. Kasper von 

Rogendorf, Rat und Kämmerer Kaiser Friedrichs 

III., erwarb das Anwesen 1478 und begann den 

großen Umbau der mittelalterlichen Burg zum Schloss. 

Von 1795 bis 1919 im Besitz der Habsburger, ist seit 

1986 die Marktgemeinde Pöggstall „Schlossherr“. Diese 

holte das architektonische Juwel mit gotischen Elementen 

und Teilen aus der Renaissance nicht zuletzt 

mit der umfassenden und behutsamen Renovierung 

um neun Millionen Euro aus dem Dornröschenschlaf. 

Denn in einem Schloss-Teil dreht sich dort noch bis 

12. November 2017 in der Landesausstellung Niederösterreich 

2017 alles um die Geschichte der Rechtsprechung. 

Unter dem Titel „Alles was Recht ist“ werden 

neben der historischen Entwicklung von Rechtsordnung 

und Justizeinrichtungen auch die Themen Strafe 

und ihre unterschiedlichsten Formen sowie die Geschichte 

der Menschen- und Grundrechte in den Mittelpunkt 

gerückt. 

Das Waldviertel ist übrigens reich an historischen 

Ruinen, Burgen und Schlössern. Ein weiteres sehenswertes 

niederösterreichisches Schloss ist die Schallaburg, 

in der, nahe bei Melk, zurzeit eine Ausstellung 

dem Islam gewidmet ist. In deren Fokus stehen bis 5. 

November 2017 muslimische Kulturen in Österreich. 

Pöggstall Castle, in the southern region of Waldviertel, 

was constructed in the 13th century. Kasper 

von Rogendorf, counsel and treasurer of 

Emperor Frederick III, acquired the estate in 1478 and 

began the enormous construction endeavour of turning 

the medieval fort into a castle. Whereas it was owned 

by the Habsburg dynasty between 1795 and 1919, 

the community of Pöggstall has been the “lord of the 

castle“ since 1986. The architectural jewel, with its various 

gothic elements as well as several Renaissance details, 

was finally awakened from its slumber with a careful 

renovation costing around 9 million euro. 

After all, part of the castle hosts the Lower Austria 

State Exhibition 2017 until 12 November 2017, where 

everything regarding the history of jurisprudence is 

highlighted. Under the title “Alles was Recht ist“ 

(‘Bound by Law’), topics such as the historical development 

of jurisprudence and various judicial institutions, 

as well as punishment in its many forms and the history 

of human and fundamental rights will be explored in 

depth. 

The region of Waldviertel is, incidentally, rich in historic 

ruins, forts and castles. Another castle in Lower 

Austria worth a visit is Schallaburg Castle near Melk, 

where an exhibition dedicated to the religion of Islam is 

currently held. The exhibition‘s focus is on Muslim cultures 

in Austria and runs until 5 November 2017. 

Auf der Schallaburg ist 

derzeit eine Ausstellung 

dem Islam und muslimischen 

Kulturen in Österreich 

gewidmet. 

At Schallaburg, a current 

exhibition is dedicated to the 

Islam and Muslim cultures in 

Austria. 

INFO: 

noe-landesausstellung.at 

schallaburg.at 

Schloss Pöggstall. 

Das märchenhafte und neu 

renovierte Schloss ist der 

Ort der Landesaussstellung 

„Alles was Recht ist“. 

The fairytale-like and newly 

renovated castle is the venue 

of the Lower Austria State 

Exhibition “Bound by Law“. 

PHOTOS: XYXXYXYXY 

Mehr Technologie 

für Verwöhnte ! 

Seit Jahren investiert Berger massiv 

in die Zukunft und setzt seinen 

Wachstumskurs vor allem im hochwertigen 

Katalog- und Magazindruck fort. Kontaktieren 

Sie uns und erfahren Sie mehr! 

Ferdinand Berger & Söhne GmbH 

Horn | +43 (0) 2982 4161 - 0 

Wien | +43 (0) 1 31335 - 0 

Vertretungen: 

OÖ | Tirol | Stmk. 

www.berger.at 


WHERE 

CITY MEETS 

RIVERBANK 

SAVOIR 

VIVRE 

IN „SAVOIR VIVRE“ DREHT 

SICH ALLES UM DIE SCHÖNEN 

DINGE DES LEBENS WIE KULTUR 

& REISEN, KULINARIK & HOTELS, 

AUTO & SPORT, UHREN & 

SCHMUCK, MODE & DESIGN, 

WELLNESS & GESUNDHEIT 

UND VIELES MEHR. 

"SAVOIR VIVRE" FOCUSES ON 

THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE SUCH 

AS CULTURE & TRAVELLING, 

HOTELS & RESTAURANTS, CARS & 

SPORTS, WATCHES & JEWELLERY, 

FASHION & DESIGN, WELLNESS 

& HEALTH AND MUCH MORE. 

TrIIIple. The new dimension of living. 

. Apartments for sale in the 3 rd district, Vienna 

. Balconies, loggias and communal terraces 

. Rooftop pool, concierge, event kitchen etc. 

. Playgrounds and kindergarten, restaurants and cafés 

. At the Donaukanal, vis-à-vis the Green Prater 

. Perfect connection to the city center and the airport 

please visit : www.triiiple.at 

A project of: 

symbol picture

SAVOIR VIVRE FINE DINING BY THE WATER 

Das süße Nichtstun zelebrieren 

Celebrating the art of doing sweet nothing 


Österreichs Badeseen und Gewässer sind Orte, an denen man die Leichtigkeit des Sommers so gut verspüren 

kann. Wir zeigen Ihnen, wo man nach einem erfrischenden Bad kulinarisch besonders verwöhnt wird. 

Austria‘s swimming lakes and various waters are places where the lightness of the summer can be especially 

enjoyed. Here‘s where to go if you want to spoil your taste buds after a refreshing swim in the lake. 

PHOTOS: HERBERT LEHMANN; JÖRG LEHMANN, RESTAURANT SAAG 

WIEN / VIENNA 

Gerade rechtzeitig zur Sommersaison eröffnet: Das Strandcafé an 

der Alten Donau wartet mit Köstlichkeiten vom Holzkohlegrill auf. 

Opened just in time for the summer season: The Strandcafé at the Old 

Danube awaits with delicacies straight from the charcoal grill. 

KÄRNTEN / CARINTHIA 

Kärntens Top-Küchenchef Hubert Wallner (links) hat nun mit 

Martin Kern einen Top-Sommelier im Restaurant an der Seite. Im 

Bild oben: Gedämpfte Taubenbrust mit Kräuterseitling-Pak-Choi. 

With Martin Kern, Carinthia’s top chef Hubert Wallner (left) has a 

top sommelier by his side for his restaurant. Pictured above: 

Steamed pigeon breast with king oyster mushrooms and bok choy. 



95

SAVOIR VIVRE FINE DINING BY THE WATER 

Saiblingsfest 

A feast for the char 

OBERÖSTERREICH / UPPER AUSTRIA 

Im Seehotel Das Traunsee zelebriert Lukas Nagl intensive 

Geschmackserlebnisse bei seiner Fischküche. Im Bild oben: 

Reinanke am Salzstein. 

In the lake hotel Das Traunsee, Lukas Nagl celebrates 

intense taste experiences through his fish cuisine. Pictured: 

Whitefish with salt stone. 

Neuen sommerlichen Glanz gibt es diesen 

Sommer in Wien: Nach einem umfangreichen 

Umbau werden im legendären Strandcafé 

an der Alten Donau (eröffnet 1921) wieder die 

Grillfeuer entfacht. Dann brutzeln auf dem – mit 

sieben Metern Länge – größten Indoor-Holzkohlegrill 

Österreichs die legendären Ripperl, Bratwürste 

und Steckerlfische. Nicht fehlen dürfen heimische 

Schmankerl (u.a. Tafelspitz), die im Gastgarten und 

auf dem Holzfloß serviert werden. Dazu gibt es Original 

Budweiser Budvar vom Fass. Auch wenn im 

Strandcafé der traditionellen Wiener (Fleisch)Küche 

gehuldigt wird, so müssen Liebhaber der fleischlosen 

Küche dennoch nicht mit leerem Magen nach 

Hause gehen. Auf der Karte finden sich u.a. vegetarisch 

gefüllte Paprika mit Paradeissauce und Salzkartoffeln 

– auch für Veganer geeignet. 

Mega-Projekt am Neusiedlersee 

Ein absolutes Mega-Projekt wurde in den vergangenen 

Monaten im Burgenland in Weiden am Neusiedler 

See verwirklicht. Beinahe wäre es nicht zustande 

gekommen. Anfangs war der Widerstand der 

örtlichen Bevölkerung recht groß. Mit „Das Fritz“ 

verwirklicht Neusiedls Top-Gastronom Fritz Tösch 

den Traum der grandiosen Location auf 1.400 m 2 direkt 

am See, mit Schilffassade und einer kolportierten 

Bausumme von sechs Millionen Euro. Unterstützt 

wird er von seinen Töchtern Judith und Vera. 

Seine beiden Lokale, das Landgasthaus Nyikospark 

und die Pizzeria Da Capo wird er in Zukunft zusammenlegen. 

Das See-Lokal soll dann ganzjährig geöffnet 

sein. 

Neu am Herd 

Im Seehotel Grundlsee im steirischen Salzkammergut 

schwingt nun der Niederösterreicher Matthias 

Schütz den Kochlöffel, der unter anderem Küchenchef 

im Hotel Wiesergut in Hinterglemm und 

im Fontana Restaurant in Oberwaltersdorf war. Sein 

Stil ist sehr von Thorsten Probosts Kräuterküche 

vom Burg Vital Resort beeinflusst – mehr als zwei 

Jahre kochte Matthias Schütz an der Seite des „Koch 

des Jahres 2008“. Bei seinem eigenen Küchen-Stil 

nehmen Regionalität, Nachhaltigkeit und Saisonalität 

einen großen Stellenwert ein. Natürlich dürfen 

auch Süßwasserfische auf seiner Karte nicht fehlen 

– den traditionellen Ausseer Saibling zelebriert er 

gerne und zwar vor allem sanft gegart. Die Gerichte 

genießen Gäste im Restaurant Seeplatz’l, auf der See- 

PHOTOS: TRAUNSEEHOTELS.AT; RESTAURANT MANGOLD, JÖRG LEHMANN, BEIGESTELLT 

VORARLBERG 

Im Restaurant Mangold in Lochau, unweit des Bodensees, lässt es sich herrlich verweilen. 

Verwöhnt wird man z.B. mit Seesaibling mit Entenleber (im Bild). 

In the restaurant Mangold in Lochau, not far from Bodensee lake, you can spend a truly splendid 

time. The team will spoil you with lake char with duck liver (pictured), among other treats. 

terrasse, im Seepavillion oder bei einer Ausfahrt mit 

einer der traditionellen Plätt’n am Grundlsee. 

Vom Bodensee an den Wörthersee 

Laut Falstaff-Restaurant Guide ist Hubert Wallners 

See Restaurant Saag einmal mehr das beste Restaurant 

Kärntens. Nun hat er hochkarätigen Zuwachs 

im Team: Sommelier Martin Kern wechselte 

vom Appenzellerland hoch über dem Bodensee an 

das Ufer am Wörthersee. Kern agierte zuvor als Sommelier 

im Palais Coburg und Sofitel in Wien, wechselte 

danach an den Vierwaldstätter See in die 

Schweiz, ins Schloss Fuschl im Salzburger Land, 

abermals ins Palais Coburg und zuletzt ins Schweizer 

Gourmetrestaurant Incantare (u. a. 1 Michelin- 

Stern) im Gasthaus zur Fernsicht. 

Der Saibling fühlt sich in jenen tiefen Seen des Ausseerlandes 

und des Salzkammergutes besonders wohl, die von 

Gletscherwasser gespeist werden. Vom 23. bis 25. Juni 2017 

feiert eine Reihe von Ausseerland-Gastronomen den Beginn 

der Wildfang-Saison mit einem köstlichen Fest, bei dem sich 

alles um diese Fisch-Spezialität der Region dreht. 

The char is at home in the deep lakes of the Aussee and the 

Salzkammergut regions that are filled with glacial water. 

Between 23 and 25 June 2017, a number of gastronomers 

from the Aussee region celebrate the beginning of the 

fishing season with a delicious festival where everything 

will revolve around the region’s fish specialities. 

salzkammergut.at 

CAFÉ AM HOF outside terrace - Enjoy the summer. 


Café Am Hof 

Am Hof 2 - 1010 Wien 

Tel. +43 1 22740 1236 

www.cafe-amhof.vienna.com 

cafeamhof.vienna@hyatt.com 

Café Am Hof: Open daily 

Schanigarten: Open daily from 8am to 11pm 

Every year from April until October, the Boutique coffeehouse opens its charming outdoor 

terrace - a great location in which to see and be seen. Start your day with a balanced, lovingly 

compiled breakfast or choose individually from the A la carte menu. Get spoiled with light 

menus and refresh on hot summer days with one of our homemade lemonades. Savor the 

balmy summer evenings and enjoy a delicious cocktail from the outside pop-up bar. Discover 

a place that encourages visitors to linger, a place of relaxation and refreshment – the perfect 

place for enjoying the summer.

SAVOIR VIVRE FINE 

DINING BY THE WATER 

INFO 

TIROL / TYROL 

Der bis zu 133 m tiefe Achensee, nahe Jenbach, 

ist der größte See Tirols. The Achensee, close to 

Jenbach, is the biggest lake in Tyrol and is down to 

133 metres deep. 

Geheimtipps für See-Fans | Insider tips for lake aficionados 

Adressen 

Addresses 

Wien. Vienna. 

strandcafe-wien.at 

kaisermuehle.at 

ufertaverne.at 

gasthausbirner.at 

kleeamhanslteich.at 

mottoamfluss.at 

strandbarherrmann.at 

Niederösterreich. 

Lower Austria. 

seewirtshaus.at 

Steiermark. Styria. 

seehotelgrundlsee.at 

schlosshotel-seewirt.at 

Kärnten. Carinthia. 

saag-ja.at 

forellemueller.at 

Oberösterreich. 

Upper Austria. 

dastraunsee.at 

Salzburg. 

salzburgerhof.at 

schlossfuschl.com 

derseehof.at 

Tirol. Tyrol. 

kulinarikhotel-alpin.at 

parkhotel-tristachersee.at 

Vorarlberg. 

restaurant-mangold.at 

montafonerhof.com 

pleifersengel.at 

Weissensee. 

SALZBURG 

Lukas Schmiderer vom Salzburgerhof am Zeller See ist 

»Pâtissier des Jahres 2017«. Er kreiert fantastische Desserts 

und nicht zuletzt handgeschöpfte Pralinen. 

Lukas Schmiderer from Salzburgerhof at lake Zell is the 

“Pâtissier of the Year 2017”. He specialises in creating fantastic 

desserts, and, last but not least, handmade pralines. 

STEIERMARK / STYRIA 

Die Gerichte aus der Küche von Mathias Schütz kann man im 

Restaurant Seeplatz’l, auf der Seeterrasse, im Seepavillon 

oder bei einer Ausfahrt mit einer der traditionellen Plätt’n am 

Grundlsee genießen. 

The dishes from Mathias Schütz’s kitchen can be enjoyed in the 

restaurant Seeplatz’l on the lake terrace, in the lake pavillion or 

on a ride on the Grundlsee lake with a traditional Plätt’n boat. 

There is a new seasonal delight to be discovered 

in Vienna this summer — after an extensive 

reconstruction period, the legendary 

Strandcafé at the Old Danube (opened in 1921) will 

see its barbeque fires rekindled once again. That means 

that it’s time for the legendary ‘Ripperl’ ribs, 

Bratwurst and Steckerlfisch dishes to sizzle on 

Austria’s largest indoor charcoal grill with its 7 metres 

in length. Of course, a number of local delicacies 

will be available as well (such as the famed Tafelspitz), 

which will be served in the outdoor area and 

on a wooden raft. Original Budweiser Budvar on 

draught will please beer aficionados. And even 

though the Strandcafé is a temple for traditional Viennese 

(meat) cuisine, lovers of meatless dishes won’t 

be going home with empty stomachs. Vegetarian dishes 

such as filled bell peppers with tomato sauce 

and salted potatoes, also suitable for vegans, can also 

be found on the menu. 

Mega project at Lake Neusiedl 

In the last few months, a large project was realised 

in Burgenland in Weiden at Lake Neusiedl. The project 

almost failed to materialise, as the pushback 

from the local community was relatively strong. 

With “Das Fritz“, Neusiedl‘s top chef Fritz Tösch finally 

gets to realise his dream of a grandiose location 

across an area of 1,400 m 2 right by the lake, with a 

reed façade and an estimated construction sum of six 

million euro. He was supported in his endeavour by 

his daughters Judith and Vera. His two eateries, the 

country inn Nyikospark and the pizzeria Da Capo 

will be merged in the future. The lake restaurant will 

then be opened throughout the year. 

New at the stove 

In the Seehotel Grundlsee in the Styrian Salzkammergut 

region, the kitchen is now run by the Lower 

Austrian chef Matthias Schütz, who was already the 

head chef at the Wiesergut hotel in Hinterglemm as 

well as in the Fontana restaurant in Oberwaltersdorf. 

His style is very much influenced by Thorsten 

Probost‘s herbal cuisine from the Burg Vital Resort. 

In his own approach to cooking, local produce, sus- 

PHOTOS: PAUL DAHAN, DOMINIK WARTBICHLER, JÖRG LEHMANN; HARALD EISENBERGER; TVB WEISSENSEE, TVB ACHENSEE, BEIGESTELLT 

tainability and seasonal cooking are of particular importance. 

And fresh water fish is, of course, an intrinsic 

part of his menu — he is very fond of the 

Aussee char, especially when gently simmered. 

Guests at the Seeplatz‘l restaurant can enjoy the dishes 

on the lake terrace, in the lake pavillion or during 

a ride on the Grundlsee lake with a traditional 

Plätt‘n boat. 

From Bodensee to Wörthersee 

According to the Falstaff Restaurant Guide, Hubert 

Wallner‘s lake restaurant Saag is the best eatery 

in Carinthia. Now, some top-notch additions are joining 

his team — sommelier Martin Kern has traded 

the Appenzell region high above Bodensee lake for 

the shore of Wörthersee lake. Kern had previously 

acted as a sommelier at Palais Coburg and at the Sofitel 

in Vienna, then switched to the Vierwaldstätter 

lake in Switzerland, to Fuschl Palace in Salzburger- 

Land, again to Palais Coburg and then to the Swiss 

gourmet restaurant Incantare (1 Michelin star, 

among other awards) in Gasthaus zur Fernsicht. 

Your personal contact 

STEIERMARK/ STYRIA 

Stubenbergsee 

Der drei Kilometer lange Rundweg ist eine ideale Lauf -und Skatestrecke am See. For jogging 

and skating, the circular path of 3 km is waiting for you. apfelland.info 

KÄRNTEN / CARINTHIA 

Pressegger See 

Die “Badewanne des Gailtals“ ist sein Spitzname, mit bis zu 28 Grad warmem (Trink)wasser. 

His nickname is „Gailtal‘s bathtube“, with temperatures up to 28 degrees of the (drinking) 

water. nassfeld.at 

OBERÖSTERREICH / UPPER AUSTRIA 

Traunsee 

Er gilt als Mekka für Segler. The Traunsee is a mekka for sailers. traunsee.at 

SALZBURG 

Wolfgangsee 

Bei meist über 24° Wassertemperatur lädt der Wolfgangsee zum Baden ein. With temperatures 

mostly above 24° C, the Wolfgangsee invites to a swim. wolfgangsee.at 

VORARLBERG 

Bodensee 

Das Bregenzer Strandbad ist die größte Strandbad-Anlage am gesamten Bodensee. The lido in 

Bregenz is the biggest outdoor pool of its kind at the Bodensee. bodensee-vorarlberg.com 

Rooms & Suites 

SUBTLE. NOBLE. VIENNESE. 


Florian Ollmann 

Assistant Director of Sales 

+43 (1) 236 1000 8031 

florian.ollmann@kempinski.com 

Schottenring 24 | 1010 Vienna 

www.kempinski.com/vienna 

Classic design meets Viennese elements. 98 double 

rooms, ranging from 344 to 570 square feet in size, 

54 suites ranging from 538 to 732 square feet, the largest 

presidential suite in town and two elegant penthouse 

apartments with spectacular views of Vienna – enjoy 

the perfect atmosphere at Palais Hansen Kempinski. 

Special Embassy rates available.

SAVOIR VIVRE CONNOISSEUR 

Essen und trinken mit Stil 

Wine and dine in style 

Die süßeste Versuchung | Sweetest temptation 

Sonja und Julia Wojta haben als innovatives Mutter-Tochter-Gespann 

bereits erfolgreich gezeigt, wie fulminant Süßspeisen schmecken 

können. Fünf Jahre nach dem Start der Julie Cake Pop Bakery legen die 

beiden nun noch eins drauf und erfreuen an ihrem fixen Standort im 

achten Bezirk mit Pâtisserie und Frühstück at its best. 

The innovative mother-daughter team Sonja and Julia Wojta have 

already successfully shown how delicious sweet desserts and 

pastries can taste. Five years after the launch of the Julie Cake Pop 

Bakery the two now take it one step further. They are delighted with 

their permanent location in the eighth district offering patisserie 

and breakfast at its best. 

cremedelacreme.at 


Amador am Grill 

Amador at the grill 

Der mit seinem „Amador’s 

Wirtshaus und Greisslerei“ in 

Wien beheimatete spanische 

Sternekoch Juan Amador, 

übernahm nun auch die 

kulinarische Regie im 

Restaurant „Kitch Grill & Bar by 

Juan Amador“ in der 

Innenstadt. Die Küchenlinie: 

Fleisch- und Fischgerichte vom 

800° High End-Grill sowie 

einem Holzkohlegrill, mit Steaks 

vom österreichischen Bio-Rind 

bis zum japanischen Kobe-Beef. 

Mit kleiner und feiner Bar sowie 

Tanzfläche und DJs, die am 

Wochenende Tanzfreudige 

mobilisieren wollen. 

Spanish star cook Juan 

Amador, known for the 

well-established “Amador‘s 

Wirtshaus und Greisslerei“ in 

Vienna, now also took over the 

culinary lead in the restaurant 

“Kitch Grill & Bar by Juan 

Amador“ in the city centre. 

On the menu, you will find 

meat and fish dishes from the 

800° high-end grill as well as 

a charcoal grill, steaks from 

Austrian organic beef and 

Japanese Kobe beef. A small 

and elegant bar as well as 

dance floor is the realm of the 

DJs who aim to mobilise 

people to dance the night 

away during the weekend. 

kitch.at 

PHOTOS: BUREAU RABENSTEINER, GÖLLES, FUNCO/KURT MICHAEL WESTERMANN, RAFAELA PRÖLL, LUKAS ILGNER, 

BEIGESTELLT 

Multifunktional 

Multifunctional 

Dieser Grill sollte in keinem wohlbestückten Haushalt fehlen. Mit dem Funco Gerät kann man nicht nur sitzend oder 

stehend grillen, sondern mit speziellem Zubehör auch gleich Getränke kühlen. Ein Hoch auf den Sommer! 

This grill is a must for each well-stocked household. With a Funco you will be able to grill while seating or standing 

as well as cool your drinks with special additional equipment in hot times. A cheer for the summer! 

funco.at 

Nicht nur für Gegner | Not only for the opposition 

Essig- und Schnapslegende Alois Gölles und Sohn David sagten Ja zur Loslösung vom traditionellen 

britischen Single Malt. Und schufen aus Mais, Roggen, Gerste, Weizen und Dinkel von hauseigenen 

Feldern den Brexit Whiskey. Sorgsam vergoren und behutsam destilliert, wird er danach über Jahre in 

Eichenfässern gelagert. 

Alois Gölles and son David said yes to shifting away from the traditional British single malt. Made 

from corn, rye, barley, wheat and spelt grown on their own fields they produced the Brexit Whiskey. 

Carefully fermented and skilfully distilled, it is then stored for years in oak barrels. 

goelles.at 

TOP 5 OPENINGS 

Neu in Wien | New in Vienna 

600 Weine glasweise 

/ 600 wines by the glass 

just-taste.com 

Peter Zinter am Herd 

/ Peter Zinter at the stove 

heunisch.at 

Hort guten Kaffees 

/ Good coffee stronghold 

jhornig.com 

Currywurst & Schaumwein 

/ Currywurst & sparkling wine 

zurflottencharlotte.at 

2 Sommeliers, 1 Koch 

/ 2 sommeliers, 1 chef 

mast.wine 


SAVOIR VIVRE SUITE DREAMS 

Suite Dreams 

Hilton Vienna Plaza, Presidential Suite 

Interview: Rois & Stubenrauch 

Wien als Drehscheibe internationaler Diplomatie, UNO-Standort und Schauplatz gewichtiger Konferenzen 

verfügt über eine beeindruckende Dichte an Hotels, die den Ansprüchen höchster Würdenträger 

und Staatsgäste gerecht werden. Cercle Diplomatique hat Hotelmanager Matthias Welzel um ein paar Worte 

zur Presidential Suite des 2014 rundum erneuerten Hilton Vienna Plaza gebeten. 

Vienna, as a hub for international diplomacy, UN location and the setting for key conferences, possesses 

an impressive array of hotels which are guaranteed to fulfil the demands of the highest of dignitaries and 

state guests alike. Cercle Diplomatique has asked Hotel Manager Matthias Welzel to talk a little about the 

Presidential Suite of the Hilton Vienna Plaza, which was completely revamped in 2014. 

PHOTOS: BERND DUCKE, JONATHAN COSH OF VISUAL EYE (5) 

Das Hilton Vienna Plaza wurde 2014 im Stil des Art Déco 

grundlegend erneuert – auf welche Weise erleben die Gäste 

der Presidential Suite diesen Spirit der 1920er-Jahre? 

Nicht nur die Einrichtung des renommierten Londoner Designstudios 

Robert Angell wurde von den goldenen 1920er-Jahren 

inspiriert, auch die kleinen Extras lassen die Epoche des Art Déco 

aufblühen. Auf Wunsch richtet das Plaza Team etwa eine offene 

Minibar ein, wie man es noch aus Filmen der 1920er Jahren kennt. 

Erlebbar wird das Flair der 1920er-Jahre auch in der persönlichen 

und authentischen Betreuung durch unsere „Plaza-Hosts“, welche 

die besondere Stimmung der Zeit verinnerlicht haben und als 

direkte Ansprechpartnerinnen und Ansprechpartner unserer 

Gäste, von der Begrüßung bis zur Verabschiedung, jeden Wunsch 

erfüllen. 

Welche luxuriösen Features stehen den Gästen der Suite 

zur Verfügung? 

In der 154 m2 großen Presidential Suite erleben die Gäste Platz, 

Stil und modernen Luxus durch separate Wohn-, Ankleide-, 

Ess- und Arbeitsbereiche. Eine exklusive Küche ermöglicht die 

Zubereitung spezieller Mahlzeiten. Am großen Esstisch finden bis 

zu acht Personen Platz. Der passende Wein zum Dinner kann aus 

der eigenen, begehbaren Weinbar gewählt werden und danach 

genießt man den fantastischen Ausblick auf die berühmte 

Ringstraße und den Stephansdom von der eigenen privaten 

Dachterrasse aus. 

Was unterscheidet das markante Gebäude des Hilton 

Vienna Plaza von den historischen Ringstraßenbauten? 

Als letzter kriegsbedingter Neubau an der Ringstraße wurde das 

Plaza im Oktober 1988 feierlich eröffnet. Das Haus fügt sich 

harmonisch ins Ensemble der Wiener Ringstraße ein: Das goldene 

Messinggeländer um den oberen Gebäudeteil und das Blattgold 

der Figuren auf den Metallreliefs sind Anspielungen auf die 

gegenüberliegende Börse. Man wagte aber den Sprung weg von 

der sonst üblichen Einrichtung zu einer sehr individuellen 

Ausstattung im Stil der Klassischen Moderne, die sowohl bei 

Wienern als auch internationalen Gästen großen Anklang findet. 

Welche prominenten Gäste durften Sie bereits in der Suite 

empfangen? 

Ohne Namen zu nennen, haben wir in der Presidential Suite und 

den Royal Suiten Stars und Sternchen aus Wirtschaft, Politik und 

dem Showbusiness empfangen dürfen. Als große Ehre und 

Anerkennung empfand ich das Privileg, Royalty in der Suite 

empfangen zu dürfen. 

In 2014, the Hilton Vienna Plaza was completely redesigned 

in Art Déco style — in what ways do the guests of the 

Presidential Suite get to experience the spirit of the 1920s? 

The interior design by the renowned London design studio Robert 

Angel was not the only thing that was inspired by the 1920s, but it’s 

also the little things that really lead to the blossoming of the Art Déco 

era. On request, the Plaza team will be happy to set up the kind of open 

mini bar that you can frequently see in films from the 1920s. You can 

also experience the flair of the 1920s through the personal and 

authentic assistance by our “Plaza Hosts“, who have internalised the 

special sentiment of the period and are happy to fulfil our guests’ each 

and every wish, from the welcoming to the farewell, acting as direct 

points of contact with the hotel. 

What kind of luxurious features are available to guests? 

In the 154-m2-sized Presidential Suite, guests will experience space, 

style and modern luxury via separate living, dressing, eating and 

working areas. An exclusive kitchen allows for the preparation of 

special dishes and up to eight people can be seated at the generous 

eating table. The perfect wine for the perfect dinner can be selected 

via the exclusive, walkable wine display, and afterward you can enjoy 

the fantastic view of the famous Ringstrasse and St. Stephen‘s 

Cathedral from your very own private roof terrace. 

What differentiates the distinct building of the Hilton Vienna 

Plaza from the historic Ringstrasse buildings? 

As the last war-related reconstruction on the Ringstrasse, the 

Plaza was festively inaugurated in October 1988. The building fits 

harmoniously into the ensemble of the Viennese Ringstrasse — the 

golden brass rails around the upper part of the building and the 

gold leaf of the figures on the metal relief are allusions to the stock 

exchange just across the street. However, there was also a jump 

from the usual design elements to very individualised furnishing in 

a classically modern style, which appeals to both the Viennese as 

well as international guests alike. 

Which famous guests have you already received in the suite? 

Without naming names, we‘ve welcomed stars from business, 

politics and the entertainment industry to the Presidential Suite 

and the Royal Suites. I felt particularly honoured by the privilege of 

welcoming royalty to the Suite. 

Hotelmanager Matthias 

Welzel über die Presidential 

Suite des Hilton Vienna 

Plaza 

Hotel Manager Matthias 

Welzel on the Presidential 

Suite of the Hilton Vienna 

Plaza 

INFO: 

HILTON VIENNA PLAZA 

Schottenring 11 

1010 Wien 

Tel.: +43 1 313900 

hiltonhotels.de/oesterreich/

SAVOIR VIVRE HIDEAWAYS 

Wunderbare Fluchten 

Great Escapes 

Zeit für eine sommerliche Auszeit? Wir haben vier Empfehlungen für Sie! |Time for a summer break? We’ve got four recommendations for you! 

Romantik Hotel Schloss Pichlarn 

MEHR ENTSPANNUNG 

MORE RELAXATION 

Ansicht eines Doppelzimmers (oben) und der außergewöhnliche 

18-Loch-Golfplatz gleich beim Hotel (r.). 

View of a double room (top) and the exceptional golf court 

with 18 holes next to the hotel (r.). 


Die Gastgeber sind Hoteldirektor 

Engelbert Lainer-Wartenberg und 

Resident Manager Ines Wohlmuther- 

Maier (oben); links der Außenpool 

mit imposanter Bergkulisse. 

General Manager Engelbert 

Lainer-Wartenberg and Resident 

Manager Ines Wohlmuther-Maier are 

the hosts (top); 

the outdoor pool with impressing 

mountain setting (left). 

PHOTOS: RICHARD SCHABETSBERGER, ANDREAS WALCHER; GREGOR HOFBAUER; PHILIPP KREIDL, UWE TOELLE 

Auf einer Anhöhe im steirischen Ennstal steht das 1.000 

Jahre alte Schloss Pichlarn vor der Kulisse des 

mächtigen Berg Grimming und empfängt seine Gäste als ihr 

Kraftplatz für Gesundheit, Golf und Genuss. Die 96 Zimmer 

und Suiten, mit für das Schloss eigens entworfenen Möbeln 

und Stoffen, garantieren ein unvergleichliches Wohlfühlerlebnis 

und verfügen über einen traumhaften Ausblick auf die 

umliegende Landschaft. 

Zum Ruhe und Kraft tanken bietet das Schloss einen 4.500 

m2 Wellnessbereich und SPA mit einem Außenpool, einem 

Innenpool, drei Whirlpools und sechs Saunen, einem 

Ayurvedabereich sowie einem ausgewählten Angebot an 

Massagen und Beautybehandlungen. 

Golfer haben den Abschlag auf dem hoteleigenen 

18-Loch-Golfplatz direkt vor der Hoteltüre. Das Schloss 

Resort bietet je zwei Innen- und Außentennisplätze sowie 

einen Beachvolleyballplatz. 

Die Hauben gekrönte Kulinarik genießen Gäste in den vier 

Restaurants des Schlosses. Exquisite Weine werden mit 

dem Sommelier in der Weinlounge verkostet. Whiskey und 

Zigarre genießen Gäste im Roten Salon, erfrischende 

Cocktails in der Schloss Bar. 

High up in the Styrian Ennstal valley, you will find the 

1000-year-old Pichlarn Castle right in front of the 

impressive scenery of the mighty Grimming mountain, 

receiving visitors with its special energy and providing 

health, golfing and indulgence. The 96 rooms and suites, 

with furniture and fabrics specially designed for the castle, 

promise unforgettable moments of wellbeing and delight 

with dreamy views across the surrounding landscape. 

For relaxing and rejuvenating, the castle provides a 4,500 

m2 wellness area with a spa and an outdoor pool, an indoor 

pool, three whirlpools and six saunas, an Ayurveda area as 

well as selected offers for massages and beauty treatments. 

Golf enthusiasts will get to test their skills at the in-house 

18-hole golf course right in front of the hotel. Furthermore, 

the castle resort provides two indoor and outdoor tennis 

courts as well as a beach volleyball court. 

The castle’s award-winning cuisine delight guests in the 

four restaurants. Exquisite wines can be sampled with the 

sommelier in the wine longue. Whiskey and cigars are 

enjoyed in the Red Saloon, whereas refreshing cocktails are 

provided in the Castle Bar. 

INFO: 

Romantik Hotel Schloss Pichlarn 

Zur Linde 1 

8943 Aigen im Ennstal 

Tel.: +43/(0) 3682/24 440-0 

schlosspichlarn.at 

Ruby Lissi Hotel Vienna 

Holzböden, Kirschholzvertäfelungen sowie edle Stoffe und 

tolle Betten warten in der Neueröffnung im ehemaligen 

Kloster, nahe Schwedenplatz und Stephansdom. Mit coolem 

E-Gitarren-Verleih und einer Bar, die für Hotelgäste rund um 

die Uhr zur Verfügung steht. 

Wooden floors, cherry wood panels, exquisite fabrics and 

amazing beds await you in the newly opened hotel in the 

former monastery near Schwedenplatz square and St. 

Stephen’s Cathedral. It includes a neat electric guitar rental 

service and a bar open to hotel guests 24 hours a day. 

ruby-hotels.com 

Schüttkasten 

Die bekannte Wachauer Hoteliersfamilie Pichler ist neuer 

Gastgeber in diesem nostalgischen Ambiente im 

niederösterreichischen Waldviertel. Und so heißt der 

Schüttkasten, ein klösterliches Gutsgebäude, nunmehr 

Kunst & Kultur Seminarhotel Geras. 

Wachau’s renowned hotel family Pichler is the new host at 

the nostalgic atmosphere in Waldviertel in Lower Austria. 

And this is why Schüttkasten, a monastic building, is now 

known as the Art & Culture Seminar Hotel Geras. 

schuettkasten-geras.at 

Schlosswirt zu Anif 

Am Rande der Festspielstadt 

Salzburg gelegen, ist der 

Biedermeier-Gasthof ein Hort 

feinster österreichischer Küche 

und Weinkultur. Das Gästebuch 

spiegelt die Begeisterung 

zahlreicher internationaler Künstler wider. Mit urigen 

Zimmern zum längeren Verbleib. 

Located on the outskirts of the festival city of Salzburg, the 

Biedermeier Guesthouse is a refuge with the finest 

selections from Austria’s cuisine and wine culture. The 

guestbook reflects the enthusiasm of the many international 

artists who have visited here. The rustic rooms will make you 

want to stay even longer. schlosswirt-anif.at

SAVOIR VIVRE TRAVEL 

Fernweh 

Itchy Feet 

Die besten Hotels und Restaurants aus aller Welt. | The best hotels and restaurants around the world. 

Text: Gerald Sturz 

Insel Kos | Island of Kos 

Casa Cook Kos 

Thailand 

Robinson Club Khao Lak 

Mit Beginn der Wintersaison 2017 erwartet Sonnenhungrige und Erholungssuchende an der 

Westküste Thailands, etwa 85 Kilometer von Phuket entfernt, der Robinson Club Khao Lak. Er ist 

der erste Robinson Club in Thailand. Er liegt inmitten des nahezu unberührten Khao Lak 

Regenwaldes, direkt an einem herrlich langen und flachen Sandstrand an der Andamanensee, 

dem Pak Weep Beach. Der Club hat 320 Zimmer und Villen in einer Größe von bis zu 350 

Quadratmetern und ist insbesondere für Paare und Singles, aber auch für Familien mit Kindern 

geeignet. Zur Anlage gehören fünf Pools sowie zwei Kinderpools inklusive kleinen Wasserrutschen. 

Kulinarisch können sich Gäste in vier Restaurants verwöhnen lassen und auf Vollpension 

„made by Robinson“ freuen. Für Kinder ab drei Jahren wird es einen Roby Club geben. 

Sportlichen Gästen wird viel geboten werden: Tennis, Fuß-, Volley- und Basketball sowie 

Bogenschießen. Wassersportler können sich im Stand-Up Paddling und Kajakfahren üben. Die 

attraktiven Ausflugsoptionen reichen von Trekking, Radfahren oder Strandspaziergängen an den 

kilometerlangen Stränden von Khao Lak bis hin zu Ausflügen in zahlreiche National- und 

Marineparks, wie z.B. die berühmten Similan Islands, einem der schönsten Tauch- und 

Schnorchelreviere weltweit. 

At the beginning of the 2017 winter season, those craving sunshine and relaxation at Thailand’s 

beautiful west coast will be greeted by the Robinson Club Khao Lak located approximately 85 

kilometres from Phuket. It lies amid the nearly untouched Khao Lak rainforest, directly by a long 

and flat sandy beach at the Andaman Sea, the Pak Weep Beach. The club has 320 rooms and 

villas up to 350 m2 big and particularly suitable for couples and singles, but also for families 

with children. Part of the facility is comprised of five swimming pools as well as kids’ pools with 

little water slides. In terms of cuisine, guests can be spoilt in four different restaurants and can 

look forward to an excellent full board service ”made by Robinson“. For children aged three 

years and older, there is the Roby Club. There is always plenty on offer for athletic guests as well 

— tennis, football, volleyball and basketball as well as archery. Water sports enthusiasts get to 

test their stand-up paddling and kayaking skills. The attractive excursion programme includes 

trekking, cycling and beach walks along the kilometre-long beaches of Khao Lak as well as trips 

to the countless national and marine parks such as the famous Similan Islands for example, one 

of the most beautiful diving and snorkelling areas in the world. 

robinson.com 

PHOTOS: BEIGESTELLT 

An einem der schönsten Küstenabschnitte der 

griechischen Insel Kos, im Norden nahe der Ortschaft 

Marmari, dort, wo das weite Tal auf das blaue Meer 

trifft, eröffnet am 1. Juli die Casa Cook Kos, das zweite 

Haus der neuen Lifestyle-Kollektion von Thomas Cook. 

Die Villen sind von den traditionellen Häusern der 

Inseln inspiriert. Sie sind einfach gestaltet und 

dennoch stilvoll, die Atmosphäre ist lässig. Ein guter 

Ort für einen entspannten Sommerurlaub am Meer. 

On one of the most beautiful coastal stretches on the 

Greek islands of Kos, up north near the town of 

Marmari where the wide valley meets the blue sea, 

the Casa Cook Kos opened on 1 July, the 2nd spot of 

the new lifestyle collection by Thomas Cook. The 

villas are inspired by the traditional houses on the 

islands, are decorated in a low key and yet stylish way, 

the atmosphere is casual. A great place to spend a 

relaxing summer holiday by the sea. 

casacook.com 

Istrien | Istria 

Kempinski Hotel Adriatic 

Im Nordwesten Istriens, nahe der Ortschaft Savudrija, befindet sich das Kempinski Hotel Adriatic, Kroatiens 

erstes Fünf-Sterne Golf- und Spa-Resort. Das Hotel hat 186 Zimmer und Suiten; zur Ausstattung gehören 

zwei Gourmet Restaurants, drei Bars, ein 3.000 Quadratmeter großes Spa samt Gym, ein Kempinski Kids 

Club, eine eigene Kapelle, die sich bestens für Hochzeiten eignet. Das alles ist von einem großzügigen 

mediterranen Park umgeben. Wer Lust auf Meer hat, der findet einen vom Resort betreuten Strand. Wer hier 

Meetings und Konferenzen abhalten will, mehrere Konferenzsäle im Hotel und ein Konferenzzentrum am 

Strand, von dem man einen wunderbaren Blick aufs Meer hat. Der Golf Club Adriatic ist der erste 

18-Loch-Championship-Golf-Course in Istrien. 

In the north-west of Istria, near the town of Savudrija, you will find the Kempinski Hotel Adriatic, Croatia’s 

first five-star golf and spa resort. The hotel has 186 rooms and suites. Part of the amenities are two gourmet 

restaurants, three bars, a 3,000 m 2 spa and gym, a Kempinski Kids Club and a chapel, perfectly suited for 

weddings. All this is surrounded by a generous Mediterranean park. Those excited to be at the sea will 

enjoy the resort-managed beach, whereas others interested in meetings and conferences will have access 

to several conference halls in the hotel as well as a conference centre by the beach with a gorgeous view 

onto the sea. The Golf Club Adriatic is the first 18-hole championship golf course in Istria. 

kempinski.com 

New York City 

Chinese Tuxedo Restaurant 

Einer von New Yorks aktuellen kulinarischen Hotspots befindet sich in einer abgelegenen Ecke Chinatowns, 

in der Doyers Street. Die hat einen legendären Ruf. Einst trugen die Triaden hier ihre Bandenkämpfe aus und 

so wurde jener Knick, den die recht kurze und L-förmige Straße macht, ehrfurchtsvoll „The Bloody Angle“ 

genannt. Heute ist die Doyers Street eine sichere Straße. Das “Chinese Tuxedo“, so heißt das Restaurant, 

befindet sich in einem ehemaligen Opernhaus, was zu seinem sehr theatralischen Ambiente beiträgt. Hier 

gibt es nun wagemutige neo-chinesische Küche, vor allem die Dumplings werden sehr geschätzt. 

One of New York’s current culinary hotspots is located in a remote corner in Chinatown, in Doyers Street. It 

has a legendary reputation. Once upon a time, the Triads held their gang fights here and thus the little bend, 

made by the relatively short, L-shaped street, got to be known as “the Bloody Angle“. Today, Doyers Street 

is completely safe. The “Chinese Tuxedo“ restaurant is located in a former opera house, contributing to the 

very theatrical atmosphere. Today it’s a place for courageous neo-Chinese cuisine, especially the dumplings 

are highly valued here. 

chinesetuxedo.com 


SAVOIR VIVRE TRAVEL 

ROBINSON Club Nobilis 

© Robinson Club 4/4 

New York City 

Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown 

„Downtown New York hat sich zu einem der lebendigsten Viertel der Stadt entwickelt“, sagt Peter Humig, General 

Manager dieses neuen Hotels von Four Seasons. „Es ist nicht mehr nur ein Geschäftsviertel. Gäste spüren diese 

neue Energie von der Minute an, in der sie ankommen und wir sind stolz darauf, mittendrin im Herzen dieses 

Stadtviertels zu sein.“ Das Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown ist der ideale Ausgangspunkt um das neue, 

sehr vitale Lower Manhattan zu erkunden. Das Hotel liegt in Tribeca, und von hier sind es nur wenige Schritte zur 

Wall Street, zum neuen World Trade Center und zum atemberaubenden neuen Transportation-Hub. Auch zu 

angesagten Neighbourhoods wie Soho und dem Meatpacking District mit ihren Boutiquen, Restaurants und Bars 

ist es nicht weit. Bemerkenswert ist das Restaurant des Hotels. Vor allem Steak-Liebhaber werden “Cut“, das 

erste Lokal des aus Österreich stammenden Starkochs Wolfgang Puck in New York, lieben. 

”Downtown New York has become one of the city’s liveliest quarters“, says Peter Humig, general manager of the 

new Four Seasons hotel. ”It’s no longer just a business quarter. Guests feel this new energy mere moments after 

arriving and we are very proud of our location in the centre of this city quarter.“ The Four Seasons Hotel New York 

Downtown is the ideal starting point for exploring the new, very lively Lower Manhattan. The Hotel is located in 

Tribeca, and from here it’s only a few steps to Wall Street, the new World Trade Center and to the breathtaking 

new transportation hub. And other hip neighbourhoods like Soho and the Meatpacking District, with its many 

boutiques, restaurants and bars, are not far away either. The hotel’s restaurant is particularly noteworthy. 

Especially steak lovers will love ”Cut”, Austrian star chef Wolfgang Puck’s first restaurant in New York. 

fourseasons.com 

Asien | Asia 

Aman Private Jet Wellness 

Journeys 

Das ist die ultimative Erfahrung für Spa- und 

Wellness-Junkies. An einigen der schönsten 

Plätze Asiens können Gäste der Private Jet 

Wellness Journeys ihre Spa-, Yoga- und 

Meditations-Übungen machen. So führt etwa 

von 18. September bis 3. Oktober eine Reise 

zuerst nach Bali in die Resorts Amandari und 

Amankila, dann nach Java ins Amanjiwo und auf 

den Philippinen ins Amanpulo. Zu Ende geht die 

Reise im Amanoi in Vietnam. Begleitet und 

betreut wird sie von anerkannten Experten. 

Geflogen wird mit einem Legacy-Jet von 

Embraer. Von 2. bis 15. November führt eine 

weitere Jet-Reise nach Indien, Sri Lanka und 

Thailand. 

This is the ultimate experience for spa and 

wellness addicts. With Private Jet Wellness 

Journeys, guests will be able to carry out their 

spa, yoga and meditation practices at some of 

the most beautiful places in Asia. Between 18 

September and 3 October, one of the journeys 

will begin in Bali, at the Amandari and Amankila 

resorts, then head to Java at the Amanjiwo and 

then to the Phillipines at the Amanpulo resort. 

The journey concludes at the Amanoi in 

Vietnam. You will be accompanied and guided 

by leading experts. Air travel is serviced by one 

of Embraer’s Legacy Jet. Between 2 and 15 

November, an additional Jet Journey leads 

through India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. 

aman.com 


ROBINSON CLUB – 

A wonderful break in paradise 

The ROBINSON premium Club concept represents a positive 

attitude to life and a unique holiday experience in an 

atmosphere characterised by harmony and open-mindedness. 

As Germany’s market leader in the club resort segment, 

guests are presented with a wide variety of possibilities to 

satisfy their every need: In addition to a large WellFit ® offer, 

varied entertainment, a broad range of events and activities 

for all ages and age-appropriate child care, special focus is 

also placed on all forms of water sports, tennis and of course 

top-class golf courses. A ROBINSON holiday is all about 

providing activities that stimulate and relax. 

ROBINSON Club Quinta da Ria 


A special highlight for all golfers: 


Located on the sun-kissed coast of the Algarve in Portugal lies the 

ROBINSON Club Quinta da Ria situated between two exclusive golf 

courses, the Quinta da Ria and the Quinta de Cima. The two fantastic 

18-hole courses are sure to fascinate with their distinctive designs 

not to mention the unbelievable views practically at the ROBINSON 

Clubs front doorstep. The key highlights of the resort: unspoiled beaches, 

direct proximity to the Atlantic, beautifully manicured courses 

in exceptional condition. 

ROBINSON Club Nobilis 

Directly situated on the Club premises lies the beautiful 18-hole 

parkland course. This unique course is truly stunning, with its broad 

tree-lined fairways and the natural pine forests which also play their 

part in creating a wonderful backdrop for all lovers of golf. Another 

11 golf facilities with 14 golf courses are located no more than 20 

minutes away by car, including the Lykia Links dunes golf course. 

Advice and bookings at your local TUI shop or at 

www.robinson.com 


ROBINSON Club Nobilis

SAVOIR VIVRE AUSTRIAN CULTURE GOES INTERNATIONAL 

Kultur ist Politik 

Culture is politics 

Kleines Land, große Kulturnation: Mit jährlich mehr als 6.000 Konzerten, Ausstellungen, 

Lesungen, Filmvorführungen und wissenschaftlichen Veranstaltungen weltweit betreibt Österreichs 

Auslandskultur eine äußerst selbstbewusste Kulturdiplomatie. 

Small country, rich in culture — with more than 6,000 annual concerts, exhibitions, lectures, film 

screenings and science events around the globe, Austria‘s Foreign Cultural Policy has committed 

itself to steadfast cultural diplomacy work. 


Weltweites 

Netzwerk 

Worldwide network 

Flaggschiff der Österreichischen 

Auslandskultur ist 

das Austrian Cultural Forum 

New York. 

Flagship of Austria‘s Foreign 

Cultural Policy is the Austrian 

Cultural Forum New York. 

PHOTOS: DAVID PLAKKE; BMEIA; MAHMOUD ASHRAF 

Mit ihren virtuosen Melodien irgendwo zwischen 

Tango, Folk und Wiener Klassik, 

dargebracht auf zwei Gitarren und Violine, 

begeisterten Cobario die Zuschauer im schönen Gebäude 

des Österreichischen Kulturforums Istanbul: 

Der gefeierte Auftritt des Wiener Instrumentaltrios 

Ende März im noblen Stadtteil Yeniköy, reiht sich in 

die über 6.000 Veranstaltungen jährlich, die die Österreichische 

Auslandskultur ausrichtet. Gegenwärtig 

besteht dieses Netzwerk der Kulturpolitik aus 31 Kulturforen 

und Kooperationsbüros, 89 Botschaften und 

Generalkonsulaten, 65 Österreich Bibliotheken, neun 

Österreich-Instituten, zwei Wissenschafts- und Technologiebüros 

sowie der Kulturpolitischen Sektion im 

Bundesministerium für Europa, Integration und Äußeres. 

Die Kulturdiplomatie hat in Österreich eine 

lange Tradition: Bereits 1935 wurde in Rom das erste 

Österreichische Kulturforum eröffnet. Ab den 1950er 

Jahren folgten weitere Städte wie London, Teheran, 

Berlin, Mexiko oder Tel Aviv und zuletzt 2007 New 

Delhi. 

Kulturnation Österreich 

„Kunst und Kultur sind ein Weg, auf dem Österreich 

mit der Welt gut kommunizieren kann. Österreich 

hat darin eine hohe Glaubwürdigkeit. Umgekehrt 

gibt es international eine hohe 

Erwartungshaltung, weil die Kultur so stark mit dem 

österreichischen Selbstverständnis verbunden ist“, 

meint Botschafterin Teresa Indjein, seit Anfang 2016 

Leiterin der Kultursektion im Außenministerium, 

im Gespräch mit Cercle Diplomatique. Österreichs 

Erbe prunkvoller vergangener Epochen, das eng mit 

seiner Musikgeschichte verwoben ist, auch die glanzvolle 

Ära des Jugendstils, tragen zweifelsohne viel 

zum hohen kulturellen Status der kleinen Alpenrepublik 

bei. Die Kulturdiplomatie setzt diesem vorgezeichneten 

Bild jedoch ganz bewusst ein sehr buntes 

Kaleidoskop an kulturellen Aktivitäten entgegen, um 

respektierte Traditionen nicht als Klischees festzuschreiben, 

sondern vielmehr als Ausgangspunkt für 

Innovation zu nützen. 

Fokus auf jungen Talenten 

„Wir bemühen uns vor allem um jene Kunstschaffende 

und Kreative, die ihre großen Schritte hinaus 

in die Welt noch vor sich haben. Unser Blick gilt der 

aktuellen Kunst und den neuen Talenten“, umreißt 

Teresa Indjein die Linie der Auslandskulturarbeit. 

Konkret resultieren aus diesem Fokus etwa die langjährigen 

Programme „The New Austrian Sound of 

Music“, das neue Österreichische Formationen von 

Klassik über Jazz bis Pop vorstellt, oder „schreibART 

Austria“, das aktuelles literarisches Schaffen aus Österreich 

präsentiert. 

Kultur als Friedensarbeit 

Nicht weniger als 4.787 Projektpartner vor Ort 

sind im Jahrbuch der Österreichischen Auslandskultur 

2015 angeführt, die in Zusammenarbeit mit den 

Kulturforen und Botschaften an über 2.500 verschiedenen 

geografischen Orten Konzerte, Filmvorführungen, 

Lesungen und wissenschaftliche Veranstaltungen 

organisierten. In diesem fein verästelten 

Netzwerk liegt für Teresa Indjein eine der großen 

Stärken, die es ermöglicht, Kontakte zu knüpfen und 

zu unterhalten, die weit über die Politik hinausreichen: 

„Die Kultur ist die Basis der Politik! Das politische 

System einer Gesellschaft entwickelt sich aus 

der Kultur. Wo Politik scheitert oder zerstört, schafft 

die Kultur wieder die ersten Knospen von Zusammenarbeit. 

Ich betrachte die österreichische Auslandskulturarbeit 

als kreative und gestaltende Friedensarbeit.“ 

Besondere Aufmerksamkeit, auch im Rahmen einer 

EU-Kulturpolitik, genießen natürlich Österreichs 

südöstliche Nachbarländer. Als Teil des 2015 

gestarteten Westbalkan Schwerpunktes etwa läuft, 

nach Serbien und Bosnien-Herzegowina, 2017 das 

Kulturjahr Österreich-Kroatien. „Die Zusammenarbeit 

mit Kroatien floriert!“, zeigt sie sich hocherfreut. 

„Dank des tollen Engagements der Kroatischen Botschaft 

in Österreich und des Kulturforums in Zagreb 

werden es am Ende an die 200 Projekte sein. Besonders 

freut uns, dass nun im Oktober die wunderschöne 

Ausstellung „Wien und Zagreb um 1900“ 

nach Zagreb auch in Wien im Belvedere gezeigt 

wird.“ Da ist die Hoffnung durchaus berechtigt, dass 

der rege Austausch über das Netzwerk der Österreichischen 

Kulturforen die Welt tatsächlich zu einem 

friedlicheren Ort macht. 

With their brilliant melodies based somewhere 

between tango, folk and Viennese 

classic, manifested through guitars and 

violins, Cobario amazed their audience in the beautiful 

building of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Istanbul. 

The celebrated performance by the Viennese instrumental 

trio at the end of March in the classy city 

district of Yeniköy was just one of more than 6,000 

events annually organised by Austria‘s Foreign Cultural 

Policy. Currently, this network of cultural policies 

consists of 31 cultural forums and cooperation offices, 

89 embassies and consulate generals, 65 Austrian libraries, 

nine Austrian institutes, two science and tech- 

KULTURBOTSCHAFTERIN. 

I.E. Teresa Indjein leitet seit 2016 die 

Kultursektion im Außenministerium. 

CULTURAL AMBASSADOR. 

Since 2016, H.E. Teresa Indjein is 

Director General of the Culture Section 

at the Austrian Federal Ministry for 

Foreign Affairs. 

TOUREN UM DIE WELT. 

Johannes Fleischmann & 

Anna Magdalena Kokits sind 

Teil des Programms „New 

Austrian Sound of Music“. 

TOURING THE WORLD. 

Johannes Fleischmann and 

Anna Magdalena Kokits are 

part of the programme 

“New Austrian Sound of 

Music“. 



111

SAVOIR VIVRE AUSTRIAN CULTURE GOES INTERNATIONAL 

INFO 

HIGHLIGHTS 

ÖSTERREICHISCHER 

AUSLANDSKULTUR 

2017 

AUSTRIAN CULTURAL 

POLICY HIGHLIGHTS 2017 

Kulturjahr Österreich- 

Kroatien mit rund 200 

Projekten in Österreich und 

Kroatien 

Cultural Year Austria- 

Croatia with around 200 

projects in both Austria and 

Croatia 

Österreichisches 

Kulturforum New York 

75. Jahrestag der Gründung 

1942 durch österreichische 

Exilanten 

15. Geburtstag des neuen, 

von Raimund Abraham 

entworfenen Gebäudes an 

der East 52 nd Street in 

Manhattan 

Austrian Cultural Forum 

New York 

75 th anniversary of the 

founding by Austrian 

expatriates in 1942 

15 th birthday of the new 

building, designed by 

Raimund Abraham, at East 

52 nd Street in Manhattan 


Kulturforum Moskau 

Ausstellung in Birobidzhan 

(eine künstlerische 

Entdeckung des Jüdischen 

Autonomen Gebietes) 

Projekt „MIR – Das Dorf und 

die Welt“ bei der Krasnoyarsk 

Museum Biennale. 


Moscow 

Exhibition in Birobidzhan (an 

artistic exploration of the 

Jewish autonomous region) 

Project ”MIR — the Village 

and the World” at the 

Krasnoyarsk Museum 

Biennale. 

Österreichische Botschaft 

Luxemburg 

Sonderausstellung zum 300. 

Geburtstag von Kaiserin 

Maria Theresia, die auch 

Herzogin von Luxemburg war. 

Austrian Embassy 

Luxembourg 

Special exhibition commemorating 

the 300 th birthday of 

Empress Maria Theresa who 

was also the Duchess of 

Luxembourg 


Kulturforum Teheran 

Ausstellungsreihe und 

Workshops in Kooperation 

mit der Ars Electronica 


Teheran 

Exhibition series and 

workshops in collaboration 

with Ars Electronica 

„MONDSCHEIN“ (1914) VON MATO MEDOVIC. 

Austellung im Belvedere im Rahmen des Kulturjahres 

Österreich-Kroatien 2017. 

“MOONLIGHT“ (1914) BY MATO MEDOVIC. Exhibition at the 

Belvedere within the Cultural Year Austria-Croatia 2017. 

DEUTSCH LERNEN. STUDYING GERMAN. 

Sprachkurs im Österreichischen Kulturforum Teheran. 

Language class at the Austrian Cultural Forum Teheran. 

WIENER WELTMUSIK. VIENNESE WORLD MUSIC. 

Das Trio Cobario spielte heuer im Österreichischen Kulturforum 

Istanbul. 

The Trio Cobario performed at the Austrian Cultural Forum 

Istanbul this year. 

INFO 

bmeia.gv.at 

nology offices as well as the cultural and political sections 

in the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration 

and Foreign Affairs. Cultural diplomacy is an Austrian 

tradition. In 1935, the first Austrian cultural forum 

was opened in Rome, additional cities such as London, 

Teheran, Berlin, Mexico City or Tel Aviv followed 

starting in the 1950s. The last city to be added was 

New Delhi in 2007. 

Austria, nation of culture 

”Art and culture are a way for Austria to communicate 

with the entire world. Austria enjoys strong credibility 

here. Conversely, there is also much expectation 

on an international level, because culture is so tightly 

intertwined with Austria’s identity,“ says Ambassador 

Teresa Indjein, Head of the Culture Section of the Foreign 

Ministry since the beginning of 2016, in a talk 

with Cercle Diplomatique. Austria‘s heritage of pompous 

epochs, into which its musical history is also 

deeply embedded, as well as the glittering art nouveau 

era, undoubtedly contributes to the small Alpine 

republic‘s widespread cultural appreciation. Cultural 

diplomacy, however, adds a colourful kaleidoscope of 

cultural activities to this already excellent picture, cementing 

respected traditions not only as mere clichés, 

but much rather as starting points for new innovations. 

A focus on young talent 

”We pay particular attention to those artists and 

creative talents that still have their big breaks into the 

world ahead of them. We’re always on the look out for 

new contemporary art and talent,“ Teresa Indjein says 

to summarise the work of the Foreign Cultural Policy. 

Long-time programmes result from this focus such as 

“The New Austrian Sound of Music“, which presents 

new Austrian formations from classic to jazz and pop, 

or “schreibART Austria“, which introduces contemporary 

literary works from Austria. 

Culture as peacekeeping 

No less than 4,787 project partners were registered 

in the logbook of the Austrian Foreign Cultural Policy 

for 2015, which, in collaboration with the cultural forums 

and the embassies, organised concerts, film 

screenings, lectures and science events in more than 

2,500 different locations. In this finely tuned network, 

Teresa Indjein sees one of the great strengths of 

Austria‘s Foreign Cultural Policy, which allows for the 

formation and maintenance of new connections ex- 

PHOTOS: PRIVATSAMMLUNG, ZAGREB; JOSEF POLLEROSS; COBARIO; MEETFACTORY; ÖKF ISTANBUL 

tending far beyond politics. ”Culture is the basis of 

politics! The political system of a society emerges 

from its culture. And where politics fails or destroys, 

culture forms the first seeds of collaboration. I consider 

Austria’s Foreign Cultural Policy a creative form of 

peacekeeping.“ 

Particular attention, also as part of the EU Cultural 

Policy, is enjoyed by Austria’s south-eastern neighbouring 

countries. As part of the focus on the Western 

Balkans launched in 2015, and after Serbia and Bosnia 

and Herzegovina, the Cultural Year of 2017 is Austrian-Croatian. 

”The collaboration with Croatia is flourishing!“ 

says Teresa Indjein with much excitement. 

”Thanks to the great engagement from the Croatian 

Embassy in Austria and the Cultural Forum in Zagreb, 

it’s going to end up being around 200 projects. We 

are particularly excited that the great exhibit ‘Vienna 

and Zagreb around 1900’ will be coming to the Belvedere 

in Vienna in October after it has been shown in 

Zagreb.“ This certainly justifies the hope that a rigorous 

exchange via the network of the Austrian Cultural 

Forums will indeed make the world a more peaceful 

place. 

„UNIVERSAL HOSPITALITY“. 

Die Austellung der Meet Factory in Prag wurde heuer mit 

dem ÖKF Prag realisiert. 

The exhibition of Pragues‘s Meet Factory was realised with 

the Austrian Cultural Forum Prague this year. 

IM GARTEN DES KULTURFORUMS 

ISTANBUL. AT THE GARDEN OF 

ISTANBUL‘S CULTURAL FORUM. 

Season Opening 2016 mit türkischen und 

österreichischen Bands und DJs. 

Season Opening 2016 with Turkish and 

Austrian bands and DJs.

SAVOIR VIVRE CLASSICAL SUMMER BURGENLAND 

Pannonische Sommerklänge 

Pannonian summer tunes 


Ob unter freiem Himmel im Steinbruch oder im ehemaligen Salon Maria Theresias im Barockschloss – 

das Burgenland hat eine lange Tradition an hochkarätigen Sommerfestspielen – auch weil der schöne 

Landstrich fest mit den Biografien von Joseph Haydn und Franz Liszt verwoben ist. 

The province of Burgenland has a long–lasting tradition of top-class festivals and summer concerts – also 

due to the fact this beautiful stretch of land is so tightly woven into the biographies of Joseph Haydn and 

Franz Liszt. 

Angelika Kirchschlager, Mischa Maisky, Fazil 

Say, Elisabeth Kulman... Die Riege der Klassikweltstars, 

die im Laufe des Sommers 2017 

im Burgenland zu erleben ist, ist (wieder einmal) äußerst 

beeindruckend, was zu einem guten Anteil sicherlich 

den vielen grandiosen Spielorten geschuldet 

ist. „Allein der Moment, wenn während der Aufführung 

die Sonne über dem Steinbruch untergeht, die 

Felsen in ein magisches Licht taucht und sich der Zauber 

des Ortes mit der genialen Komposition vereint!“, 

schwärmt Anja Bihlmaier, Shootingstar der deutschen 

Opernszene und neue musikalische Leiterin der Oper 

im Steinbruch. „Die einzigartige Atmosphäre dieser 

Freilichtbühne hat mindestens genauso viele Facetten 

wie die wunderbare Musik Giuseppe Verdis.“ Verdis 

Meisterwerk Rigoletto steht diesen Sommer in der pittoresken 

Felslandschaft des Römersteinbruchs St. 

Margarethen – seit 21 Jahren Schauplatz eindrucksvoller 

Freilicht-Opernaufführungen – am Programm. 

OPER IM STEINBRUCH 

PHOTOS: ANDREAS TISCHLER, NEDA NAVAEE; HORST OSSINGER; ARENARIA; BEATRIX LEHNER; LUKAS BECK; IRENE ZANDL 

Musikalische Reise 

Joseph Haydn verbrachte große Teile seines Musikerlebens 

im Burgenland. Auf eine Tour entlang 

der Wirkungsstätten des Komponisten – von der 

Bergkirche in Eisenstadt, wo Mischa Maisky ein Cello 

Solo für Haydn gibt, bis zu Schloss Eszterháza am 

Südende des Neusiedler Sees, der Sommerresidenz 

von Haydns langjährigem Arbeitgeber Fürst Nikolaus 

I. Esterházy – begeben sich diesen Sommer die 

Haydn Land Tage. „Die Neuausrichtung des Festivals 

bietet eine unglaubliche Vielfalt an Spielstätten 

in direktem Bezug zu Joseph Haydns Leben und 

Wirken“, freut sich Intendant Walter Reicher auf eine 

äußerst vielfältige musikalische Reise. 

Quartett im Barockjuwel 

Eine der Stationen der Haydn Land Tage ist auch 

der einstige sommerliche Wohnsalon Maria Theresias 

auf Schloss Halbturn. Der prachtvolle Rahmen 

des Barockschlosses ist ebenso bereits zum 44. Mal 

Schauplatz der hochkarätigen Halbturner Schlosskonzerte. 

„Für das diesjährige Festivalprogramm 

habe ich mich daher – mit einem „Augenzwinkern“ 

– von der Zahl 4 inspirieren lassen,“ gibt Robert 

Lehrbaumer, gefragter Pianist und seit mehr als zwei 

Jahrzehnten künstlerischer Leiter der Schlosskonzerte, 

einen Einblick in den Konzertreigen 2017. „Es 

liegt auf der Hand, dass mit dem wunderbaren Minetti-Quartett 

ein Streichquartett auftreten wird – 

aber auch ein Gesangsquartett rund um den großen 

SCHLOSSKONZERTE HALBTURN 

Diesen Sommer steht in St. Margarethen Verdis Rigoletto am Programm: Mit Anja Bihlmaier als neue musikalische Leiterin, Vladislav Sulimsky als Rigoletto und 

Elena Sancho Pereg als Gilda. This summer, the programme in St. Margarethen includes Verdi‘s Rogoletto: with Anja Bihlmaier as new musical director, Vladislav Sulimsky 

as Rigoletto and Elena Sancho Pereg as Gilda. 

Angelika Kirchschlager und das Minetti Quartett sind zwei der vielen Highlights der Schlosskonzerte 

Halbturn 2017. Angelika Kirchschlager and the Minetti Quartet are just two of many highlights of this 

year‘s concerts at Halbturn Palace. 



115

SAVOIR VIVRE CLASSICAL SUMMER BURGENLAND 

PICKNICKKONZERTE 

ESTERHÁZY 

HAYDN LAND TAGE 

Joseph Haydn‘s life and work,“ rejoices festival director 

Walter Reich as he looks forward to an exceptionally 

diverse, musical journey. 

An Samstagen im Juli & August 2017 

INFO 

KLASSIKSOMMER 

BURGENLAND 

Halbturner Schlosskonzerte 

8.7. - 26.8.2017 

halbturner-schlosskonzerte.at 

Oper im Steinbruch 

„Rigoletto“, 12.7. - 19.8.2017 

arenaria.at 

Picknickkonzerte 

Fazil Say, 15. u. 16.7.2017 

Sharon Kam, 

19. u. 20.8.2017 

esterhazy.at 

Haydn Land Tage 

24.8. - 3.9.2017 

haydnfestival.at 

Liszt Festival Raiding 

21. - 25.6.2017 

lisztfestival.at 

Kammermusikfest 

Lockenhaus 

6. - 15.7.2017 

kammermusikfest.at 

Seefestspiele Mörbisch 

„Der Vogelhändler“, 

7.7. - 19.8.2017 

seefestspiele-moerbisch.at 

Sommerfestival Kittsee 

„Die Csardasfürstin“, 28.06. 

- 15.7.2017 

sommerfestival.at 

JOpera Jennersdorf 

„Carmen“, 3. - 13.8.2017 

jopera.at 

LISZT FESTIVAL RAIDING 

Bass Robert Holl. Weiters stehen Auszüge aus Vivaldis 

„Vier Jahreszeiten“ und außergewöhnliche Konzertabende 

zu vier Händen in der Besetzung Klavier/ 

Gitarre und Harfe/Violine auf dem Programm.“ Jodelstar 

Christina Zurbrügg sowie Angelika Kirchschlager 

und Sona MacDonald stehen ebenfalls auf 

der eindrucksvollen Besetzungsliste der Halbturner 

Schlosskonzerte. 

Die großen Komponisten des Burgenlandes 

Im Haydnsaal in Schloss Esterházy in Eisenstadt 

ist diesen Sommer im Rahmen der Picknickkonzerte 

Ausnahmepianist Fasil Say und die Klarinettistin 

Sharon Kam zu erleben. Der zweite große Sohn des 

Burgenlandes, Franz Liszt, kommt im großartigen 

neuen Konzertsaal in seinem Geburtsort Raiding – 

etwa bei einem Liederabend mit der Mezzosopranistin 

Elisabeth Kulman – zu Ehren. In Lockenhaus, 

beim stets erstklassig besetzten Kammermusikfest, 

wird unter dem Motto „Chronos und Kairos“ musiziert. 

Operette steht beim Sommerfestival Kittsee 

und natürlich auf der Seebühne Mörbisch im Zentrum. 

Den vielen Festivals ist bei aller Unterschiedlichkeit 

der oft intime Rahmen gemein. Oder wie es Philippa 

zu Königsegg, Schlossherrin in Halbturn und 

Präsidentin der Schlosskonzerte ausdrückt: „Es geht 

uns darum, durch außergewöhnliche Programme 

eine spezielle Atmosphäre entstehen zu lassen. Oft 

wird davon geschwärmt, wie man hier prominente 

Künstler geradezu intim erleben kann – also ganz 

anders als etwa bei den Salzburger Festspielen oder 

in den großen Konzerthäusern.“ Ein weiterer Grund, 

diesen Sommer einen – oder mehrere – Abende mit 

hochkarätigem Musikgenuss im Burgenland zu verbringen! 

KAMMERMUSIKFEST 

LOCKENHAUS 2017 

Angelika Kirchschlager, Mischa Maisky, Fazil 

Say, Elisabeth Kulman… Burgenland‘s lineup 

of classical music stars for summer 2017 

is, once again, more than impressive. Which is without 

a doubt partly due to the many grandiose venues 

on offer. ”The moment the sun sets over the quarry 

during the performance, dipping the rocks into an 

enchanting light and uniting the magic of this place 

with the genius compositions!“ enthuses Anja Bihlmaier, 

shooting star of the German opera scene and 

the new musical director of the Opera in the Quarry. 

”The unique atmosphere of this open-air stage is at 

least as versatile as the wonderful music of Giuseppe 

Verdi.“ This summer, Verdi‘s masterpiece “Rigoletto“ 

is set to be performed in the picturesque, rocky landscape 

of the St. Margarethen Roman quarry, which 

has been the setting for impressive open-air opera 

performances for 21 years. 

Musical journey 

Joseph Haydn spent a large part of his musical life 

in the province of Burgenland. On a tour along the 

composer‘s work locations — from the Bergkirche 

church in Eisenstadt, where Mischa Maisky performed 

a cello solo for Haydn, to Esterháza Palace at the 

southern end of Lake Neusiedl, the summer residence 

of Haydn‘s long-term employer Prince Nikolaus 

I. Esterházy — the so-called Haydndays will be 

held this summer. ”The festival‘s reorientation offers 

an unbelievable diversity of venues directly related to 

PHOTOS: JANOSKA ENSEMBLE/JULIAWESELY; ADAM FISCHER/HAYDNLANDTAGE/NIKOLAJ LUND; BALAZS BOROCZ; ANDREAS HAFENSCHER 

A quartet in a baroque jewel 

One of the stations along the Haydndays is Maria 

Theresa‘s former living parlour in Halbturn Palace. 

For the 44th time, the baroque palace‘s magnificent 

setting is once again the venue for the top-class Halbturn 

Palace Concerts. ”For this year‘s festival programme, 

I have thus — with a wink — taken inspiration 

from the number four,“ says Robert Lehrbaumer, 

well-known pianist and the artistic director of the 

Palace Concerts for the last two decades, as he provides 

an inside look into the concert line-up for 2017. 

”We will have a wonderful string quartet performance 

by the Minetti Quartet — but there will also 

be a vocal quartet around the great bass Robert Holl. 

Furthermore, there will be excerpts from Vivaldi’s 

“Four Seasons“ and extraordinary piano four hands 

concert-evenings performed by piano/guitar and 

harp/violin.“ Yodelling star Christina Zurbrügg as 

well as Angelika Kirchschlager and Sona MacDonald 

are also part of the impressive line-up of the Halbturn 

Palace Concerts. 

The great composers of Burgenland 

This summer, the exceptional pianist Fasil Say and 

the clarinettist Sharon Kam can be experienced in the 

Haydnsaal concert hall in Eisenstadt as part of the Picnic 

Concerts. Burgenland’s second great son, Franz 

Liszt, will be honoured in the fantastic new concert 

hall in his birth town of Raiding during a song recital 

with the mezzo-soprano Elisabeth Kulman. In Lockenhaus, 

at the always splendidly staffed Chamber 

Music Festival, music will be made under the motto 

“Chronos and Kairos“. The operetta will naturally be 

the centre of attention during the Sommerfestival 

Kittsee and, of course, on the Mörbisch floating stage. 

Albeit very distinct in their own ways, the various 

festivals share an often quite intimate atmosphere. 

Or, as Philippa zu Königsegg, Lady of Halbturn Palace 

and President of the Palace Concerts put it, ”We 

want to create a special atmosphere through extraordinary 

programmes. People often enthuse about how 

intimately renowned artists can be experienced here 

– quite a different story from the Salzburg Festival or 

the other big concert halls.“ One more reason to 

spend one – or more – evenings with top-class music 

in Burgenland this summer! 

Robert Lehrbaumer & Robert Holl 

Angelika Kirchschlager & Sona MacDonald 

Minetti Quartett 

Christina Zurbrügg 

Renate Holm uvm. 

www.halbturner-schlosskonzerte.at 

sommerarena[bühnebaden] 

Orpheus in 

der Unterwelt 

Operette von Jacques Offenbach 

Text von Hector Crémieux und Ludovic Halévy 

23. 6. – 3. 9. 2017 

Theaterplatz 7, 2500 Baden 

T +43 2252 22522 

www.buehnebaden.at 

Foto: Lukas Beck 


SAVOIR VIVRE AMBASSADORS OF MUSIC 

Culture Talk Oksana Lyniv 

Die aus der Ukraine stammende, neue Chefdirigentin der Grazer Oper Oksana Lyniv im CD-Exklusivinterview über das 

deutsche Opernfach, Galizien, Graz und Franz Xaver Mozart. 

Oksana Lyniv, the Ukraine native and now the new head conductor at the Graz Opera, sat down for an exclusive CD interview to 

discuss the German opera, Galicia, Graz and Franz Xaver Mozart. 

Interview: Rois & Stubenrauch 

INFO 

PERSONAL DETAILS 

PHOTOS: OKSANA LYNIV; IVAN BORYS 

Bei der Styriarte 2017 – wo Sie am 1. Juli Tschaikowskis 

Nussknacker dirigieren – werden Sie als „Spezialistin für 

den ganz großen, leidenschaftlichen Russischen Klang“ 

vorgestellt. Können Sie sich mit dieser Charakterisierung 

identifizieren? 

Das kann man vielleicht besser von außen beurteilen, aber ich 

denke schon, dass ich eher ein emotionaler Typ bin als 

Dirigentin. Und ich liebe diese Musik und bin mit Tschaikowski 

aufgewachsen. Als Ukrainerin werde ich natürlich zu den 

slawischen Interpreten gezählt. Was ich mir aber in den letzten 

Jahren als Assistentin bei Kirill Petrenko an der Bayerischen 

Staatsoper in erster Linie erarbeitet habe, ist das deutsche 

Opernfach: Wagner, Richard Strauss, usw. 

Die Nussknacker-Suite wird bei der Styriarte ohne Ballett 

dargeboten, dafür liest Schauspielstar Nora von 

Waldstätten aus den Geschichten hinter der Musik. 

Gefallen Ihnen solche innovativen Formate? 

Ich finde es ist sehr wichtig, dass die Kunst immer eine 

lebendige Form hat und nicht zum Museum wird. Wir 

interpretieren ja Musik, die teilweise vor 300 oder 400 Jahren 

entstanden ist! Deswegen bin ich sehr offen für Formate, die 

einen Zugang aus unserer Zeit als moderne Menschen 

entwickeln. 

Es gab ja mehrere Anfragen an Sie für die Stelle als 

Generalmusikdirektorin – was hat Sie bewogen, der Oper 

Graz, die Sie ab September 2017 leiten werden, den 

Vorzug zu geben? 

Graz hat eine wunderschöne Atmosphäre – die war sofort zu 

spüren vom ersten Abend in der Oper, wo ich mich fast wie zu 

Hause gefühlt habe. Und das Opernhaus natürlich, das wie der 

kleinere Bruder der Oper von Odessa aussieht, die Qualität des 

Musizierens und die Stadt selbst. Ich habe große Erwartungen 

und bin sehr neugierig darauf, im September zu starten! 

Ihre Geburtsstadt Brody weckt natürlich sofort eine 

Reihe von Assoziationen – von Joseph Roth bis Galizien 

als Teil der k. u. k. Monarchie. Fühlen Sie eine Verbindung 

zu Österreich? 

Ja natürlich. Dieses besondere galizische Flair ist etwa in 

Lemberg besonders in den vergangenen Jahren wieder stark 

aufgeblüht. Zu Zeiten der Sowjetunion wurde sehr aktiv 

versucht, die ganze Vergangenheit wegzustreichen. Aber 

trotzdem existiert so etwas wie eine unbewusste Erinnerung 

oder Speicherkarte, die noch tiefer liegt und die Verbindung zu 

unserer noch älteren Vergangenheit aufrechterhält. 

Sie sind Co-Initiatorin des Festivals „LvivMozArt“ in 

Lemberg. Was möchten Sie mit diesem, Franz Xaver 

Mozart gewidmeten Festival bewirken? 

Die Tatsache, dass der Sohn von Mozart 30 Jahre in Lemberg 

gelebt hat und das musikalische Leben der Stadt prägte, hat 

mich sehr stark beeindruckt – aber noch mehr beeindruckt hat 

mich, dass diese Tatsache fast niemandem in Lemberg, der 

Ukraine oder in Europa bekannt ist! Und ich dachte mir, es kann 

nicht sein, dass diese Geschichte einfach so untergeht. Meine 

Idee ist, dieses Festival an der Kreuzung zwischen Ost und West 

in der klassischen Musik zu positionieren – so wie Galizien 

damals auch ein Treffpunkt der Kulturen war. 

At the Styriarte 2017, where you will be conducting 

Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker“ on 1 July, you are described 

as an ”expert in the grand, passionate Russian melodies“. 

Would you agree with this characterisation? 

Perhaps this can be judged better from those on the outside, 

but I do believe that I am a rather emotional conductor. I love 

this music and I grew up with Tchaikovsky. As a Ukrainian, I am 

of course counted among the Slavic interpreters and, as I said, 

Tchaikovsky is very close to my heart. But what I have been 

particularly focusing on during my last couple of years as an 

assistant for Kirill Petrenko at the Bavarian State Opera is 

mainly German opera: Wagner, Richard Strauss and so on. 

The Nutcracker is presented at the Styriarte without a ballet. 

Instead, Nora von Waldstätten, the famed actress, will read 

from the history behind the music. Do you appreciate such 

innovative formats? 

I find it very important for art to maintain a vivid form so that it 

doesn’t turn into a museum. After all, we are interpreting music 

that is often more than 300 or 400 years old! This is why I’m 

very open to formats that create an access point for us people 

living in modern times. 

There were several offers made to you to become general 

music director — what made you decide in favour of the 

Graz Opera, where you will be directing from September 

2017? 

Graz has a wonderful atmosphere — I got a feel of this right 

away as I spent my first evening at the opera and completely 

felt at home. And there is, of course, the opera house that looks 

like the little brother of the Odessa Opera, the quality of the 

music and the city itself. I have high expectations and I am very 

excited to finally get started in September! 

Your birth town of Brody triggers a number of different 

associations — from Joseph Roth to Galicia as part of the 

monarchy. Do you feel a connection to Austria? 

Yes, of course. This very Galician flair has been flourishing quite 

strongly in Lviv, especially in the last couple of years. During 

the time of the Soviet Union, there was a direct attempt at 

erasing that entire chapter of history. Nevertheless, something 

like an unconscious memory prevailed, which reaches very 

deeply and maintains the connection to our much older past. 

You are the co-initiator of the “LvivMozArt“ festival in Lviv. 

What do you wish to bring about with this festival dedicated 

to Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, Mozart’s youngest son? 

The fact that that Mozart’s son lived in Lviv for 30 years, 

affecting the musical life of the city, impressed me very much 

— but what impressed me even more, was that nobody in Lviv, 

Ukraine or Europe was even aware of this fact! And I thought to 

myself, this can’t be happening, this story simply mustn’t 

disappear. And so, I got the idea to position this festival on the 

intersection between East and West in the world of classical 

music — in the same way in which Galicia was a meeting point 

between different cultures back then. 

Der Nussknacker 

Pjotr Iljitsch Tschaikowski: 

Nussknacker-Suite, 

Schwanensee-Suite 

Lesung aus E.T.A. Hoffmann: 

„Nussknacker und Mausekönig“ 

u. a. 

1.7.2017, Stefaniensaal Graz 

styriarte.com 

LvivMozArt 

18.-25.8.2017, Lemberg 

mozart.lviv.ua 

Eröffnungskonzert Saison 

2017/18 

23.9.2017, Oper Graz 

oper-graz.com 

Oksana Lyniv ist ab September 2017 

neue Chefdirigentin der Oper Graz. 

From September 2017 on, Oksana Lyniv 

will be the new head conductor at the 

Graz Opera. 

Oksana Lyniv begann ihre musikalische Laufbahn in Lwiw/Lemberg. Nach einem 

Meisterklassenstudium in Dresden war sie an der Nationaloper Odessa und von 

2013 bis zur laufenden Saison als musikalische Assistentin von Generalmusikdirektor 

Kirill Petrenko an der Bayerischen Staatsoper München engagiert. Im Mai 

dirigierte sie in Barcelona Richard Wagners „Der fliegende Holländer“. Zahlreiche 

Konzerte, u. a. mit den Prager Philharmonikern komplettieren ihre musikalische 

Arbeit. Ab der Spielzeit 2017/18 ist Oksana Lyniv Chefdirigentin des Grazer 

Philharmonischen Orchesters und der Oper Graz. 


Oksana Lyniv began her musical career in Lviv. After her master class studies in 

Dresden, she worked at the Odessa Opera and from 2013 to the current season as 

the musical assistant of general music director Kirill Petrenko at the Bavarian State 

Opera in Munich. In May, she conducted Richard Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman“ 

in Barcelona, and countless other concerts with the Prague Philharmonics, amongst 

others, added to her musical contributions. From season 2017/18 onward, Oksana 

Lyniv will be the head conductor of the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra and the Graz 

Opera. 


SAVOIR VIVRE ARTS 

Kulturpatron sein! | Become a culture patron! 

Kultur-Highlights Sommer 2017 

Cultural highlights summer 2017 

Text: Evelyn Rois 

Text: Evelyn Rois 

Bumerang, Australien 

1893, Weltmuseum 

Wien. 

Boomerang, Australia 1893, 

Weltmuseum Wien. 

Das Weltmuseum in der Wiener Hofburg geht in seine letzte Umbauphase, bevor es am 25.10.2017 seine 

Schausammlung außereuropäischer Kulturen – in 14 thematisch völlig neu konzipierten Sälen – wiedereröffnet. 

Für viele der wertvollen, einzigartigen Objekte der Ausstellung besteht noch die Möglichkeit, eine Kulturpatenschaft 

zu übernehmen: Auch das Magazin Cercle Diplomatique darf sich stolz Kulturpatron eines australischen 

Bumerangs aus der ehemaligen Sammlung Erzherzogs Franz Ferdinand von Österreich-Este nennen. 

The Weltmuseum Wien in the Hofburg Palace is entering its final reconstruction phase, before opening 

again on 25 October 2017 for its display collection of non-European cultures in 14 thematically 

reconceptualised halls. There is still the chance to become a patron for many of the 

precious, unique objects in the exhibition: Cercle Diplomatique can proudly call 

itself the cultural patron of an Australian boomerang from Archduke 

Franz Ferdinand’s former collection. 

weltmuseumwien.at 

Rituale, Symbole, 

Rätsel 

Rituals, symbols, riddles 

Robots & Art | Robots & art 

„Roboter. Arbeit. Unsere Zukunft“: Die Vienna Biennale 

2017 begibt sich vom 21.6.-1.10.2017 auf einen 

umfassenden Ausstellungs-Parcours durch Wien 

(Kunsthalle Karlsplatz, MAK, Architekturzentrum, Die 

Angewandte) und zeigt auf, welche Antworten Kunst, 

Design und Architektur mit ihren Creative Skills zu den 

Themen Roboter und Automatisierung der Arbeitswelt 

geben können. 

“Robots. Work. Our Future”: Between 21.06. and 

01.10.2017, the Vienna Biennale 2017 will go on an 

extensive exhibition journey through Vienna (Kunsthalle 

Wien, Museum of Applied Arts, Architekturzentrum 

Wien, University of Applied Arts) to show what insight 

art, design and architecture can deliver to the global 

workforce regarding working robots and 

automatisation. 

viennabiennale.org 

Hello Robot: Anouk 

Wipprecht, Spider Dress 

2.0, 2015; Roboterkleid, 

3-D-Druck / Robot dress, 

3D printing. 

PHOTOS: ANOUK WIPPRECHT/JASON PERRY; WELTMUSEUM WIEN; NATIONAL MUSEUM IN WARSAW; DIE FOTOGRAFEN; GALERIE REITZ KÖLN; ÖSTERREICHISCHE NATIONALBIBLIOTHEK 

Daniel Schultz d.J., Jan III. 

Sobieski, 1680 

Entscheidende 

Schlacht 

The deciding battle 

Die Person Jan III. Sobieskis ist 

untrennbar mit der Geschichte 

Wiens verbunden: Als Oberbefehlshaber 

des vereinten Entsatzheeres 

befreite der polnische König die 

bedrängte, schon verloren 

geglaubte Stadt 1683 aus der 

Belagerung durch die Osmanen. 

Gemälde, Preziosen, Militaria und 

Memorabilien zeichnen, in der 

Ausstellung im Winterpalais Wien 

vom 7.7.-1.11.2017, ein lebendiges 

Bild des Königs und Feldherren. 

Jan III Sobieski cannot be separated 

from the history of Vienna — as the 

chief commander of the Imperial 

Army, the Polish king saved the 

hopelessly besieged city from being 

conquered by the Ottomans in 

1683. Paintings, valuables, military 

objects and all kinds of memorabilia 

paint a lively picture of the king 

and commander as part of the 

exhibition at the Winterpalais 

Vienna Museum from 07.07. to 

01.11.2017. ! 

belvedere.at 

Renata Tumarova, 

Verzerrung von Tatsachen, 

2016 

Distortion of facts, 2016 

Art goes Salzburg! | Art goes Salzburg! 

Nach 20 Jahren in Innsbruck startet die ART Kunstmesse jetzt auch in Salzburg durch: 

Die ART Salzburg Contemporary & Antiques International findet erstmals vom 

22.-25.6.2017 im Messezentrum Salzburg statt. Der Fokus der rund 70 teilnehmenden 

Galerien – etwa die Kahn Gallery aus London, die Kölner Galerie Reitz oder die 

Werkkunstgalerie Berlin – liegt auf einem interessanten Mix zeitgenössischer Kunst. In 

einem kleinen, feinen Segment werden auch klassische Moderne und erlesene 

Antiquitäten gezeigt. 

After 20 years in Innsbruck, the ART Kunstmesse fair is now also taking off in 

Salzburg – the ART Salzburg Contemporary & Antiques International will take place 

in the fair centre of Salzburg between 22.06. and 25.06.2017. The focus of the 70 

participating galleries – such as the Kahn Gallery from London, the Reitz Gallery 

from Cologne or the Werkkunstgalerie Berlin – is an interesting blend of contemporary 

art. Classically modern and selected antiquities will also be on display in a 

small but neat segment. 

art-salzburg-contemporary.com 

Franz Stephan von Lothringen, Joseph 

Haydn und Wolfgang Amadeus 

Mozart zählten zu den prominentesten 

Vertretern der österreichischen 

Freimaurerei. Mit über 150 

einzigartigen Exponaten aus 

nationalen und internationalen 

Sammlungen gewährt die Ausstellung 

„300 Jahre Freimaurer. Das wahre 

Geheimnis“, im Prunksaal der Österreichischen 

Nationalbibliothek in Wien, 

einen Blick hinter die Kulissen der 

geheimnisvollen Bruderschaft. 

23.6.2017-7.1.2018. 

Franz Stephan of Lorraine, Joseph 

Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus 

Mozart are among the most famous 

representatives of Austrian 

freemasonry. With more than 150 

unique pieces from national and 

international collections, the exhibit 

“300 Years of Freemasons. The True 

Secret” provides a peak behind the 

curtains of this mysterious 

fraternity in the ceremonial hall of 

the Austrian National Library. 

23.06.2017-07.01.2018. 

onb.ac.at 

Zwei Freimaurer, Porzellangruppe nach 

Johann Kaendler, um 1740 

Two Freemasons, Porcelain group after 

Johann Kaendler, around 1740 



121

SAVOIR VIVRE ARTS 

Brooklyn, New York, 1959 

Ironisches Œuvre 

Ironic œuvre 

Ob auf der Biennale Venedig 2017, im Kunsthaus Graz, im Leopold 

Museum oder nun auch im 21er Haus in Wien: Das ironische Œuvre von 

Erwin Wurm ist derzeit omnipräsent. In der großen Einzelausstellung 

„Performative Skulpturen“ bricht der österreichische Ausnahmekünstler 

einmal mehr leidenschaftlich mit gewohnten Kategorisierungen und 

erweitert den Skulpturbegriff um aktionistische und performative 

Elemente. 2.6.-10.9.2017. 

Whether at the Venice Biennale 2017, at the Kunsthaus Graz, at the Leopold 

Museum or now at the 21er Haus in Vienna — the ironic œuvre by Erwin 

Wurm is everywhere right now. With the grand solo exhibition “Performative 

Sculptures”, the exceptional Austrian artist passionately defies familiar 

conventions and expands the meaning of the sculpture with actionist and 

performative elements. 02.06. to 10.09.2017. 21erhaus.at 

ARNULF RAINER 

DIE FARBEN DES MALERS 

MAI – OKTOBER 2017 

Vom Zollamt ins Museum 

From the customs office to the museum 

Erwin Wurm, Fat House, 2003 

Marie Spaemann 

und Christian 

Bakanic. 

Täglich von 10 bis 17 Uhr 

Josefsplatz 5, 2500 Baden 

www.arnulf-rainer-museum.at 

New York, 1962 

Magnum Fotografie 

Magnum photography 

„Brooklyn Gang“ oder „East 100 th Street“ heißen die Fotoserien von Bruce Davidson, einem der prominentesten 

Fotografen der legendären Agentur Magnum Photos. Die Galerie Westlicht in Wien widmet sich vom 

15.6.-13.8.2017 dem mehr als fünf Jahrzehnte umspannenden Schaffen des amerikanischen Fotokünstlers. 

Wer Bruce Davidson live in Wien erleben möchte: Auf dem ViennaPhotoBookFestival 2017 besteht am 11.6. 

die Möglichkeit dazu! 

“Brooklyn Gang” or “East 100 th Street” are the titles of the new photo series by Bruce Davidson, one of the 

most famous photographers of the legendary Magnum Photos agency. The WestLicht Museum in Vienna is 

dedicating itself to the five-decade-long career of the American photo artist between 15.06. and 13.08.2017. 

Those who want to experience Bruce Davidson live in Vienna will have the chance to do so at the 

ViennaPhotoBookFestival 2017 on 11.06.2017! 

westlicht.com 

viennaphotobookfestival.com 

Jagdtrophäen, Elfenbeinschnitzereien, verbotene Reisemitbringsel 

wie Korallen: Der Fotograf Oliver Mark hat die 

interessantesten Objekte, die sich in der Asservatenkammer 

des bundesdeutschen Zolls angesammelt haben, altmeisterlich 

in Szene gesetzt. Die zweiteilige Ausstellung „Natura 

Morta“ zeigt die Fotoarbeiten jetzt in der Gemäldegalerie der 

Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien im Dialog mit Werken 

der Sammlung – das Naturhistorische Museum wiederum 

stellt den Fotografien Tierpräparate gegenüber. Bis 16.7.2017. 

Hunting trophies, ivory carvings, forbidden souvenirs such 

as corals — the photographer Oliver Mark has masterfully 

snapped the most interesting objects that have come 

together from the store room of the German customs office. 

The two-part exhibition “Natura Morta” now displays the 

photo works in the Picture Gallery of the Academy of Fine 

Arts Vienna in dialogue with the pieces from the collection 

— the Natural History Museum, Vienna, on the other hand, 

juxtaposes the photographs with preserved animals. Until 

16.07.2017. 

akademiegalerie.at 

nhm-wien.ac.at 

PHOTOS: BRUCE DAVIDSON / MAGNUM PHOTOS; OLIVER MARK 

PHOTOS: BELVEDERE WIEN/JOHANNES STOLL, DOMINIK BUDA; SYLVIE ANN PARÈ 

Tanz im Pop-up Garten! | Dance in the pop-up garden! 

20 Jahre Festspielhaus St.Pölten – das gehört gefeiert: Am 9.6.2017 gibt 

es mit „Le Sacre du Printemps“ von Marie Chouinard zeitgenössischen 

kanadischen Tanz als krönendes Saisonfinale und anschließend eine feine 

Sommerparty im Pop-up Garten vor dem Festspielhaus, mit Videoprojektionen 

vom US-amerikanische Fotokünstler David Michalek, Celloklängen 

von Jeffrey Zeigler, DJ-Line und Streetfood – chill & dance! 

20 years of the Festspielhaus St.Pölten theatre — that calls for a 

celebration: On 09.06.2017, there will be contemporary Canadian dance 

with Marie Chouinard’s “Le Sacre du Printemps” as the crowning season 

finale, followed by an exciting summer party in the pop-up garden in 

front of the theatre, with video productions by the American photo 

artist David Michalek, cello tunes by Jeffrey Zeigler, DJs and street food 

— chill & dance! festspielhaus.at 

April 6 – June 18, 2017 

Jean-Luc Moulène 

April 6 – June 25, 2017 

Rosa Barba 

Anoka Faruqee 

July 6 – September 3, 2017 

Alex Da Corte 

Ericka Beckman 

secession 

Friedrichstraße 12 

1010 Vienna, Austria 

www.secession.at 


SAVOIR VIVRE PROPERTY 

Wohnen am Wasser 

Living by the water 

Der Reiz, ein privates Domizil mit unverbaubarem Blick sein eigen zu nennen, ist seit jeher 

groß. Doch es gibt noch eine Steigerungsstufe: die Aussicht auf ein Gewässer. 

Who doesn‘t dream of owning their own home with an endless view? There is, however, an 

even more exciting prospect - a home with a splendid view on a relaxing body of water. 

Text: Michaela Hocek 

PHOTOS: ZOOMVP, JANA KODESKA-SCHMID 

Uneinsehbare Grundstücke und ein atemberaubender 

Blick auf glitzerndes Blau. Pool, 

See, Teich oder städtisches Erholungsgebiet 

direkt vor Haustür. Vielleicht auch ein privater Badesteg 

oder Bootsanlegeplatz in unmittelbarer Nähe. 

Das klingt nach Urlaub. Wird aber immer häufiger 

für das alltägliche Wohnen zum Nonplusultra. Denn 

der Bautrend zu Wohntürmen, exklusiven Kleinanlagen 

oder freistehenden Atrium- und Penthäusern an 

diversen Gewässern erlebt in Österreich eine Hausse 

– unabhängig davon, ob die raren Grundstücke in der 

Stadt oder am Land beheimatet sind. 

Immobilie mit Mehrwert 

Im Gespräch mit Immobilienexperten kristallisiert 

sich schnell heraus, dass Wohnen am Wasser 

vor allem in Wien an Bedeutung gewinnt. „In Österreich 

wird Wohnen am Wasser schon lange genutzt. 

Man muss nur nach Salzburg, Graz oder Linz blicken. 

In Wien ist der Trend allerdings neu. Das liegt 

einerseits daran, dass das Gebiet rund um die Donau 

erst sehr spät vor Hochwasser gesichert wurde und 

entlang des Handelskais durch das Verkehrsband 

keine attraktive Anbindung an das Wasser vorhanden 

ist. Die Bezirke Donaustadt und Floridsdorf mit 

der Neuen und Alten Donau galten lange Zeit als 

eher unattraktive Wohngegenden. Das hat sich in 

den letzten Jahren stark geändert. Die Grundstückspreise 

sind hier massiv gestiegen und erreichen aktuell 

Rekordpreise“, erzählt Jasmin Soravia, Geschäftsführerin 

der SoReal GmbH (Projektentwicklung 

Soravia Group), im Interview. Sonja Kaspar, Maklerin 

bei Otto Immobilien, analysiert das ähnlich: „In 

Österreich bemerkt man in den letzten Jahren gesteigertes 

Interesse an dieser Form des Wohnens. Sie 

bietet für viele Menschen einen perfekten Ausgleich 

zum stressigen Alltag – vor allem im urbanen Bereich. 

Die freien Blickachsen auf eine Wasserfläche 

bieten in der Enge der Städte einen gesteigerten Erholungswert.“ 

Leben und Arbeiten 

Ein weiterer Trend ist die Verquickung von Wohnen 

und Arbeiten. Sie ist auch beim Wiener Projekt 

„TrIIIple“ ein wesentlicher Faktor. Die Adresse 

Schnirchgasse 9 wird mit einem Investitionsvolumen 

von rund 295 Millionen Euro ein Stück Stadtentwicklungsgeschichte 

schreiben. Bis 2020 entstehen 

auf etwa 73.000 Quadratmetern Nutzfläche 

Vorsorgewohnungen, Eigentumswohnungen, Micro 

Apartments, Büros, Gastronomie, Geschäfte und 

Kindergärten. Das Projekt der Soravia Group und 

ARE Austrian Real Estate Development umfasst drei 

Türme mit je rund 100 Metern Höhe und einen 

knapp halb so hohen Büroturm. An Stelle des ehemaligen 

Zollamts setzt das Architektenteam Henke 

Schreieck moderne Wohnkultur mit optimaler Infrastruktur 

durch U-Bahn- und Flughafen-Anbindung, 

Zugang zum Donaukanal und zu großzügigen 

Freiflächen. Die Immobilien selbst werden durch 

Rooftop-Pool, Concierge-Service, Bibliothek, Gemeinschaftsterrasse 

und Kitchenlounge aufgewertet. 

Attraktive Lagen 

Floridsdorf als aufstrebender Bezirk kann derzeit 

mit zwei neu entstehenden Projekten überzeugen: 

„Wohnen am Wasserpark“ von Otto Immobilien ist 

eines davon, das bis spätestens Winter 2018 mit 23 

Eigentumswohnungen inklusive Terrassen, Balkonen 

und Eigengärten den Wohnbereich hinaus ins 

„Durch die geringen 

verfügbaren Flächen 

für Neubauten ist die 

Wertsteigerung in 

Wien enorm.“ 

“Due to the lack of 

available space for 

new buildings, there 

has been an enormous 

increase in value in 

Vienna.” 

Jasmin Soravia 

Geschäftsführerin der SoReal 

GmbH (Projektentwicklung 

Soravia Group) 

Managing Director of SoReal 

GmbH (Project Development 

Soravia Group) 


TRIIIPLE. 

Moderne Stadtentwicklung 

par excellence stellt das 

Projekt auf dem Gelände des 

ehemaligen Zollamts in 

unmittelbarer Nähe zum 

Donaukanal dar. 

Modern urban development 

par excellence is manifested 

in this project on the estate 

of the former customs office, 

in close vicinity to the 

Danube Canal. 

room4rent 

SERVICED APARTMENTS 

• temporary living 

• 3 x in Vienna - from EUR 805,-/month 

• full furnished 

• free of commission 

• Concierge-Service 

www.room4rent.at/en


„Freie Blickachsen 

auf eine Wasserfläche 

bieten in der Enge der 

Stadt gesteigerten 

Erholungswert. “ 

”A great view of a calm 

body of water can provide 

much needed relaxation 

in comparison with 

the cramped city.“ 

Sonja Kaspar 

Maklerin 

Otto Immobilien 

Agent at Otto Immobilien 

WOHNEN AM WASSERPARK. LIVING BY THE WATER PARK. 

Lichtdurchflutete Eigentumsobjekte mit exklusiver Ausstattung, großzügigen Terrassen, Balkonen und Eigengärten in Wien-Floridsdorf. 

Light-flooded properties with exclusive furnishing, generous terraces, balconies as well as gardens in Vienna-Floridsdorf. 

Grüne erweitert. Anfang 2019 folgt „Super Dry“ mit 

der Adresse Drykalskiweg 11 von Hart + Hart. Hier 

entstehen zehn Wohnungen inklusive Tiefgarage 

und Aussicht auf die Alte Donau sowie die Skyline 

der DonauCity. Abseits der Bundeshauptstadt ist das 

Luxusrefugium „Laisseefaire“ am Kärntner Wörthersee 

ein prestigeträchtiges Vorzeigebeispiel. Unter 

der Ägide von Kollitsch wurden neue Wohnwelten 

mit Privatsphäre, hauseigenem Steg, beheiztem 

Pool und mondänem Raumambiente geschaffen. 18 

Seesuiten, zwei Penthäuser und fünf Atriumhäuser 

in einer Bucht am Nordufer punkten mit außergewöhnlicher 

Architektur. 

Interessantes Wertsteigerungspotential 

Im Hinblick auf die Entwicklungschancen von 

Immobilien am Wasser sind sich die Experten einig: 

„Durch die geringen verfügbaren Flächen für Neubauten 

ist die Wertsteigerung in Wien bereits in den 

letzten 15 Jahren enorm. Langfristig kann man davon 

ausgehen, dass sich an diesem Trend nichts ändern 

wird“, so Soravia. „Die Grundflächen nahe dem 

Wasser sind begrenzt, wodurch das Wertsteigerungspotential 

für derartige Liegenschaften sehr gut 

ist. Stichwort: unverbaubarer Blick“, setzt Kaspar 

nach. Wer weiter in die Ferne schweifen möchte, 

kann sich Inspiration bei den Luxusimmobilien auf 

luxuryestate.com holen, wo unter anderem „Il Plametto“, 

eine Renaissance-Villa mit Geheimtunnel, 

Theater und Infinity-Pool, in Florida zum Verkauf 

steht – um wohlfeile 130 Millionen Euro. 

Secluded properties and a breathtaking view on 

the glittering blue. Whether it‘s a pool, a lake, a 

pond or an urban recreational zone right in 

front of your door. Perhaps even a private swimming 

pier or a dock in close vicinity. Sounds like holidays, 

but is increasingly becoming an absolute must for daily 

living. The new trends of residential towers, exclusive 

residences or detached atriums and penthouses located 

at various bodies of water is currently 

experiencing a boom in Austria — no matter whether 

the rare properties are located in the city or in the 

countryside. 

Property with added value 

When talking with property experts, it quickly becomes 

clear that living by the water is gaining particular 

popularity in Vienna right now. ”Living by the water 

has been quite common in Austria for a while, you 

only have to look at Salzburg, Graz or Linz. In Vienna, 

however, this trend is quite new. This is partly due to 

the fact that it took a while for the land around the 

PHOTOS: JAMJAM, BEIGESTELLT 

Danube river to be secured from flooding and that 

there is no attractive connection to the water via the 

long Handelskai. The districts of Donaustadt and Floridsdorf 

with the New and Old Danube have long 

been considered rather unattractive residential areas. 

This has completely changed in the last couple of years. 

Property prices have increased immensely and are 

currently hitting new records,“ says Jasmin Soravia, 

Managing Director of SoReal GmbH (Project Development 

Soravia Group) in our interview. Sonja Kaspar, 

agent at Otto Immobilien, sees it similarly. ”There 

has been increased interest in this type of living in 

Austria in the last few years. It provides the perfect 

answer to the stress of everyday life for many people 

— especially in the urban areas. A great view of a calm 

body of water can provide much needed relaxation in 

comparison with the cramped city.“ 

Living and working 

An additional trend is the merging of living and 

working. This is also a key factor in the Viennese project 

“TrIIIple“. At Schnirchgasse 9, urban development 

will soon make history with an investment volu- 

SUPER DRY. 

Nach Süden gerichtet, auf vier Etagen, mit vorgelagerter Grünzone an der Alten Donau fällt der Blick 

direkt auf die aufregende Skyline der DonauCity. 

Set toward the south, on four floors, with an upstream green area by the Old Danube and a view 

right on the exciting skyline of the Danube City. 



W I E N E R P R I V A T K L I N I K 

LAISSEEFAIRE. 

Atriumhaus, Seesuite oder Penthouse: Exklusive Wohnformen am Wörthersee, die Urlaubsstimmung 

mitschwingen lassen. 

Atrium house, lake suite or penthouse — exclusive living at Wörthersee lake, holiday feeling 

guaranteed. 

IL PALMETTO. 

Auch so kann Wohnen am Wasser aussehen: Eine Liga für sich ist 

die mediterrane Luxusvilla in Florida. 

Living by the water can look like this, too — this Mediterranean 

luxury village in Florida plays in its own league. 

VIENNA PRIVATE HOSPITAL 

RECOMMENDED BY LEADING DOCTORS 

© karlheinzfessl.com 

me of around 295 million euro. By 2020, freehold 

apartments, condominiums, micro apartments, offices, 

restaurants, shops and kindergartens will emerge 

from the 73,000-square-metre-sized property. The 

project of the Soravia Group and ARE Austrian Real 

Estate Development combines three towers, each 

around 100 metres high as well as an office tower 

roughly half that height. In place of the former customs 

office, the architectural team Henke Schreieck 

will bring about a modern residential culture with optimal 

infrastructure with connections to the U-Bahn 

and the airport, access to the Danube Canal and generous 

open spaces. The properties themselves receive 

added value from rooftop pools, a concierge service, a 

library, a communal terrace and a kitchen lounge. 

Attractive locations 

Floridsdorf gets to prove itself as a burgeoning district 

via two newly developing projects: “Living by the 

Water Park“ by Otto Immobilien is one of them, 

which will expand further into the green by winter 

2018 with 23 condominiums including terraces, balconies 

and gardens. Starting in 2019, “Super Dry“ will 

follow suit at Drykalskiweg 11 by Hart + Hart. Ten 

apartments will be constructed here as well as an underground 

car park and a view of the Old Danube and 

the skyline of the Danube City. Beyond the capital, the 

luxury destination of “Laisseefaire“ at Wörthersee lake 

in Kärnten is both a prestigious and exemplary object. 

Under the aegis of Kollitsch, entirely new living spaces 

with plenty of privacy, a private own pier, heated pools 

and a chic residential atmosphere have been crafted. 

18 lake suites, two penthouses and five atrium houses 

located within a bay at the northern shore boast with 

extraordinary architecture. 

Plenty of value appreciation potential 

In regard to the long-term viability of properties 

located by the water, our experts clearly agree: ”Due to 

the lack of available space for new buildings, there has 

been an enormous increase in value in Vienna in the 

last 15 years. In the long run, you may assume that this 

trend is not going to change,“ says Soravia. ”Properties 

near the water are limited, which is why the value 

appreciation potential for such locations is excellent. 

Keywords: unobstructable view,“ adds Kaspar. Those 

who want to keep looking into the future may receive 

inspiration from the luxury properties on luxuryestate.com, 

where, among other things, you will be able to 

find “Il Plametto“, a renaissance villa with a secret tunnel, 

a theatre and an infinity pool, located in Florida 

and priced at merely 130 million euro. 


FIRST CLASS PRIVATE HEALTHCARE 

The VIENNA PRIVATE HOSPITAL – situated in the centre of 

Vienna in ultimate proximity to the University Hospital offers 

highest medical competence with the leading specialists from 

a great variety of fields. Built in 1871, the Vienna Private 

Hospital became the flagship in the private healthcare sector. 

The Vienna Private Hospital successfully combines decades of 

clinical experience with the state-of-the-art scientific methods 

in modern medicine. 

With a variety of interdisciplinary medical centres of excellence 

our hospital provides medical expertise, equipped with the modern 

technology (PET/CT, multi-slice SPECT/CT) at the highest level. 

Multilingual expert staff ensures convalescence in a luxurious 

ambience in the Art Nouveau style. Our excellent cuisine meets 

the individual culinary, religious and ethnic needs of our patients. 

Welcome in The Vienna Private Hospital – Your Health is Our Passion! 

MAIN MEDICAL FIELDS 

Cardiology • Angiology • Cardiac Surgery • Obesity Management 

Weight Loss surgery • Endocrinology/Metabolic diseases Abdominal 

Surgery • Vascular surgery Neurosurgery • Brachial Plexus 

and Peripheral Nerve Surgery • Reconstructive Surgery Oral 

and maxillofacial Facial Reconstruction Surgery • Orthopaedics 

surgery • Bone Tumor Surgery • Minimal invasive Implants 

& Prosthetics Surgery • Trauma surgery • Physical medicine and 

rehabilitation • Rheumatology • Immunology • Ophthalmology 

Pulmonology • Gynaecology • Urology • Check-Ups 

STATE OF THE ART MEDICINE, ELEGANCE AND LUXURY – IN THE HEART OF VIENNA 


1090 Vienna/Austria · Pelikangasse 15 · Phone: +43 1 40 180-8700 · Fax: +43 1 40 180-2254 · Mail: info@wpk.at

SAVOIR VIVRE LIFESTYLE 

Sommerfreuden 

Summer delights 


Blickfang Leder 

Leather in focus 

Ästhetische Kaffeekunst 

The aesthetic art of coffee making 

Mehrmals täglich entsteht bei Kaffee-Aficionados der 

Wunsch nach Espresso, Latte Macchiato oder 

Cappuccino – in den kommenden Monaten auch nach 

Eiskaffee. Die „PrimaDonna Elite Experience“ von 

De’Longhi im edlen Edelstahl-Design ist der richtige 

Kaffeevollautomat, um allen Wünschen nach Kaffee und 

Tee gerecht zu werden. Die Zubereitung erfolgt über 

Eingabe am Touchscreen-Farbdisplay oder vernetzt via 

Coffee Link-App über das Smartphone. 

The urge for espresso, latte macchiato or cappuccino 

arises several times a day for coffee aficionados – in the 

coming months, iced coffee will be added to the list. The 

"PrimaDonna Elite Experience" by De'Longhi in noble 

stainless steel design is the perfect fully automatic 

coffee machine to meet any desire for coffee or tea. The 

preparation is carried out via the colour touch display or 

linked through the CoffeeLink app straight with your 

smartphone. 

delonghi.com 

Für die hohe Kompetenz in Sachen Leder ist das italienische Label Tod’s schon seit Anfang der 1900er Jahre bekannt. Auch die aktuelle Tod’s Eyewear Kollektion hat das edle 

Material in den Fokus gerückt. Die Brillen sind komplett handgefertigt. Die Modelle sind leicht an der markentypischen Naht zu erkennen. Das kultige Geflecht, in aller Welt 

durch den Einsatz beim klassischen Tod’s Mokassin bekannt, wird zum kennzeichnenden Schmuckelement an den Bügeln. 

The Italian label Tod's has been known for their expert leather craftsmanship since the early 1900s. Even the current Tod's Eyewear collection has put the noble material into 

focus with completely handmade glasses. The unique seam make the models easily recognisable. The iconic mesh, known all over the world through its use on the classic 

Tod's moccasin, is an extraordinary feature on the arms. tods.com 

It’s Teetime! 

It's tee time! 

Die neue Golfkollektion von 

Colmar vereint Style und 

Funktionalität für Liebhaber des 

Greens. Die Sommer-Neuheiten 

umfassen ärmellose Daunen- 

Westen und Westen, Golfhosen, 

Polos. Klassische und 

Slim-Passformen sorgen für 

optimale Bewegungsfreiheit. 

The new golf collection by 

Colmar combines style and 

functionality for lovers of golf. 

Sleeveless down vests and 

regular vests, golf pants and 

polos are included in the fresh 

summer collection. Classic and 

slim fits ensure ultimate 

freedom of movement. 

colmar.it 

Sonne & Sport 

Sun & sports 

Der Casual Sport-Trend setzt sich natürlich im 

Sommer fort. Der ideale Sonnenschutz wird zum 

wichtigen Thema. Shiseido liefert mit der „Sports BB 

SPF50+“-Produktlinie eine sehr wasserresistente 

BB-Cream, die nicht nur schützt, sondern auch den 

pH-Wert der Haut reguliert. 

The casual sports trend is set to continue this 

summer and so the ideal sun protection becomes an 

important topic for everybody. Shiseido delivers a 

very water-resistant BB-Cream with the "Sports BB 

SPF50 +" product line, which not only protects but 

also regulates the pH value of the skin. shiseido.at 

Feminine Facetten | Feminine facets 

Von Kopf bis Fuß 

From head to toe 

Vor allem im Business muss das äußere Erscheinungsbild schon auf den ersten Blick passen. Die aktuelle 

Kollektion von Falke Men’s Legwear verhilft Männern mit gedeckten Farben, frischen Farbakzenten und 

unterschiedlichen Mustern zu Individualität. Leinen, geflammte oder gekämmte Baumwolle und glänzende 

Fasern wie Seide und Viskose sind die Materialien des Sommers für die hochwertigen Socken. 

The right appearance at first glance is key, especially when it comes to business. Falke Men's Legwear’s current 

collection provides men with their own unique touch using muted colours, fresh colour accents and different 

patterns. Linen, flamed or combed cotton and shiny fibres such as silk and viscose are this summer’s choices of 

material for premium quality socks. falke.com 


Edle Rose 

Noble rose 

Neben Uhren, Schreibgeräten und feinen 

Lederaccessoires ist Montblanc auch für 

erlesenen Damenschmuck bekannt. Die 

Kunsthandwerker der Manufaktur 

platzieren Edelsteine auf gekonnte Art. 

Der elegante Ring aus Weißgold mit 

großzügigem Diamant-Pavé stammt aus 

der Kollektion „Pétales de Rose“. 

In addition to watches, writing 

instruments and fine leather accessories, 

Montblanc is also known for exquisite 

ladies' jewellery. The manufactory´s own 

craftsmen set every gemstone in a skilful 

manner. The elegant ring made of white 

gold with generous diamond pavé is a 

part of the "Pétales de Rose" collection. 

montblanc.com 

Kein Geringerer als Star-Fotograf Michael Avedon hat die aktuelle 

Bulgari-Kampagne mit Lottie Moss geschossen. Die glamourösen 

Accessoires, die eine gelungene Kombination aus luxuriöser Handwerkskunst 

und außergewöhnlichen Materialien sind, wurden im 

sonnendurchfluteten Rom in Szene gesetzt. 

None other than star photographer Michael Avedon has shot the 

current Bulgari campaign with Lottie Moss. The glamorous accessories, 

a successful combination of luxurious craftsmanship and extraordinary 

materials, were staged in sunny Rome. 

bulgari.com 



131

SAVOIR VIVRE LIFESTYLE OPEN AIR 

Outdoorfreuden 

Outdoor pleasures 


Hey, Mister DJ! 

Was wäre eine Gartenparty ohne Sound? Mit einer Range aus 

Extra-Bass-Lautsprechern bringt Sony eine klangstarke und spritzwassergeschützte 

Soundflotte mit kräftigen Bässen, Lichteffekten und 

Ausdauer (der Akku hält bis zu 24 Stunden) ins Freie. Bis zu zehn Geräte 

können miteinander verbunden werden. 

What would a garden party be without sound? With a range of extra 

bass speakers, Sony delivers a splash-proof and powerful sounding 

fleet of speakers with strong bass, light effects and long lasting battery 

life (they last up to 24 hours) out in the open. Up to ten devices can be 

linked together. 

sony.at 

Atmosphäre schaffen 

Create atmosphere 

Ein Garant für gemütliche Abende im Garten, auf dem Balkon oder 

der Terrasse ist die richtige Außenbeleuchtung. Die LED-Laterne 

Abelia von Philips schafft verschiedene Stimmungen – mit Kerzenschein-Modus 

bis warmweißen, hellen Lichtkegeln. Sie wird über 

USB aufgeladen und ist absolut wetterfest. 

The right exterior lighting is a necessity for cosy evenings in the 

garden, on the balcony or the terrace. The LED lantern Abelia by 

Philips creates various moods – from candlelight mode to warm 

white and bright light cones. They are charged via USB and are 

absolutely weatherproof. 

philips.at 

Stilvoll tafeln | Stylish dining 

Von Hand geflochten 

Hand-braided 

Exklusiv und fair: Auf der indonesischen Insel Java entstehen die Terrassenmöbel 

des deutschen Unternehmens Bloom. Produziert wird „on demand“ und mit 

umfangreichen Qualitätskontrollen. Individuelle Anpassungen nach Kundenwünschen 

sind möglich. 

Exclusive and fair: the terrace furniture by the German company Bloom is 

produced on the Indonesian island of Java. Production is purely on demand and 

undergoes stringent quality control. Individual customisations according to 

customer requirements are also possible. 

bloom-moebel.de 

Special Edition 

Special edition 

Der legendäre Panton Chair, den Verner Panton gemeinsam mit 

Vitra bereits 1967 zur Serienreife entwickelte, ist um eine 

Farbnuance reicher. Der Freischwinger behübscht in diesem 

Sommer in kräftigem Sunlight-Gelb den Außenbereich. Vorsicht: 

Zeitlich limitiert! 

The legendary Panton Chair, which Verner Panton developed 

together with Vitra as early as 1967, has received a new colour 

nuance option. This summer, the cantilever chair makes the 

outdoor area shine in powerful sunny yellow. It’s a limited edition! 

vitra.com 


Die WA-Kollektion von Dedon ist das Ergebnis der Stilsicherheit von 

Designer Toan Nguyen und einem zweijährigen Entwicklungsprozess. 

Winkel und Kurven im harmonischen Zusammenspiel und die schlanke 

Anmutung spiegeln zeitgenössische Sensibilität wider. 

The WA collection by Dedon is the result of the stylistic confidence of 

designer Toan Nguyen and a two-year development process. Angles 

and curves in a harmonious interplay and the slim appearance reflect 

contemporary sensibility. dedon.de 


SAVOIR VIVRE AMBASSADOR´S DRIVE 

Auf der Straße: Skoda Kodiaq. Am Steuer: S.E. Jan Sechter 

On the road: Skoda Kodiaq. At the steering wheel: H.E. Jan Sechter 

Der Botschafter der Tschechischen Republik auf CD-Testfahrt. | The Ambassador of the 

Czech Republic performs a test drive for CD. 


Ein verregneter Donnerstag im April, draußen 

am Wiener Rennweg staut sich der Verkehr, 

drinnen im geräumigen Skoda Kodiaq – dem 

aktuellen Testauto des fünften „Ambassador's Drive“ 

von „Cercle Diplomatique“ – steuert Testfahrer Jan 

Sechter, der Botschafter der Tschechischen Republik 

in Österreich, behutsam in eine Parklücke vor der 

145 Jahre alten Böhmischen Kirche. Hier, im 3. Bezirk, 

schlägt heute das Herz der tschechischen Gemeinde 

in der Bundeshauptstadt, die noch etwa 

12.000 Personen zählt. Gleich dahinter liegt auch die 

zweisprachige Tschechische Schule für etwa 550 

Schüler, mit Theaterverein, Chor und Unterricht in 

Tschechisch bis zur Matura. Erst jüngst habe der 

berühmte „Turnverein Sokol“, der etliche Volleyball- 

Stars hervorgebracht hat, dort sein 150jähriges 

Bestehen gefeiert. 

Sechter, ein hochgewachsener, drahtiger Prager, 

wird an diesem Ort fast nachdenklich. Er erzählt, 

wie sich Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts über 300.000 

tschechische Arbeiter im 4. und 10. Bezirk ärmlichst 

ansiedelten und mit schwielenden Händen die Expansion 

der Weltwunderstadt Wien um 1900 erst 

ermöglichten. Er berichtet von tschechischen Sozialvereinen, 

die die hiesige Arbeiterbewegung befeuert 

haben. Und er schwärmt von den vielen Spuren 

Tschechiens in Wien – von der Karlskirche über die 

Kirche Maria am Gestade, die noch heute eine tschechische 

Pfarre ist, bis zur Ressel-Statue vor der Technischen 

Universität, die den tschechisch-österreichischen 

Erfinder der Schiffsschraube ehrt. Und 

natürlich vom Kaiserschmarrn, Budweiser-Bier und 

den vielen Unternehmen mit tschechischem Ursprung, 

von Swarovski bis Kapsch. Kurzum: Nirgendwo, 

mit Ausnahme von Chicago vielleicht, sei 

der Fußabdruck tschechischer Auswanderer stärker 

als in Österreich, insbesondere Wien. 

Dann hält der Diplomat, der nach seinem Dienst 

als Kulturattaché in Berlin um die Jahrtausendwende 

mit dem damaligen österreichischen Bundeskanzler 

Wolfgang Schüssel die Entschädigungszahlung des 

Versöhnungsfonds für tschechische Zwangsarbeiter 

im Zweiten Weltkrieg erfolgreich verhandelt hat, 

inne und streicht behutsam über die edlen wuchtigen 

Formen des Kodiaq. Man kann geradezu spüren, 

wie sehr er dieses technische Meisterwerk – momentan 

der ganze Stolz der Autoindustrie in Tschechien, 

die auch den Hyundai iX 35 herstellt – bewundert. 

„Wissen Sie“, sagt der studierte Volkswirt Sechter, 

der über den Wandel tschechischer Agrarbetriebe 

Jan Sechter hat seinen Posten 

als Botschafter der Tschechischen 

Republik in Österreich 

2013 angetreten. 

Jan Sechter is serving as Ambassador 

of the Czech Republic to 

Austria since 2013. 


SAVOIR VIVRE AMBASSADOR´S DRIVE 

zur Marktwirtschaft diplomiert hat und demnächst 

als Botschafter nach Hongkong wechselt, „das war 

ein langer, steiniger Weg.“ Auf der Fahrt zurück zur 

Botschaft, neben dem Reinhardt-Schauspielseminar, 

lässt er sich dazu eine charakteristische Episode entlocken. 

Mitte der 1990er Jahre, kurz nachdem Skoda 

in die VW-Familie übernommen wurde, kamen die 

tschechischen Ingenieure mit ersten Entwürfen für 

den Skoda Octavia daher – ein günstiges, modernes 

Mittelklasse-Kompaktauto. Die deutschen Kollegen 

winkten ab – der VW-Passat sei völlig ausreichend in 

diesem Segment – und hätten die tschechischen 

Techniker mit einem hämischen Nachsatz nach 

Hause geschickt: „Das schafft ihr sowieso nie.“ 

Was Skoda, wie man am Octavia der heute vierten 

Generation sieht, zu Höchstleistungen angespornt 

hat – auf deren Zenit nach dem Yeti heute der Kodiaq 

steht. Deswegen startet Jan Sechter nochmals kräftig 

durch und dreht eine derart lebendige Ehrenrunde, 

dass selbst VW die Luft wegbliebe. 

Jan Sechter im Gespräch 

mit CD Autor Rainer 

Himmelfreundpointner. 

Ambassador Sechter 

and CD's author Rainer 

Himmelfreundpointner. 

Pressedame Michaela Cieslarova mit 

Botschafter Jan Sechter. 

Michaela Cieslarova, in charge of 

media relations, and Ambassador 

Jan Sechter. 

Skoda Kodiaq – groß, aber oho 

Skoda Kodiaq – spacious, yet really smart 

Der Skoda Kodiaq hatte seine Premiere auf dem Pariser Autosalon voriges Jahr und nicht nur die Fangemeinde 

der tschechischen Automarke sofort in Entzücken versetzt – natürlich auch wegen des modischen „Q“, auf 

das man heutzutage in so vielen Logos trifft. Der Kodiaq ist nach dem Yeti das zweite SUV – steht für Sports 

Utility oder Suburban Vehicle – aus dem Hause Skoda, und er macht dieser Marke, die mehr und mehr ins 

Top-Segment strebt, alle Ehre. Beeindruckend sind vor allem sein kraftvolles Auftreten und Äußeres, seine 

vielen durchdachten Details (etwa im Navi) und sein großzügiges Platzangebot, das ihn mit einer dritten 

Sitzreihe sozusagen zu einem tschechischen Raumwunder macht. 

The Skoda Kodiaq made its debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show Salon and, after the Yeti, is Skoda's second 

SUV, this time coming with the fashionable „Q“ in its logo. The Kodiaq is a further step of the Czech carmaker 

into the echelons of the top segment of the industry, convincing with its impressive exterior, the number of 

sophisticated features (try the navi) and a very spacious inside which even allows a third row of seats. 

Technische Daten Technical data 

Motor Engine 

R4 Diesel und Benziner 

Antrieb Drive 

Front- und Allradantrieb / front-wheel and four-wheel drive 

kW (PS) kw (HP) 92 - 140 (125 - 190) 

Hubraum Capacity 1.395 - 1.984 ccm 

Kraftstoffverbrauch/ 

Fuel consumption 

7,4 - 5,3 l/100 km (kombiniert / combined) 

Preis Price 

ab | from € 25.690,– (inkl./ incl. NoVA & 20% Mwst./ VAT) 

compensation payments for Czech WW II slave labourers 

with Austria's former chancellor Wolfgang 

Schüssel, is smoothly parking the new Skoda SUV, he 

takes a big sidestep into history and goes back to the 

late 19th century when some 300,000 Czechs helped 

to build Vienna into a 2 million metropolis around 

1900. And he proudly sums up the many traces of 

Czech origin to be found here – the Karlskirche, the 

monument of Josef Ressel, inventor of the ship's propeller, 

Austrian companies like Swarovski or Kapsch, 

which have been founded by Czechs, and of course, 

the Kaiserschmarrn and the Budweiser beer. 

Then, the Ambassador caresses the mighty curves 

of the Kodiaq and reveals a background episode why 

it currently is the pride of the Czech automotive industry. 

Back in the 1990s, soon after Skoda was taken 

over by VW, engineers proposed to launch the Octavia, 

but have been rejected by their VW colleagues. 

”One Passat is enough“, they were told. And: ”You 

won't succeed, anyway.“ This insult has driven Skoda 

engineers to record performance, as the 4th generation 

Octavia proves. And the Kodiaq, Sechter says, is 

the crown of this development. 

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME 

On a rainy Thursday in April, Jan Sechter, the 

Ambassador of the Czech Republic, is driving 

a Skoda Kodiaq – the test-car of CD's 

fifth „Ambassadors's Drive“ – to the Bohemian 

Church at Vienna's Rennweg. Here, in the 3rd district, 

beats the heart of the some 12,000 persons 

strong Czech community in Vienna, with a bilingual 

school for around 550 students, a choir and a theatre 

ensemble just behind of it. 

As Sechter, who after his service as cultural attaché 

in Berlin until the year 1999, has negotiated 


INFO: 

skoda.at 


Der entspannte tschechische 

Botschafter während der 

Testfahrt des Skoda Kodiaq 

an einem verregneten April- 

Donnerstag. 

The relaxed Czech Ambassador 

during his test drive of a Skoda 

Kodiaq on a rainy Thursday in 

April. 

ENJOY A NEW AND LUXURY GENERATION 

OF FULLY EQUIPPED SERVICED APARTMENTS 

IN THE HISTORIC HEART OF VIENNA 

LIV’IN RESIDENCE BY FLEMING’S WIEN-PARLAMENT / AUERSPERGSTRASSE 21 / A-1080 WIEN ∙ AUSTRIA / 

T: +43 1 22737 – 5555 / F: +43 1 22737 – 9999 / WWW.BASEDINVIENNA.AT / WIEN-PARLAMENT@LIV-IN.DE 


SAVOIR VIVRE MOTOR 

Highlights vom Genfer Automobil-Salon 

Geneva Motor Show highlights 


BMW 5er Touring: 

Stilsicheres Raumwunder 

Stylish storage miracle 

Die starke 5er Baureihe von BMW erhält nun auch einen neuen Kombi. Das bewährte Design, inkl. dem praktischen Heckfenster, hat 

sich nur minimal geändert. In seinen Abmessungen leicht gewachsen, bietet der neue BMW 5er Touring jedoch spürbar mehr Platz 

im Inneren: Bis zu 1.700 l fasst nun der Kofferraum. Leichte Materialien wie Aluminium sorgen für ein sehr dynamisches Fahrverhalten. 

Bei den Assistenzsystemen ist BMW – mit Gestiksteuerung oder dem neuen Driving Assistant Plus, der teilautonomes Fahren 

ermöglicht – wie immer top. 

BMW’s powerful 5-series now also includes an estate car. The tried and tested design, Motor Engine 

R4 / R6 Diesel und/and Benziner/petrol 

including the practical rear window, has barely changed. Having increased slightly in Antrieb Drive 

Hinterradantrieb/Allrad xDrive - Rear wheel/4wheel xDrive 

its measurements, the new BMW 5-series Touring includes significantly more space kW (PS) kw (HP) 140 (190) - 250 (340) 

– the trunk now holds up to 1,700 litres. Light materials, such as aluminium, provide a Hubraum Capacity 

1.995 - 2.998 ccm 

very dynamic driving experience. BMW’s assistance system with gesture control and Kraftstoffverbrauch Fuel consumption Diesel ab/from 4,4 / Benziner/petrol ab/from 5,9 l/100km 

the new Driving Assistance Plus, which allows for partly autonomous driving, is top Preis Price ab | from € 53.800,– 

class, as usual. 

VW Arteon: Neue Premiumklasse aus Wolfsburg | New 

premium class from Wolfsburg 

Range Rover Velar: Britische Coolness | British coolness 

Ebenfalls am Genfer Automobilsalon lancierte VW sein neues Flaggschiff Arteon 

– als „echte Herausforderung für die Premiumwettbewerber“, so Volkswagen 

Vorstandsvorsitzender Herbert Diess. Die dynamische, klare Linie des neuen VW 

Arteon und ein markiger, über die gesamte Breite gezogener Kühlergrill 

signalisieren distinguierte Power. Der große Radstand von 2,84 Metern sorgt trotz 

der sportlichen Silhouette für Beinfreiheit im Fonds und viel Platz im Kofferraum. 

VW took advantage of the Geneva Motor Show to show off its new Arteon 

flagship, marking a “real challenge for the premium competitors”, as expressed by 

Volkswagen’s chairman Herbert Diess. The dynamic, clear lines of the new VW 

Arteon and the vigorous grille covering the entire width signal distinguished 

power. The large 2.84-metre wheelbase provides legroom in the back and plenty 

of space in the trunk despite its sporty silhouette. 

Motor Engine 

R4 Benziner/R4 petrol und/and Diesel / Plug-in-Hybrid 

Antrieb Drive 

Allradantrieb / Four-wheel drive 

kW (PS) kw (HP) 

140(190) - 235 (320) / Plug-in-Hybrid 300 (407) Systemleistung / system performance 

Hubraum Capacity 

1.969 ccm 

Kraftstoffverbrauch Fuel consumption Diesel ab/from 5,1 / Benziner/petrol ab/from 7,3 / Plug-in-Hybrid 2,1 l/100km (Stromverbrauch/Electricity consumption: 19 kWh/100 km) 

Preis Price ab | from € 48.304,– 

Volvo XC60: Skandinavisches Kraftpaket | Scandinavian power horse 

Lange hat man auf den neuen XC60 gewartet, beim Genfer Autosalon im März war es endlich soweit: Die zweite Generation von Volvos erfolgreichstem Modell wurde 

vorgestellt. Sowohl von außen als auch innerlich nimmt der rundum erneuerte XC60 starke Anleihen am großen Bruder der 90er Baureihe: Markante Linienführung, die 

charakteristischen Scheinwerfer, ergonomische Sitze. Auch das große Panoramadach ist vom XC90 übernommen. Bei den Assistenzsystemen legt Volvo noch ein Schäuferl 

nach: Eine Lenkunterstützung etwa, die bei drohender Kollision selbsttätig ausweicht, verstärkt die bei den Skandinaviern ohnehin sehr groß geschriebene Fahrsicherheit. 

The waiting time for the XC60 was long but at the Geneva Motor Show, the time had finally come – the introduction of the second generation of Volvo’s most successful 

model. Both in terms of its exterior and its interior, the completely revamped XC60 takes strong design cues from its big brother from the ‘90s series — distinct lines, the 

characteristic headlights, ergonomic seats. The panorama roof has also been carried over from the XC90. In terms of the driver’s assistance system, Volvo has cranked it up a 

touch. The car boasts a steering assistance system that swerves independently in the event of an impending collision, improving security, always key with the Scandinavians. 

FOTOS: XYXXYXYXY 

PHOTOS: VOLVO CAR GROUP, JAGUAR LAND ROVER/RICHARD PRESCOTT, BMW AG, VOLKSWAGEN AG 

„Driven by Reduction“ gab Land-Rover-Chefdesigner Gerry McGovern als Prämisse 

für den neuen Range Rover Velar aus. Mit seiner klaren, aerodynamischen Linie 

gemahnt der Neuzugang der Modellreihe denn auch an eine edle Luxusjacht. 

Highlights wie versenkte Türgriffe und das reduzierte Cockpit sorgen für einen 

zusätzlichen Wow-Effekt. Eine optimierte Motorenpalette bringt höchste 

Performance auf der Straße. Die phänomenale Geländetauglichkeit ist dem Velar 

als Mitglied der Land Rover Familie natürlich in die Gene geschrieben. 

“Driven by Reduction” was Land Rover Chief Designer Gerry McGovern’s premise 

for the new Range Rover Velar. With its clear and aerodynamic lines, the newest 

addition to the model series echoes the style of a classy luxury yacht. Highlights 

include the recessed door handles and the reduced cockpit, adding even more 

reasons to get excited. An optimised range of engines brings top-notch performances 

to the road and a phenomenal terrain capability is, of course, wired into the 

Velar’s very DNA due to it belonging to the Land Rover family. 

Motor Engine 

R4 / V6 Diesel und Benziner 

Antrieb Drive 

Allradantrieb 

kW (PS) kw (HP) 132 (180) - 280 (380) 


1.998 - 2.995 ccm 

Kraftstoffverbrauch Fuel consumption Diesel ab/from 5,4 / Benziner/petrol ab/from 7,6 l/100km 

Preis | Price ab | from € 61.300,– 

Motor Engine 

R4 Diesel und Benziner/petrol 

Antrieb Drive 

Frontantrieb/Allrad 4Motion; Front-wheel drive/4-wheel 

kW (PS) kw (HP) 110 (150) - 206 (280) 


1968 /1984 ccm 

Kraftstoffverbrauch Fuel consumption Diesel ab/from 4,4; Benziner/petrol ab/from 7,3 l/100km 

Preis | Price ab | from € 42.990,– 



SAVOIR VIVRE WEEKENDER 

Bled, Slowenien | Slovenia 

Ach, wie romantisch! 

Oh my, how romantic! 

Einer der schönsten Plätze Europas findet sich in Slowenien, am Fuß der Julischen Alpen, ganz nahe an 

der österreichischen Grenze: die Ortschaft Bled mit ihrem See besticht mit viel Romantik und einer 

spannenden Historie. 

One of the most beautiful places in Europe can be found in Slovenia, at the foot of the Julian Alps and in 

close vicinity to the Austrian border — the town of Bled and its lake captivate with a romantic atmosphere 

and an exciting history. 


Was für ein Anblick – die Burg, der 

See, die Insel, die Berge! Nicht 

ohne Grund gilt Bled als einer der 

romantischsten Orte Europas. 

What a sight – the castle, the lake, 

the island, the mountains! All reasons 

why Bled is considered one of the 

most romantic places in Europe. 


Insel im See. 

Exakt 99 Stufen führen von 

der Bootsanlegestelle 

hinauf zur Wallfahrtskirche 

Mariä Himmelfahrt. 

Die Boote, die exklusiv auf 

dem Bleder See verkehren, 

nennt man Pletna. 

Island in the lake. 

Exactly 99 steps are leading 

from the boat landing dock up 

to the pilgrimage church of 

the Assumption of the Virgin 

Mary. Pletna are the boats 

called which are exclusively 

navigating on Lake Bled. 

PHOTOS: KLEMEN KUNAVER, TADEJ BERNIK, ROZLEBREGAR 

Mit großer Leidenschaft zählt Janez Fajfar, der 

Bürgermeister von Bled, die Gründe auf, 

warum man seinen Ort in der slowenischen 

Oberkrain, am Fuß der Julischen Alpen, besuchen 

sollte. Da ist der Bleder See selbstverständlich, der als 

einer der romantischsten und schönstgelegenen Plätze 

Europas gilt, da ist die Insel mitten im See mit ihrer 

Wallfahrtskirche Mariä Himmelfahrt, da sind die 

Pletna, die typischen Boote mit dem Stoffdach, die am 

See verkehren und die Gäste für eine Rundfahrt oder 

zu eine Fahrt zur Kirche mieten können, da ist der 

herrliche, sechs Kilometer lange Wander- und Radweg 

rund um den See, immer dicht am Wasser, mit 

den vielen Lokalen, in die man einkehren kann, da ist 

die Villa Bled, die Geschichte geschrieben hat, da ist 

der Golfsko igrišče Royal Bled, der königliche Golfplatz, 

dessen Anfänge bis ins Jahr 1937 zurückreichen 

und der als einer der schönsten Europas gilt. 

Am schönsten ist natürlich der Blick auf den See 

von oben, von dem Burgberg Grajski grič etwa oder 

einem der umliegenden Berge, vom Osojnice oder 

vom Straza, auf den man auch mit einem Sessellift 

kommt. 

Schloß Bled enthält ein Museum, das die Geschichte 

der Region erzählt. Und die reicht weit zurück 

bis in vorchristliche Zeiten, als auf der Insel im 

See ein Heiligtum für die Göttin der Liebe und der 

Fruchtbarkeit errichtet wurde. Als Kurort entdeckt 

wurde Bled in der Mitte und am Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts, 

während der Zeit Maria Theresias. Dem 

See und den Quellen wurde eine heilende Wirkung 

zugeschrieben. Zahlreiche Aristokraten und Großbürger 

siedelten sich in der idyllischen Landschaft 

rund um den Bleder See an. 1883 besuchte gar Kaiser 

Franz Josef den Ort. 1906 wurde Bled ans Eisenbahnnetz 

angeschlossen: die Stecke führt von Villach 

über Jesenice nach Bled und weiter nach Görz und 

nach Triest. Damals war sie die teuerste Bahnstrecke, 

die bis dahin gebaut worden war mit spektakulären 

Brücken und Tunneln. Zur Eröffnung kam Erzherzog 

Franz Ferdinand. 

Wer heute Bled besucht, der kommt natürlich 

nicht an der berühmten Villa Bled vorbei. Sie liegt 

etwas außerhalb des Kurorts. Inmitten einer großzügigen 

Parkanlage. Nahezu verwunschen. Janez Fajfar, 

der langjährige Bürgermeister, hat hier auch 

schon als Hoteldirektor gearbeitet. Die Villa Bled hat 

Geschichte geschrieben und in ihr wurde Geschichte 

geschrieben. Ursprünglich stand an dieser Stelle ein 

Fachwerkhäuschen, das sich die adelige Familie 

Windischgrätz errichtet hatte, die nach ihrer unrühmlichen 

Rolle während der Märzrevolution von 

1848 die Abgeschiedenheit der Krainer Berge den 

Habsburger-Metropolen Wien und Prag vorzog. 

Nach 1918 stand hier das Schlösschen des jugoslawischen 

Königs Alexander. Hier empfing die Königsfamilie 

Karageorgewitsch die Mitglieder des griechischen, 

rumänischen und englischen Hofes als Gäste. 

Die Villa Bled, so wie wir sie heute kennen, wurde 

erst nach dem 2. Weltkrieg errichtet. Sie wurde die 

Sommerresidenz von Marschall Tito. Der Präsident 

Jugoslawiens nutzte sie als angemessenes Haus, um 


141

SAVOIR VIVRE WEEKENDER 

Der Bleder See liegt 

inmitten einer anmutigen 

Landschaft, was auch dem 

königlichen Golfplatz 

zugute kommt. Lake Bled 

is located amidst a graceful 

landscape, which also benefits 

the royal golf course. 

Die Villa Bled hat auch schon 

Staatsgäste und Prominente 

aus aller Welt beherbergt. 

Villa Bled accomodated state 

visitors and VIPs from all over 

the world. 

TIPP 

Wine Bar & Restaurant 

Sova 

„Was wir kochen, das kommt 

vom Herzen“, sagen die 

beiden Küchenchefs Knego 

und Branko, die in ihrem 

Restaurant, das in der 

Ortschaft Mlino direkt am 

See liegt, einer kreativen 

Beschäftigung mit der 

lokalen Küche nachgehen. 

Wunderbarer Blick auf den 

See. 

”We cook from the heart,“ 

the two chefs Knego and 

Branko maintain, who use 

their restaurant to engage 

creatively with the local 

cuisine. Their eatery is 

located in the town of Mlino 

right by the lake, onto which 

you can enjoy a fantastic 

view. 

restavracija-sova.com 

internationale Gäste zu empfangen. Vor allem Staatsbesuchen 

aus den Ländern der Dritten Welt oder aus 

Osteuropa wollte Tito so zeigen, wie erfolgreich Jugoslawien 

war, weiß Bürgermeister Fajfar zu berichten. 

So waren u.a. Haile Selassie, der Kaiser von Äthiopien, 

hier und Nasser, der Präsident von Ägypten. 

Aber auch Akihito, der Kaiser von Japan, hatte das 

Vergnügen, die Villa Bled zu besuchen. Persönlichkeiten 

aus Kunst und Kultur wie Paul McCartney 

wohnten im Lauf der Jahre ebenfalls hier. Und Donald 

Trump war hier, was vermutlich verwandtschaftlichen 

Verhältnissen geschuldet war. 

Anekdoten und Geschichten gibt es zur Genüge. 

Eine der originellsten erzählt von von Kim Il-sung, 

dem nordkoreanischen Präsidenten, der hier nächtigte 

und von seinem Bett so begeistert war, dass er es 

abbauen und nach Pjöngjang verschiffen ließ. Bemerkenswert 

an der Villa Bled ist auch, dass sie ist aus 

dem selben Marmor gebaut, der auch beim Bau des 

Weißen Hauses in Washington verwendet wurde. 

An Tito und seinem Umbau erinnert heute noch 

ein Wandfresko im Konzertsaal. Es erzählt von der 

Geburt des Staates Jugoslawien und zeigt die Partisanenschlachten 

des Zweiten Weltkriegs, aus denn 

Tito siegreich hervorgegangen war. Seit 1984 ist die 

Villa Bled ein Hotel. Nicht irgendeines, sondern 

wohl das bekannteste der Region. 

Eine wichtige Veranstaltungen im Herbst ist das 

Bled Strategic Forum, das in diesem Jahr am 4. und 

5. September stattfindet. Es ist ein Treffen von Politikern 

und Wirtschaftsleuten vor allem aus Mittelund 

Südosteuropa. Janez Fajfar nennt es kokett das 

„Davos des Balkans“. Die Veranstaltung unterstreicht 

die Bedeutung, die Bled heute als Kongress- und 

MICE-Ort hat. 

With plenty of passion, Janez Fajfar, mayor 

of Bled, compiles a list of reasons why 

people should come visit his town in the 

Slovenian region of Upper Carniola at the foot of the 

Julian Alps. There is, of course, Lake Bled, which is 

considered among the most romantic and most 

beautifully located spots in Europe. There‘s the little 

island in the heart of the lake with a pilgrimage church 

dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, there are 

the Pletna, the region-typical boats with fabric roofs, 

which navigate around the lake and can be rented by 

visitors for a round trip or a ride to the church. 

There‘s the splendid, six-kilometre-long hiking and 

cycling trail around the lake, always right by the water, 

with plenty of eateries all around, there‘s Villa 

Bled, with all its history, there‘s the Golfsko Igrišče 

Royal Bled, the royal golf course, whose beginnings 

date all the way back to 1937 and which is said to be 

one of the most beautiful in Europe. 

The best way to experience the lake is naturally from 

above, for example from the castle hill Grajski Grič or 

from one of the surrounding mountains such as Osojnice 

or Straža, which can be reached via chairlift. 

PHOTOS: MIRKO KUNŠIČ , CRT SLAVEC, FRANCI FERJAN, MIRKO KUNŠIČ, JOŠT GANTAR 

Bled Castle houses a museum which tells the history 

of the region. And that history reaches far back 

into pre-Christian times when a shrine was erected 

for the goddess of love and fertility on the island in 

the lake. Bled became known as a resort town in the 

middle and toward the end of the 18th century, during 

the time of Maria Theresa. The lake and its 

springs were attributed with healing properties. 

Countless aristocrats and members of the upper class 

settled within the idyllic landscape around Lake 

Bled. In 1883, even Emperor Franz Joseph visited the 

place. In 1906, Bled was connected to the railway 

network — the track leads from Villach and Jesenice 

to Bled and then continues to Görz and Triest. Back 

then, it was the most expensive railway track that 

had ever been built, with spectacular bridges and 

tunnels, and its opening was accompanied by Archduke 

Franz Ferdinand. 

Those visiting Bled today won‘t do without a trip 

to the famous Villa Bled. It is located just outside of 

the resort town. Amid a generous park facility, it‘s 

quite magical. Janez Fajfar, the long-time mayor, 

used to work here as the hotel director. Villa Bled has 

made history and history was made in it, too. Originally, 

there used to be a little half-timbered house in 

its place, erected by the noble family Windischgrätz, 

which, due to its ignoble role in the March Revolution 

of 1848, preferred the remoteness of the Carniolian 

mountains over the Habsburg metropoles of Vienna 

and Prague. After 1918, it was the location of 

the castle of King Alexander of Yugoslavia. The royal 

family Karađorđević received members of the Greek, 

Romanian and English courts as guests here. 

Villa Bled, as we know it today, was only constructed 

after World War Two. It became the summer 

residence of Marshal Tito. The president of Yugoslavia 

used it to receive international guests. Tito 

was particularly keen on showing state visitors from 

third world countries and Eastern Europe how successful 

Yugoslavia was, reports mayor Fajfar. This is 

how, among others, Haile Selassie, the King of Ethiopia 

and Gamal Nasser, president of Egypt, came here. 

But also Akihito, the Emperor of Japan, had the pleasure 

of visiting Villa Bled. Individuals from art and 

culture such as Paul McCartney also stayed here. As 

did Donald Trump, which was probably due to family 

relations. 

There‘s plenty of anecdotes and stories here. One 

of the best is about Kim Il-sung, the North Korean 

president, who had been so impressed by his bed that 

he had it deconstructed and shipped to Pyongyang. 

Another thing that‘s remarkable about Villa Bled is 

that it‘s made of the same marble which had also 

been used for the construction of the White House in 

Washington. 

A fresco on a wall in the concert hall still reminds 

visitors of Tito and his reconstruction. It tells the story 

of the birth of the Yugoslavian state and portrays 

two partisan battles from World War Two, from 

which Tito emerged victorious. Since 1984, Villa 

Bled has been a hotel. Not just any, but one of the 

best-known in the region. 

An important event during autumn is the Bled 

Strategic Forum, held on 4 and 5 September this 

year. It‘s a meeting between politicians and business 

representatives, particularly from Central and Southeast 

Europe. Janez Fajfar straightforwardly calls it 

the “Davos of the Balkans“. The event underlines the 

importance that Bled carries today as a conference 

and MICE location. 

INFO: 

bled.si 

Schloss Bled 

blejski-grad.si 

Bled Strategic Forum 

bledstrategicforum.org 

Golfsko igrišče Royal Bled 

golfbled.si 

www.slovenia.info 

AKTIV URLAUB IN 

SLOWENIEN 

SLOWENIEN. Grün. Aktiv. Gesund. 

Piran 

From Executive Potential to 

Executive Performance 

82.000 executives from 85 countries in 31 years 

IEDC-Bled School of Mangement 

Prešernova 33, 4260 Bled Slovenia 

IEDC Vienna Office, Hahngasse 6, Vienna, Austria 

www.iedc.si

SAVOIR VIVRE UPCOMING 

Wo es uns gefällt 

Where we love to be 


PHOTOS: WWW.GUENTERSTANDL.DE, , HOTEL NIDUM, IMPERIAL RIDING SCHOOL RENAISSANCE 

HOTEL, URBAN MASSAGE 

Kulinarik | Cuisine 

City Barbecue 

Bis 30. September 2017 verwandelt sich der rund 

2.000 m 2 große Garten beim Imperial Riding 

School Renaissance Hotel in Wien Landstraße 

wieder zum „place to be“ für Grillliebhaber. Ob „all 

you can eat“ oder „à la carte“ – donnerstags bis 

sonntags kann man zwischen 17 und 22 Uhr eine 

große Auswahl an Fleisch- und Fischspezialitäten, 

vielfältige Beilagen, erfrischende Cocktails und das 

herrliche Ambiente des historischen Gartens bei 

chilliger Lounge Musik genießen. 

Till 30 September 2017, the 2,000 m 2 seized 

garden at the Imperial Riding School Renaissance 

Hotel at Vienna Landstraße will turn into „a place 

to be“ for barbecue aficionados again. There, from 

Thursday to Sunday, between 5 and 10 pm, a great 

variety of meat and fish specialities, manifold side 

dishes, refreshing cocktails und the magnificent 

ambiance of the historic garden are waiting for you 

- relaxed lounge music included. 

citygarden-wien.at 

Urlaubsdestination | Holiday destination 

Cooler Luxus | Cool luxury 

Wer sich ein paar tolle Tage gönnen möchte, steigt im Nidum – Casual 

Luxury Hotel in der Olympiaregion Seefeld ab. Mit dem Weekend 

Special kann man auch noch am Sonntag bis spät nachmittags im 

Infinity-Außenpool, in drei Saunen, dem Innenpool mit Whirlpool oder 

im Dampfbad relaxen. Bei den drei Restaurantbereichen, der Apero 

Terrace und Champagnerbar schätzen Herren das legere Motto „Ohne 

Krawatte – ohne Sorgen“. Die Zimmer, bis zu 118 m2 groß, sind 

Holz-Designersuiten mit traumhaften Berg-Ausblicken. 

If you want to enjoy a few pleasant days’ stay, you will visit the 

NIDUM – Casual Luxury Hotel in the Olympiaregion Seefeld. With the 

Weekend Special, you can also relax on Sunday until late afternoon in 

the infinity outdoor pool or the three saunas, the indoor pool with 

whirlpool or the steam bath. Within the three restaurant areas, the 

Apero Terrace and champagne bar, gentlemen appreciate the casual 

motto ‘Without a tie – without worries’. The rooms, up to 118 m2 in 

size, are wooden designer suites with fantastic mountain views. 

nidum-hotel.com 

Wohlbefinden | Wellbeing 

Absolute Entspannung | 

Ultimate relaxation 

Urban Massage gibt es nun auch in Wien. 

Neben den Bezirken 1 bis 23 kommen 

zertifizierte Masseure und Masseurinnen 

Ihrer Wahl auch in Brunn am Gebirge, 

Klosterneuburg, Maria Enzersdorf, 

Mauerbach, Mödling, Perchtoldsdorf und 

Purkersdorf zum Arbeitsplatz, nach Hause 

oder ins Hotel. 

Urban Massage is now also available in 

Vienna. In addition to the districts 1 to 

23, certified masseurs of your choice visit 

you at work, home or hotel at Brunn am 

Gebirge, Klosterneuburg, Maria 

Enzersdorf, Mauerbach, Mödling, 

Perchtoldsdorf and Purkersdorf. 

urbanmassage.com 

#WeAreMusical 

Tourismus | Tourism 

Das Almdorf – Ein Quell für innere Zufriedenheit | A source for inner peace 

Direkt auf zwei sonnigen, leicht versetzten Nockbergeplateaus liegen die beiden Dorfteile „Fellacher“ und „Kleeangerle“ auf der Fellacheralm bei Patergassen 

in Kärnten. „Das Almdorf“ bietet seinen Gästen 51 wunderschöne und hochwertige Almhütten. Nach einer wunderbaren Bergwanderung im Gebiet des 

Biosphärenparks Nockberge lässt man sich gerne auf hohem Niveau kulinarisch verwöhnen. Ganz außergewöhnlich ist dabei die Holzknechthütte, die 

traditionelle Kärntner Küche mit besten heimischen Zutaten bietet. Durch die Initiative von Prinz Alfred von Liechtenstein, der die Weiterentwicklung des 

Almdorfs initiierte, soll es in Zukunft als „World Peace Eco Resort“ zur Oase für inneren Frieden werden und auch als Thinktank dienen. 

The two village areas ‘Fellacher’ and ‘Kleeangerle’ are located directly on two sunny plateaus in the Nockberge mountain region on the Fellacheralm 

mountain pasture near Patergassen in Carinthia. The “Almdorf“ offers its guests 51 magnificent and high-quality mountain huts. After a wonderful 

mountain hike in the area of the Nockberge biosphere park you can spoil yourself with wonderful culinary delights. The Holzknechthütte mountain hut, 

which offers traditional Carinthian cuisine using only the best local ingredients, is quite exceptional. Through the initiative of Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein, 

who initiated the further development of the alpine village, it has become an oasis for inner peace as a ‘World Peace Eco Resort’ and is also to 

serve as a think-tank in the future. 

almdorf.com 

REGIE 

Andreas Gergen 

DAS MUSICAL MIT DEN HITS VON 

RAINHARD FENDRICH 

WELTPREMIERE 

IM SEPTEMBER 2017 

BUCH 

Titus Hoffmann 

Christian Struppeck 

Foto VBW © Oliver Gast 2017 

MACHO MACHO • ES LEBE DER SPORT • TANGO KORRUPTI • WEU’SD A HERZ HAST … 


AUSTRIA.MUSICALVIENNA.AT

SAVOIR VIVRE MUST READ 

Lesenswertes über Österreich 

Books on Austria worth reading 


Pfarr Platz Wirt Wein 

Peter Weinhäupl 

Grado. Der Strand 

Mitteleuropas. 

Sandór Békési und Elke Doppler (Herausgeber) 

Wien von oben. 

Die Stadt auf einen 

Blick 

Graham Greene und Anika Siems Nicolas Mahler nach Robert Musil Stefan Dech / Reinhold Messner / Nils Sparwasser 

Der dritte Man 

Der Mann ohne 

Eigenschaften 

Eine perfekte Woche... 

Tirol 

Der Pfarrplatz in Wien-Heiligenstadt gilt nicht nur als 

einer der schönsten Plätze Wiens. Seine Geschichte 

ist auch Teil der Wiener Geschichte. Und so ist dieses 

sehr großzügig illustrierte Buch mehr als bloß das 

Porträt eines Platzes und seiner Anwohner. Es erzählt 

auch so einiges über die Kulturgeschichte der Stadt. 

Bereits vor 2.000 Jahren siedelten sich hier die Römer 

an. Später wohnte hier Ludwig van Beethoven und 

fand Anregungen für seine Kompositionen. Seit dieser 

Zeit zeigt sich der Pfarrplatz in einem nahezu 

unveränderten Zustand. Dieses Buch erzählt 

facettenreich die Jahrhunderte währende Geschichte 

dieses malerischen Orts. Es beschreibt ausführlich 

den Werdegang des Heurigen Mayer und des 

Restaurants Pfarrwirt sowie der traditionsreichen 

Weingüter Mayer am Pfarrplatz und Rotes Haus. 

The parish square or “Pfarrplatz“ as it is known to 

locals in Wien-Heiligenstadt is not only one of the 

most beautiful places in Vienna. Its history is also part 

of Viennese history. This very generously illustrated 

book is more than just a portrait of a place and its 

inhabitants. Plenty is also told about the cultural 

history of the city. 2,000 years ago, the Romans 

already settled here. Later, Ludwig van Beethoven 

lived here and found inspiration for his compositions. 

Since that time, the parish square has remained 

almost unchanged. This book provides a detailed 

account of the centuries-old history of this 

picturesque place. It describes in detail the history of 

the Heuriger Mayer and the restaurant Pfarrwirt as 

well as the traditional wineries Mayer am Pfarrplatz 

and the Rotes Haus. 

– 

D + R Verlagsgesellschaft 

€ 24,00 

Als „spiaggia della Mitteleuropa“, als der Strand 

Mitteleuropas, bezeichnet sich Grado gern. Dieser 

prachtvoll illustrierte Band erzählt die bisweilen 

turbulente Geschichte dieses traditionellen Seebads 

an der oberen Adria mit seiner bis heute perfekt 

erhaltenen historischen Altstadt, der Fischerdorfidylle 

und seiner bemerkenswerten regionalen Küche – und 

von den mit Grado verbundenen nostalgischen 

Kindheitserinnerungen. Es folgt den Spuren der 

Wiener Secessionisten, die um 1900 Grado als Kulisse 

für ihre Gemälde schätzten. Es erzählt von den 

„goldenen“ 1920er und 1930er Jahren und von den 

1960er Jahren, als Österreicher den Ort als 

Sommerurlaubsziel wiederentdeckten. 

Grado likes to call itself the “spiaggia della 

Mitteleuropa“, Central Europe’s beach. This superbly 

illustrated volume tells the sometimes turbulent 

history of this traditional seaside resort at the upper 

Adriatic with its still perfectly preserved historic old 

town, the fishing village idyll and its remarkable 

regional cuisine – and of the nostalgic childhood 

memories associated with Grado. It follows the 

footsteps of the Viennese Secession artists who 

appreciated the ambience of Grado in the 1900s as a 

setting for their paintings. It tells of the “golden“ 

1920s and 1930s and of the 1960s, when Austrians 

rediscovered the place as a summer holiday 

destination. 

– 

Brandstätter Verlag 

€ 49,90 

Zur sehr sehenswerten Ausstellung im Wien Museum 

ist dieses Buch erschienen, das sich mit den 

Versuchen, der Stadt über die Jahrhunderte und 

Jahrtausende visuell beizukommen, auseinandersetzt. 

Es zeigt nicht nur die ältesten, größten oder 

berühmtesten Pläne, Panoramen und Modelle Wiens, 

sondern ebenso seltene thematische Karten oder 

künstlerische Zugänge und Designprodukte. 

Außerdem werden traditionsreiche, aber auch neue 

Aussichtspunkte der Stadt exemplarisch beleuchtet 

– vom Stephansturm und dem Kahlenberg bis hin zum 

Hochhaus in der Herrengasse. 

This book was published parallel to the very 

impressive exhibition at the Vienna Museum and 

deals with the attempts to visually manage the city 

over the centuries and thousands of years. It not only 

shows the oldest, largest or most famous plans, 

panoramas and models of Vienna, but also rare 

thematic maps or artistic approaches and design 

products. In addition, traditional, but also new sights 

of the city are exemplarily highlighted – from the 

Stephansturm and Kahlenberg to the Hochhaus in 

Herrengasse. 

– 

Metroverlag 

€ 26,00 

Das weltweit vermutlich bekannteste Wien-Buch 

stammt von einem britischen Autor. Graham Greenes 

„Der dritte Mann“ spielt im zerstörten und geteilten 

Wien unmittelbar nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. 1949 

hat Carol Reed den Roman mit Orson Welles und 

Joseph Cotton und mit der Musik von Anton Karas 

verfilmt; der Film ist ein Klassiker. Nun wurde der 

Roman wieder einmal auf ganz hervorragende Art 

visualisiert. Die Edition Büchergilde hat eine 

illustrierte Fassung herausgebracht; die Zeichnungen 

stammen von der deutschen Illustratorin Annika 

Siems, deren Stil deutlich an den legendären Hans 

Hillmann erinnert. 

The world‘s most famous book about Vienna comes 

from a British author. Graham Greene’s „The Third 

Man“ is set within the destroyed and divided Vienna 

immediately after the Second World War. In 1949, 

Carol Reed filmed the novel with Orson Welles and 

Joseph Cotton and the music by Anton Karas, a 

classic. This time, the novel has been once again 

visualized in an especially brilliant way. Edition 

Büchergilde has produced an illustrated version, the 

drawings are by the German illustrator Annika Siems, 

whose style is clearly reminiscent of the legendary 

Hans Hillmann. 

– 

Edition Büchergilde 

€ 25,80 

Robert Musils kolossales Werk „Der Mann ohne 

Eigenschaften“ gilt als quintessentieller Wien-Roman. 

Jeder sollte ihn gelesen haben; die wenigsten haben 

es geschafft. Doch Hilfe naht. Jetzt gibt es diese 

Kurzfassung, die noch dazu als Comic daherkommt. 

Der Wiener Zeichner Nicolas Mahler, dessen 

reduzierter Strich und lakonischer Humor ihn zu 

einem internationalen Star der Zeichnerszene werden 

ließen, hat „eine respektlos reduzierte und höchst 

eigenwillige Interpretation“ geschaffen, wie die 

deutsche „tageszeitung“ anmerkte. Jetzt schafft man 

den „Mann ohne Eigenschaften“ bequem in einer 

Stunde. Es gibt also keine Ausreden mehr. 

Robert Musil‘s colossal work “The Man Without 

Qualities“ is considered a quintessential Viennese 

novel. Everyone should have read it and only a few 

have succeeded. But help is here! Now there is a short 

version which also happens to come in the form of a 

comic. The Viennese drawer and illustrator Nicolas 

Mahler, who rose to become an international star of 

the artistic scene for his reduced lines and laconic 

humour, created a “disrespectfully reduced and highly 

individual interpretation“, the German “tageszeitung“ 

noted. Now you can get through “The Man Without 

Qualities“ in an hour. So there are no excuses. 

– 

Suhrkamp Verlag 

€ 19,60 

Die beiden Reiseführer-Reihen „Ein perfektes 

Wochenende in...“ und „Eine perfekte Woche in...“, die 

von der Süddeutschen Zeitung herausgegeben 

werden, zeigen sehr schön, dass weniger oft mehr ist. 

„Hier erfahren Sie nicht alles und jedes, sondern 

genau das, was Sie für eine perfekte Woche 

brauchen“, schreiben die Herausgeber. Die schönsten 

Unterkünfte, die empfehlenswertesten Restaurants, 

die besten Berghütten und noch vieles mehr. Und 

tatsächlich: Dieses schmale Büchlein ist der ideale 

Reisebegleiter für eine gelungene Woche in Tirol. 

The two guidebook series “Eine perfekte Woche in ...“ 

(A perfect week in ...) and “Ein perfektes Wochenende 

in...“ (A perfect weekend in ...), published by the 

Süddeutsche Zeitung, show very nicely that less is 

often more. “You will not learn everything there is to 

know but exactly what you need for a perfect week,“ 

the editors write. The most beautiful accommodations, 

the most recommended restaurants and the 

best mountain huts and so much more. And indeed: 

this small booklet is the ideal travel companion for a 

successful week in Tyrol. 

– 

Süddeutsche Zeitung Edition 

€ 16,90 



147

SAVOIR VIVRE MY VIENNA 

H.E. János Perényi 

Botschafter von Ungarn | Ambassador of Hungary 

Interview: Daniela Pötzl 

Top in Wien | Top in Vienna 

PERSONAL DETAILS 

Wunderbare Details im Inneren der 

Botschaft und ein Klavier, auf dem 

Franz Liszt gespielt hat (ganz oben). 

Wonderful details of the Embassy‘s 

interior and a piano, which Franz Liszt 

had played on (very top). 

PHOTOS: RALPH MANFREDA (5), PETER RIGAUD (2), CHRISTIAN STEMPER 

Sie sind nun seit zweieinhalb Jahren in Wien. Welche 

Orte in der Stadt haben Sie in dieser Zeit besonders 

liebgewonnen? 

Erstens liegt mir die Innenstadt besonders nah am Herzen, 

weil ich in einem Barockpalais in der Bankgasse wohne. 

Dieses Gebäude dient seit über dreihundert Jahren den 

ungarisch-österreichischen Beziehungen: Im Jahre 1747 

wurde es als Ungarische-Königliche Hofkanzlei in Betrieb 

gesetzt und fungiert auch seither als Ort und Stätte der 

Arbeit der Vertreter von Ungarn in Österreich. In der Nähe 

befindet sich der Volksgarten, wo ich, wenn mich meine 

Enkelkinder besuchen kommen, sehr viel Zeit mit ihnen 

verbringe. 

Was macht für Sie Wien so besonders? 

Wien ist auf jeden Fall eine besondere Stadt. Jahrhundertelang 

war sie Hauptstadt des Habsburgerreiches, was noch 

bis heute Spuren hinterlässt. Die Atmosphäre von Wien ist 

stimmungsvoll und einzigartig. Alt und neu bzw. modern 

verschmelzen zu einer Einheit. Kosmopolitismus trifft hier 

auf Gemütlichkeit. Davon können viele Städte nur träumen. 

Das MuseumsQuartier ist z.B. ein gelungener Mix aus 

moderner Kunst und historischer Stätte. In der Innenstadt 

trifft man bei fast jedem Schritt auf Palais, Wohnhäuser, 

Innenhöfe, die den Fingerabdruck von früheren Jahrhunderten 

tragen. Viele von diesen haben auch einen 

besonderen Bezug zu uns, Ungarn, wie die Palais 

Esterházy, Pálffy, Batthyány oder Trautson (früherer Name: 

Ungarisches Leibgardepalais, heutiger Sitz des österreichischen 

Bundesministeriums für Justiz). Meine Familie hat 

hier auch österreichische Verwandte – wir fühlen uns auch 

deshalb in Wien heimisch. Am Anfang des vorigen 

Jahrhunderts hat mein Großvater im Theresianum gelernt, 

wo die ungarische Sprache damals noch verpflichtend zu 

unterrichten war. 

Wenn Sie Besuch aus Ihrer Heimat haben, wohin 

fahren Sie Ihre Gäste zuerst? Haben Sie einen 

Lieblingsort? 

Wenn Besucher aus Ungarn kommen, was ziemlich oft der 

Fall ist, gibt es „verpflichtende“ Programme: Albertina, 

Kunsthistorisches Museum und Belvedere. Meine Gäste, 

die sich für Süßspeisen begeistern, nehme ich zum Demel 

mit. Wenn die Gäste kleine Kinder haben, besuchen wir das 

Naturhistorische Museum. Manchmal machen wir mit den 

Gästen einen Ausflug: ins Burgenland, nach Féltorony/ 

Halbturn, Fraknó/Forchtenstein oder Kismarton/Eisenstadt, 

Ortschaften, die auch eine einzigartige Rolle in der 

ungarischen Geschichte gespielt haben und mir deshalb 

auch sehr am Herzen liegen. 

Welche Erinnerungen werden Sie mitnehmen, wenn 

Sie Wien wieder verlassen müssen? 

Alle diese Erlebnisse nehme ich in meinem Gedächtnis und 

in meinem Herzen mit, sowie auch die Erinnerungen an 

eine interessante diplomatische Arbeit in einem 

Nachbarland, das für Ungarn besonders wichtig ist. 

You have been living in Vienna for two and a half years 

now. What city spots or places have you become 

particularly fond of? 

I have to mention the inner city, which is particularly close 

to my heart because I live in a Baroque palace in 

Bankgasse. For more than three hundred years, this 

building has served Hungarian-Austrian relations. It was 

established in 1747 as a home to the Hungarian Royal 

Court Chancellor, and since then it has been the main 

venue for the work of Hungarian representatives in Austria. 

Volksgarten Park is close by where I spend a lot of tim

CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 02/2017

Create successful ePaper yourself