Anton Bruckner – Always only for the Moment

Anton Bruckner (1824 – 1896) studied music in Vienna. On the organ of the Piaristenkirche he had do pass an exam. The examiners were music experts of that time. After the exam one of the examiners said: “He should have tested us.” Because Bruckner was one of the best organists and he was very talented in improvising on the organ. He was in great demand internationally – invited to a playing contest in Nancy (1869), played in Notre Dame, gave a concert on the steam engine driven organ in the Royal Albert Hall in 1871 and in the Crystal Palace with 70,000 listeners. “Bruckner’s playing the organ was bright and colourful, less structured in the core, than outwardly dazzling and adorable. He was not interested in contrapuntal perfection but in harmonic evolvement and a dignified effect on the whole audience. That is why he achieved the deepest impact with improvising where he could free his imagination.” (ADB)

Thomas Bernhard – The most Austrian Car

„Ok, transitory is good as well. There is nothing more dreadful than everlasting things. And I don’t want that anything connect to me remains at all. No I am not interested; only it could happen to my personal belongings.“ Thomas Bernhard (1931 – 1989) (Content summary in English by me)

An expensive “Christmas” exhibition glitters & shines in the Technical Museum Vienna, silvery and with noble colours. Contrary to other Christmas classics men visit the exhibition without the family. A family would only disturb him enjoying these luxury creatures in the exhibition: „Chromjuwelen – Autos mit Geschichte“ (Kings of Chrome – Cars with History).

Amidst wealth and “sport” you can find an unsophisticated Mercedes, fir-tree green down to the hub caps, disregarded by most of the visitors. One of Thomas Bernhard’s cars – no king of chrome. How could it get entry into the exhibition? Perhaps like this: Most of these car stories are exciting. Many of these car stories illustrate destiny. None of these cars shows the latest Austrian history like the Bernhard car. Thomas Bernhard who had to “eat” a large share of Austrian history and who “gave it back” entirely.

Eduard von Bauernfeld – Paying Tribute Overkill

How did it happen? He was celebrating an anniversary and an invitation arrived at his home. The invitation to become an honorary citizen of Vienna to mark his 80th birthday. An there it is – hidden in the official letter – the sentence that he should eat something substantial before he goes to the ceremonial act. Because the certificate will be handed over in reality to celebrate the laureate. And the certificate is quite large. And heavyweight. A gorgeously decorated cover safeguards some richly illuminated certificate pages. They outdid themselves.
What did the honoured think? At first there was joy. Perhaps an “at last!” Such a certificate can make you proud. This is one of the most beautiful

Josephine von Wertheimstein – At Home the Viennese World

When the mirror speaks: You are „sociable, keen on meeting people, wonderfully gifted for rich, colourful, brilliant exchange“ then Josephine von Wertheimstein (1820 – 1894) is looking into the mirror. Her mirror is the writer and director of the Burgtheater Adolf Wilbrandt.

The villa of the family Wertheimstein in the Döblinger Hauptstraße 96 is today the District Museum of

Ukrainian Cossack – Cavalryman & Horse

In the Türkenschanzpark (Turks entrenchment park) a horse is grazing and an Ukrainian Cossack smokes his pipe. You can see this memorial as pro war or as tessera of the Viennese history.

It commemorates the second siege of Vienna by the Turkish troops in 1683. In the army of the Polish king Sobieski freeing Vienna Ukrainian Cossacks fought together with Polish soldiers. The main fight took place in September. Turkish troops entrenched themselves at the place where you can find today the Türkenschanzpark. Cossacks contributed significantly to the victory.

Among other the architect Heinrich von Ferstel suggested to build the wonderful park opened in 1888. Not only a park but a world with the Cossack memorial as well as with the Turkish Yunus-Emre-Fountain.

Cossack-Sources:
All of them are in German, sorry. But the second last one with another memorial photo and the last one with a fountain photo.
„Archivmeldung der Rathauskorrespondenz vom 11.9.2003“ (Archive of the Town Hall Correspondence 11.9.2003)
„Die Ukrainer in Wien“ (The Ukrainians in Vienna)
„Denkmal Türkenschanzpark“ (Memorial Türkenschanzpark)
„Türkenschanzpark – Geschichte“ (Türkenschanzpark – History)