March 2001 - Nr. 3
Austrian Romance
by Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
Going to an Austrian event in Toronto does not make it quite clear who is romancing whom. Is the organizing body romancing the attending people or are the visitors romancing the hosting body, or is everyone romancing everyone? The proverbial Austrian charm is ever present regardless of the venue.
Recently two important Austrian occurrences made it possible
to evaluate once again the phenomenon of Austria first hand. Both took place
in the downtown Delta Chelsea Inn, Toronto, the preferred hotel of local
Austrians. 
A
tradeshow presenting Austria’s wonderful regions and the many ways to
travel, learn, see, experience and revel in one of the worlds rich cultures
was put on for the media and travel related businesses. After walking around
the room with many different tables set up to deal with any one region or
venue and collecting brochures from the representatives of these regions the
journey continued next door in a dining room setting. A lovely European
lunch was served while videos of Salzburg, Vienna and Tyrol as the heart of
the Alps tantalized our imagination.
Traveling to Austria is becoming even more convenient now that Austrian Airlines announced that as of April 28, 2001, non-stop service between Toronto and Vienna will be available. Air Canada will be the other partner in this equation and look after the needs of any traveler, may it be for pleasure or business, to Austria or any other European spot. Austrian Airlines will fly on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday twice a day directly to Vienna. One flight in the morning and one in the early afternoon on an Airbus 330 make it even easier to land in the heart of Europe. For more information you can call in Canada 888.817.444 or look on the Internet: www.austrianair.com for the most friendly airline, or should we say the most charming?
Romance in Austria Ball
The
annual gala ball put on by the Canadian Austrian Society is always a
highlight of the season for Austrian Canadians and their friends who hail
from any part of the once big Austrian Hungarian Empire. Also people of
German descent frequent this ball. It is not even unusual to see a tartan or
two at this nearly all black tie event.
His
Excellency Dr. Wendelin Ettmayer, the Austrian Ambassador to Canada,
mentioned in his address that Austrians have a certain way of life, a
certain way of doing things; and it is easy to see for even an outsider that
they have a certain appreciation for the finer things in life, like good
music, food and wine, art and cultural endeavours of any kind.
And
while the "Kuess die Hand" attitude has disappeared in part it is
not altogether gone or forgotten in a business climate that makes it
mandatory that Austria participates in a competitive world market. Some of
this famous old world charm was apparent still at the ball, starting with a
champagne reception, and followed by a well-prepared 5-course dinner, during
which the Emperor Quartet played classical music as a backdrop to animated
table conversation. While
the talk was mostly light and playful here and there a more seriously
philosophical note could be overheard in the lobby’s deep armchairs, where
one could repair to for a cigarette.
Herbert
Wolf of Austrian Airlines, who usually serves as master of ceremony, also
did so that night, introduced the head table and the many special guests who
honoured the ball with their presence, too numerous to mention here.
But
mention must go to the most humble of the visitors, one who did not quite
understand why people where so excited to have him in their midst, Dr. Josef
Fenninger, the now famous human genome researcher, who works in a Toronto
hospital. Dr. Ettmayer did not only mean him when he expressed how proud he
was of his fellow Austrians in Canada, how well they have done for
themselves, but also for their country Canada and for their homeland
Austria.
When
he later on presented Dkfm Gerhard Mueller and Dr. Selzer with the Austrian
Order of Merit in Gold he again pointed out that Austrians such as these two
gentlemen are doing admiringly good work which deserves to be rewarded
publicly. While Dr. Selzer assists the embassy in Ottawa with legal matters
Mr. Mueller heads up the trade division of the Austrian Consulate and has
increased imports from Austria to Canada manifold in the few years he has
served here; and that despite political differences between these two
countries, one might add.
There
was much praise for all the people who contributed for to the success of the
evening. Dancing to the fabulous sound of the Matt Lebar Ensemble went on
long after midnight, long after the prizes were given away and long after
the obligatory goulash soup at midnight.
Among
the generous sponsors of the evening were, of course, Austrian Airlines, who
gave away a flight to Vienna, Swarovsky - famous for their crystal - and
Schlumberger- famous for their wine and champagne.
Everyone
present that evening would agree: the Austrians do have a certain way about
them , a certain charm, there is romance in the air, especially when the
music is a Viennese waltz.
