Old Vienna, New Attitude
Posted September 19th, 2008 by Antonia Malchik
When I lived in Vienna, Austria, 10 years ago, the proud imperial city seemed the last bastion of old-world attitudes. A sense of those old empires — the Austro-Hungarian, the Hapsburgs — not only lingered, you could feel it everywhere. The Viennese were resistant to change and unwelcoming of outsiders.
But Vienna, which I have heard many call “the smiling city without a soul,” has changed, and in the best of ways. Rather than throwing out old values and traditions, it’s simply continued them with a greater sense of openness and welcome. The city is much more family-friendly, as I recently wrote in The Boston Globe. But the changes apply to more than just activities for kids.
The revered coffeehouses, once haunted by Trotsky and Lenin, still serve the same fantastic coffee, and the waiters still wear bowties and black jackets. Cafe Landtmann, pictured here, still hosts Austria’s politicians, journalists, and diplomats. But, unlike a decade ago, the waiters are attentive and even — dare I say it — friendly.
“Standoffish” doesn’t even begin to describe the Viennese in the past, but somehow the sunshine has entered their souls. Vienna has an incredible quality of life, with comprehensive and cheap public transport, beauty and cleanliness, and serene walks like these through the Vienna Woods, or Wienerwald. That quality hasn’t changed. What’s changed is that the locals suddenly don’t seem to mind sharing it all with the rest of the world.
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September 22nd, 2008 at 10:52 am
I was back home in Croatia this summer visiting family and drove from there to Germany for my cousin’s wedding – through Austria. Every time I go there I make a promise to myself to come back and spend more than a road trip’s time. I was amazed at how clean everything was – the streets, the buildings, the public restrooms!
I’ve noticed the same shift of attitudes – although slower in some places – in much of Eastern Europe as well. Although not sure if it has all to do with the EU as the Austrian friend in your article mentioned especially since a good deal of Eastern Europe are not a part of the EU yet. Probably has a lot to do with the general shift in population…tends to bring a new outlook as countries whose economies were closed in for so many generations try to catch up and compete in a global market.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:29 am
I think you’re probably right, Katarina. It’s interesting to me, though, that as America seems to become more insular and protective in response to globalization, countries like Austria are learning to absorb the changes and imprint on them some of the best of their values and traditions.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:50 am
I’ve travelled in Austria a fair bit – from Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck to tiny Alpine villages. I have several Austrian friends. I know what Antonia’s getting at when she says ‘standoffish’, but this implies a certain amount of rudeness or apathy towards others, which I would disagree with. In my opinion, the standoffish Austrians I’ve met were merely being overly courteous and polite – by being too friendly, they, in a way, would be intruding into your personal zone, completely uninvited.
But I do agree that they’re becoming a warmer people. I know that global warming is improving growing conditions in many of Austria’s wine regions, for example Steierland – maybe better wine makes for friendlier people?