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CULTURE

Falco to Schwarzenegger: Six Austrian cultural icons that you need to know

There’s more to Austria than just skiing and its classical music heritage. Here are five important Austrian cultural icons and what they mean to the country.

Falco to Schwarzenegger: Six Austrian cultural icons that you need to know
US-Austrian actor and Former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

Integrating into a country involves more than just learning the local language and social norms. It also means getting to know the culture, including the people that have put Austria on the map.

So to impress your Austrian friends, or simply to learn more about the country where you live, here are six cultural icons in Austria that you need to know – besides the famous composers.

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Falco

Falco – Austria’s most internationally successful pop star – might have died 25 years ago but his impact on the Austrian music scene lives on.

Most people will probably know Falco from his 1985 smash-hit Rock Me Amadeus, which is still the only German-language song to reach number one in the US Billboard Hot 100. Rock Me Amadeus also went to number one in the UK and Japan.

But in Austria, he is much more than a one-hit wonder. Falco – whose real name was  Johann Hölzel – still represents Austrian music today and is often mentioned in the same sentence as Beethoven and Schubert. He is also equally remembered for epitomising the culture of Vienna and for living a hedonistic lifestyle.

Plus, at the peak of his fame he could have moved to the US and enjoyed massive global success, but instead he chose to stay in Austria, singing mostly in his Viennese dialect. That means a lot to Austrians.

Unfortunately, Falco experienced some personal losses in his private life, particularly when he discovered he was not the biological father to his seven-year-old daughter. This prompted a move to the Dominican Republic where he died in a car crash in 1999, aged 40.

READ ALSO: Cult Austrian Soviet-nostalgia band Russkaja breaks up over safety fears

US actor, filmmaker and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger (c) and his girlfriend Heather Milligan meet with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, on January 29, 2019. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger – or Arnie, as he is widely known – is possibly Austria’s most famous export. He is an actor, a film producer, the former Governor of California and a retired bodybuilder. 

But despite his mega fame and life in the US, Schwarzenegger still finds time to attend the annual Hahnenkamm downhill ski race in Kitzbühel, something that the local press love to publicise.

And to many Austrians he is still the boy from a Styrian village that followed his dreams, travelled to the US (without knowing much English) and made it as a superstar – all while keeping his Austrian accent.

Arnie’s story is one of escaping conformist 1960s Austria to the liberal world of west coast US, proving to everyone (not just Austrians) that believing in yourself can take you far.

Austrian-German actor Christoph Waltz arrives for the premiere of “Pinocchio” during the 2022 American Film Institute Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 5, 2022. (Photo by AUDE GUERRUCCI / AFP)

Christoph Waltz

Actor Christoph Waltz is another Austrian star that has found international fame. In the English-speaking world, he is mostly known for his work with Quentin Tarantino and for playing the baddie Blofeld in the Bond franchise.

Born in Vienna in 1956, his early acting career was at the Schauspielhaus in Zurich, Switzerland, before becoming a TV actor and then moving into directing with the German TV show, Wenn man sich traut (If you dare).

Waltz’s international breakthrough came in 2009 when he was cast in Tarrantino’s Inglourious Basterds. He has since starred in numerous US films, including Django Unchained and Water for Elephants.

Today, Waltz is one of Austria’s most famous citizens, respected as much for his multilingual abilities (he is fluent in German, French and English) as for his acting.

He also still has a home in Vienna and divides his time between the Austrian capital, Berlin and LA.

READ NEXT: Seven common myths about Austrian food you need to stop believing

A picture taken on September 5, 2017 shows Austrian singer and drag queen Conchita Wurst posing in Munich, southern Germany. (Photo by Sven Hoppe / dpa / AFP)

Conchita Wurst

Conchita Wurst might not have reached the same giddy heights of fame as the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Christoph Waltz, but that doesn’t make her any less important – at least in Austria.

For those that don’t know, Conchita Wurst – or Tom Neuwirth, to use her real name – is an artist and singer. She won the European Song Contest in 2014 and is a vocal campaigner of LGBTQ rights.

In Austria, Conchita Wurst is a household name and is especially popular in Vienna where she is based. But the path to fame hasn’t always been smooth and, in 2014, there were calls within Austria to remove her as the country’s entry into the Eurovision Song Contest. 

Today, the star is still a famous face in the gay community in Austria and recently said the Eurovision win forced people in Austria to have a conversation about gender, whether they were ready to or not.

Former world champion, Olympic gold medalist, Austria’s ski legend Hermann Maier looks on after a ski exhibition night race in Flachau on January 14, 2013. (Photo by ALEXANDER KLEIN / AFP)

Hermann Maier

Hermann Maier, also known as the Herminator, is an Austrian sporting legend and one of the greatest alpine ski racers in history. As well as being famous for staging one of the sport’s biggest ever comebacks.

Growing up in Salzburg, Maier showed promising signs as a junior skier but was not selected by the Austrian national team. He didn’t let that hold him back though and started to make a name for himself after winning the Europa Cup in 1996.

Then, at the 1998 Winter Olympics, he survived a terrible crash on the piste to go on to win two gold medals for Austria. This led to his Herminator nickname and cemented his reputation as a national hero.

But in 2001 it was almost all over after he was involved in a serious motorbike accident and came close to losing a leg. Many thought the Herminator would never ski again, but he surprised everyone in 2003 by winning the Super-G race in Kitzbühel.

In the Austrian Alps, locals still love sharing stories about the Herminator, especially his down-to-earth attitude and determination to not give up – two traits that make Austrians very proud.

FOR MORE: Eight habits that show you’ve embraced life in Austria

Austrian writer Elfriede Jelinek is pictured in 1997 in Vienna. One of the Austria’s most controversial writers and poets, Elfriede Jelinek, became 07 October 2004 the 10th woman and the first Austrian to win the Nobel Literature Prize. (Photo by HERBERT PFARRHOFER / AFP)

Elfriede Jelinek

Outside of international literary circles, Elfriede Jelinek is not well known. But she is actually one of Austria’s most successful writers, and is one of the most decorated writers in the German-speaking world.

Jelinek was even awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004 for the “musical flow of voices and counter-voices in her novels and plays,” and her “extraordinary linguistic zeal, which reveals the absurdity of society’s cliches and their subjugating power”. 

But she is also a controversial figure in Austria, mostly for being a former member of the communist party and for her criticism of her homeland.

Despite this, she has continued to enjoy acclaim as a playwright and novelist, and her latest play Schnee Weiß (Snow White) – based on sexual assault in sport – recently opened at the Landestheater Tirol.

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WORKING IN AUSTRIA

8 things you should know before starting an office job in Austria

Do not forget to say 'Mahlzeit', bring a cake for your birthday and become a great table football player. These are some of the things that you should keep in mind to fit in at work.

8 things you should know before starting an office job in Austria

Learn how to play table soccer 

Austrians absolutely love playing table football. Many of them grow up playing it, and if they did not have it at home, they certainly spent time playing at a friend’s house or, why not, at the nearest bar, restaurant, or public space.

Football tables are everywhere in Austria, sometimes even in public indoor swimming pool facilities and climbing halls.

Participating in a game is likely to be one of the first chances you get to socialise with your colleagues and if you are good, you are likely to be well-respected. If you are bad, you better start training. 

Do not forget to say Mahlzeit 

In Austria, it is a tradition to greet each other with ‘Mahlzeit’ during lunch hours, or at least that is how it is often described. However, many Austrians use the term more frequently than just during lunchtime.

Do not be surprised if you are greeted with a ‘Mahlzeit’ during your morning coffee at 8 am or even when you are not eating or drinking anything around 4 pm. The expression’s popularity has extended beyond its former specific time frame.

READ ALSO: What ‘Mahlzeit’ means and how to use it in Austria

Try Leberkäse and learn to accept it

Leberkäse is a popular snack in Austria. Even if you might not feel tempted to try it, you certainly have to accept its presence.

Leberkäse will regularly make an appearance at your workplace. Usually, at least a few days a week, you will see one or maybe even a few of your colleagues taking a bite of the pink, soft square sandwiched between a white bread roll.

In Austria, Leberkäse is a fast and convenient option when you are hungry. Photo by Allen Rad on Unsplash

READ ALSO: Seven ‘weird’ foods in Austria you need to try at least once

Be careful when using “Du” 

All work cultures are different, but since Austrians tend to care about their titles, it is important to understand how they are used in your specific workplace.

In Austria, it is not uncommon for companies to have a clear hierarchy. In such environments, you are often expected to refer to your bosses with “Sie” if you have not developed a friendship with them.

On the other hand, your closest colleagues, especially if they are not your superiors, are likely to expect you to call them “Du”.

If you want to try to loosen up the work atmosphere, you can suggest playing table soccer; your workplace will most likely have one.

READ ALSO: 21 phrases to help you get on in a German-speaking office in Austria

Suggest going for beers after work

In Austria, It is popular to go for beers after work, and in many offices, it is one of the most common team activities.

This type of team activity is also a great way to loosen up the formalities. After a few beers, your normally formal and serious colleague, who insists on using titles like “Herr Doktor,” might suddenly become “Franzl” or “Gustl.”

If you are not in the mood for alcohol, you can, of course, also go for a non-alcoholic beer. As long as it is beer, it is still accepted.

Learn to understand the different dialects

When working in Austria, you are likely to hear a lot of dialects from different regions of the country.

While standard German is the norm in professional settings, regional dialects might sneak into casual conversations, leading to sometimes entertaining misunderstandings.

One of the most difficult dialects for foreigners to understand is the German from Vorarlberg, which is similar to Swiss German.

To prepare for the different dialects, a good idea is to watch the long-running German-language crime series Tator. The series has episodes set in various German-speaking regions, including Switzerland. Here, you can practice and get used to the dialects.

READ ALSO: The ten weirdest taboos you must never break in Austria

Do not forget to bring a cake for your birthday 

Birthdays are a big deal in most Austrian offices.

If your birthday falls on a normal working day when you need to be in the office, you have two options: either make sure nobody knows it is your birthday or bring something nice to eat and drink.

In Austria, it is often expected that the birthday person treats their colleagues. Most birthday celebrators bring a cake, and some also some schnapps to go with it.

If you want to ensure that your cake is appreciated, Sachertorte and Linzer Torte are safe choices.

You can also invite your colleagues to enjoy Leberkäse as a snack before enjoying the sweets.

Whatever you do, do not forget to bring a cake to work if you have a birthday. Photo by Luke Wang on Unsplash

Learn how to drink a lot of coffee

Random breaks can sometimes be frowned upon in an Austrian office, but breaks for either playing table football or having a coffee are generally always accepted, and also a good chance to socialise. 

If you are not the biggest table soccer fan but enjoy your breaks, make sure you learn how to drink a lot of coffee.

In many offices around Austria, people spend their breaks at the coffee machines, first waiting for the coffee to be made, then slowly drinking it, often together with another heavy coffee-drinking colleague. 

READ MORE: Six official websites to know if you’re planning to work in Austria

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