European public must be created
Kopfstand 09
Thursday, January 18, 2007
7 p.m., Galerie Maerz
Michael Schwarzinger, the former Austrian ambassador to Lithuania, spoke at the ‘Kopfstand 09’ discussion series about the history of the country and the capital of Vilnius, which will be European capital of culture in 2009 along with Linz.
Schwarzinger (51) sensed considerable opportunities, given that Vilnius - with its half a million residents - is the only large city in Lithuania and beyond. The whole of Europe will be looking to this capital of culture for the entire year which, like Linz, was awarded this task “on a silver tray” and did not have to follow any national application process. “Attentiveness is the currency of the 21st century” says the diplomat who spent five years working at the Austrian embassy in Vilnius until October 2006. As far as the closer partnership relations between Linz and Vilnius are concerns, he predicts “aha experiences on both sides” – especially as he considers the inhabitants of the two cities to be “two cautious populations” which do not particularly like taking risks.
In his presentation and in response to questions from Ulrich Fuchs, this former diplomat spoke eloquently about the changing history of Lithuania – from the late Christianisation (“The Lithuanians were the last heathens of Europe”) to the Polish monarchy, its relationship with the Habsburgs and with Linz (Elizabeth, the first wife of the last King, was born in Linz; his third wife, Katharina, died here!), the strong influence of Jewish intellectuals and their subsequent murder as a result of National Socialism as well as the era of the Soviet Union and Lithuania’s “courageous” independence from 1991 to the present day – from the SU to the EU.
The ‘Kopfstand 09’ discussion series will be held at regular intervals by Linz 2009 European Capital of Culture. Issues and experiences will be presented within a European context which are of significance to the city as regards the European Capital of Culture year.
