AUSTRIA

Charmella Salem Detumal

Sept. 03, 2022

INTRODUCTION

Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in the southern

part of Central Europe, situated at Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of
which is the capital Vienna, the largest city and state by population. Austria is bordered
to the north by the Czech Republic, to the northeast by Slovakia, to the east by
Hungary, to the south by Slovenia, to the southwest by Italy, to the west by Switzerland
and Liechtenstein, and to the northwest by Germany. It extends roughly 360 miles (580
km) from east to west.
Nearly all people in Austria speak German. The dialect of German spoken in
Austria, except in the west, is Bavarian, sometimes called Austro-Bavarian. About
seven million people speak Bavarian in Austria. A Middle Bavarian subdialect is spoken
chiefly in Ober- and Niederösterreich as well as in Vienna. A Southern Bavarian
subdialect is spoken in Tirol (including southern Tirol), in Kärnten, and in parts of
Steiermark. The speech of most of the remainder of the country’s inhabitants tends to
shade into one or the other of those subdialects.
Austria has been a leader and guardian of some of the most sublime
achievements in music, theatre, literature, architecture, medicine, and science. Austrian
culture is a part of the mainstream of Germanic culture that is shared with Germany and
Switzerland. But what has shaped it and dominated it, what has made it essentially
Austrian, are the Habsburg empire and the Christian church.

This paper seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are some cultural practices in Austria?
2. Do people in Austria have common features?
3. What are their common beliefs?
4. Do they have common values?
CULTURAL PRACTICES

Austrian culture is greatly influenced by the centuries-long Catholic tradition.

Daily life and legislation are however strictly secular. Social cohesion and tolerance are
of the highest significance in Austrian society. Some of well-known cultural practices in
Austria are Gemütlichkeit and Spaziergänge.

Gemütlichkeit.

A common attitude found among Austrians is ‘Gemütlichkeit’, which means a

feeling or state of friendliness, warmth and happiness. The Austrian propensity towards
warmth is manifested through their ways of socializing with one another. For example,
Austrians often enjoy engaging and learning through conversation. It is common for
people to have a membership in a local organization (referred to as ‘Vereine’).
Socializing in public places is also common. Many will typically socialize during
outdoor activities or at cafes. For those who live in the countryside, Sunday is
considered to be a day to spend time with one’s family. In small rural villages, men and
sometimes their wives may meet at a ‘Gasthaus’ (pub) or a ‘Heuriger’ (wine pub) to talk
and enjoy a drink. Meeting at restaurants, coffeehouses and gasthäuser extend beyond
drinking alcohol; such settings provide a communal place for camaraderie to flourish
Spaziergänge

Another example is how most Austrians have a deep love of nature and take
great pride in their country's landscapes. Outdoor activities and sports such as hiking,
mountain climbing, sailing and swimming are prevalent. It is common to find people
partaking in ‘Spaziergänge’, which refers to the act of taking a leisurely walk or stroll.
COMMON FEATURES OF THE PEOPLE

Austrian People from Austria are mixed. They really don’t have a common
feature. They look sometimes like Hungarian, Romanian, Italian and Russian and have
sometimes little bit darker hair and skin. Other than that, German and Austrians are not
very much different.
COMMON BELIEFS

Freedom of religion and worship is guaranteed in Austria.

About three-fourths of Austrians are Roman Catholic. Many Austrian practice “Baptismal
Certificate Catholicism” in which they are Catholic by baptism and religious formality but
do not hold Catholic beliefs on central issues.

Another major religion in Austria is Protestantism and many foreign workers are Muslim
or Serbian orthodox. There is also a small community of Jews, mostly post World War II
immigrants and their families, although the Jews have a long history in Vienna,
beginning in the tenth century.
COMMON VALUES

Austrian are simple and decent people. They care a lot about families. Here is
some example of Austrian Values:

Home is for comfort and relaxation. Only close relatives and friends are invited to
the house.

Austrian salute each other by shaking hands firmly and keep eye contact when
saluting.
Older men can kiss women’s hand out of respect but foreigners should not do
this, only Austrians.

Family and close friends exchange gifts on birthdays and new year.
CONCLUSION

Austria is a very beautiful country with a lot of traditions,

beliefs and values that are truly unique. It is commonly
known that Austrian people are typically conservative and
value tradition, as well as family, fairness, the environment,
and a good work-life balance. May Austrian people continue
cultivating and nurturing their wonderful culture for the next
generation to come.
REFERENCES

https://www.britannica.com/place/Austria/Education
https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/austrian-culture/austrian-culture-core-concepts
https://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Austria