Brief History and Culture of Austria - Essay Example

Brief History and Culture of Austria Geographic Overview When one thinks of Austria, one thinks of the Alps. The eastern alpine range is one of the prominent geographic features of Austria, starting at Lake Constance and Lake Como and spreading across the Hinterrein Valley and the Splugen Pass (Musulin, 1971, p. 27). It is a landlocked country, whose parameters expand 350 miles west to east, and 175 miles north to south (Baedeker, 1995, p. 11). Its border extends 1650 miles, and it shares it with eight other countries – Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Czech Republic, Lichtenstein, Hungary and Slovenia. As for topography, it is varied, as it features plains and upland territories in addition to their famous Alps. The flat or rolling terrain, which is generally considered more hospitable for living than in the Alps, consists of territory along the Danube, on the eastern fringes of the Alps and in the Vienna basin. Additionally, there are vast reaches of forest, called the Bohemian Forest (Baedeker, 1995, p. 12). The population is concentrated in the low-lying areas of the country, particularly Vienna (Baedeker, 1995, p. 13). Brief history and culture Austria has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age, judging by the 25,000 year old example of human art that was found in the Danube Valley, while a body of a man that dated to the Stone Age was also found discovered in a glacier (Bedford & Pitcher, 2005, p. 21). The Celts arrival in 500 BC is when civilization took hold. Austria has had various kings and rulers, including Charlemagne in 800 AD, Otto the Great in 955, and Leopold Babenberg, who established the Babenberg Dynasty for 270 years. This was a time of great prosperity for all of Austria. Their dynasty ended when Duke Friedrich II died without an heir, which paved the way for Rudolf Habsberg and his sons to take over. This is the dynasty that would be in power until the 20th Century (Bedford & Pitcher, 2005, p. 22). During this period of time, Austria would be involved in the Spanish War of Succession, from 1701-1714, and also saw attempted coups of Maria Theresia, who was a Habsburg heiress in 1740. This resulted in the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War in the mid 1700s. Theresia ended up holding her position, however, and she issued Austria into a modern state - centralizing control, reforming the army and economy, introducing public schools and improving civil rights (Bedford & Pitcher, 2005, p. 25). Her son, Josef, was a visionary, issuing an edict that all faiths would be tolerated, abolishing serfdom and secularizing religious property. However, he proved to be too much of a visionary, as he was forced to rescind some of his bolder measures (Bedford & Pitcher, 2005, p. 25). The latter half of the 18th Century to the beginning of the 19th Century saw a musical renaissance, the likes of which were never seen before or since. Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert all lived and worked in Vienna during this period, while producing some of the most long-lasting and memorable pieces ever composed (Bedford & Pitcher, 2005, p. 25). Austria went through many changes during this period as well. Napoleon occupied Austria for periods of time during the early 19th Century, and Austria lost parts of her land in the process. Their currency collapsed in 1811, and and Klemen von Metternich, the Austrian foreign minister, appointed in 1809, rolled back many civil rights measures and establishing a police state. These moves led to a revolution in 1848. In the end, the traditional rulers came back into power with Franz Josef I. Later, Austria had another rebirth of intellectual creativity, with Sigmund Freud working in Austria at the same time that Gustav Mahler was composing timeless pieces, Gustav Klimt was creating lasting artworks and Otto Wagner and Adolf Loos were becoming prominent in architecture. Austria was at the center of World War I, of course, as Franz Josef's nephew, Franz Ferdinand's assassination touched off that war. In the process, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia became independent states. These countries were previously under Habsburg control. This caused hardship to Austria. Then came a period of Nazism, with Austria being a part of the German war machine during WWII. After WWII, Austria declared its independence from Germany. Then, in 1995, Austria joined the European Union, which ushered in a new age of politics ( Bedford & Pitcher, 2005, p. 21). Who were the first immigrants? The earliest inhabitants were the Illyrians in 2000 BC. Next came the Celts in 500 BC and the Romans in 15 BC. During this period of time Germanic tribes were also invading. Around AD 433, the Bavarians and the Slavs invaded, and this was the situation until the end of the 6th Century. During this time, Austria was cleaved between the east and west. In the east, the peoples were of Germanic, Slav and Celt descent, while in the west, they were Germanic layered on a Raeto-Roman foundation (Musulin, 1971, p. 35). Now, Austria is made up of people with German, Czech, Hungaria, Polish and Croatian descent (Musulin, 1971, p. 36). What impacts on the development of US cuisine? Austria has had a great effect on US cuisine. Apple streudel, a staple in Austria, is popular here in the US as well. Cold cut sandwiches are another mainstay in Austria, and also ubiquitous here in the US. Fried chicken, a staple in the United States, is also considered to be a classic Austrian dish, as are pork roasts and roast beef smothered in gravy. Sausage is another Austrian staple that is very popular here. Other popular items in Austria that are also popular in the United States include dumplings, french fries and crepes (Bedford & Pitcher, 2005, pp. 66-67). In short, Americans traveling to Austria will have no trouble eating there and picking up their cuisine, as it is so similar to what Americans eat every day. What did the immigrants bring with them? Immigrants always bring their culture and food with them whenever they settle in a new land, and the Austrian immigrants are no different. There is a strong Germanic origin to Austria's food, due to the fact that there is a strong Germanic confluence of immigrants. Most of the food eaten in Austria that can be considered traditional has Germanic roots – such as schnitzels, sausages, streudels, and boiled beef with horseradish sauce. There is also a decidedly Slavic bent to traditional Austrian food, as shown by the presence of Aspik and Paprikash. The Hungarians have contributed goulash, among other traditional dishes. Food habits patterns In Austria, the mid-day meal is traditionally the largest meal of the day. Breakfast is typically light, usually consisting of just coffee or tea and a roll and jam. Dinners are light, usually consisting of bread, cheese and meat. Lunch is where the big meals are typically taken in, and usually consists of three courses – a soup, a meat (typically schnitzel) and a dessert. This meal also comes with sides such as dumplings, potatoes and spatzle. Typical meals Typical meals include fried chicken, pork dumplings, roast pork, boiled beef with horseradish, roast beef with gravy and schnitzel, which is breaded cutlets. Also common are fish - trout, pike, perch and carp are mainstays in this area. These are the main courses. Typical side dishes include dumplings, spatzel, cabbage and potatoes. First courses usually are clear soups or a platter of cold meats and bread. Desserts typically consist of streudel or crepes drowned in cream, as well as apricot and cheese dumplings and pudding. Food etiquette It is etiquette to not start eating until the host or hostess indicates that it is time to eat by either stating Mahlzeit if it is lunchtime, or Guten Appetit during dinner. If there is a toast, it is courteous to call out Prost and clink glasses and make eye contact with the entire table. The next course is not served until everybody at the table has finished the previous course, so it is courteous not to dawdle excessively over one's food. Tips are customary unless the service was completely atrocious. If coming to dinner at somebody's house, it is polite to bring a bottle of wine or flowers for the occasion. In short, their etiquette is much like the etiquette in the United States. Special uses of food Different food symbolizes different parts of the year in Austria. During the autumn, it is hunting season, so wild boar, venison and roe deer are on the menu during this time. At this time, wild mushrooms are also plentiful and in May, it is asparagus. St. Martin's day, similar to Thanksgiving, is a time to feast, only goose is on the menu instead of turkey. Goose is commonly served all through November for this reason. Christmas, called Weinnachten, as with the rest of the world, is a time for mass food consumption, with salmon traditionally served on Christmas eve and crescent cookies called Vanillekipferl a common treat during the holiday season ( Bedford & Pitcher, 2005, p. 69). Guided Discovery Report When I was in Austria, I went with a group to a restaurant called Schroeders. This was a little, out of the way restaurant in SF. It was a very cozy restaurant, with checkered table clothes, flowers on the table and a fireplace in the center of the restaurant. When we got there, we were greeted by the hostess who showed us to our table. We started out with a bottle of white wine that was made in Burgenland, and one of the people in our group decided to have beer. The beer that my friend got was Ottakringer, which is a Viennese beer. We sat and talked for awhile with our drinks before we decided to order. After about a half hour of savoring our drinks, we ordered an appetizer. I got a Frittanttensuppe, which is a clear soup with chives and strips of pancakes. My friend got a liver dumpling soup, called a Leberknodelsuppe, while another friend got a Rindssuppe, which is a clear beef soup. All of us tried each other's soups. My soup was a simple soup, yet very tasty. The pancakes were not like they serve in America, but were savory and firm. It had just the right amount of chives in it, and the broth was beef-based. They made their broth from scratch, by boiling down beef bones and marrow. The soup was not as salty as the soups are in America, either. The liver dumpling soup was a heartier soup, made with cream and beef broth as a base and the liver dumplings were soft and gamey. I did not care for this soup as much as my own, as I do not care for liver, except for liverwurst. The dumpling tasted a bit like liverwurst, though, but they still did not have the texture that was appealing for me. However, my companion did enjoy the soup. The Rindssuppe was simple, as was mine, for it was just a clear beef soup, that was also made with beef marrow. It was delicious and simple, and was not as heavy as the Leberknodelsuppe. We had a loaf of bread along with the soups. The bread was not free, however, and we had to pay a nominal price for this. But the bread really made the soups special. The bread was fresh-baked pumpernickel, and we dipped the bread into our soups. After we had our soups, we ordered out main meal. We shared one meal, as the meal was pricey and the portions were very generous. As side dishes, we chose German Potato Salad. Their German Potato Salad was delicious – it had bits of bacon in it, and it was served warm. The potatoes were firm and were spiced with terragon and pepper. The dressing on the potato salad was a combination of vinegar and oil, mixed in with bacon grease. The potatoes themselves were red-skinned, and were chunked instead of mashed. We also had cole slaw. Their cole slaw was vinegar-based, as opposed to creamy. The cabbage was shredded in large chunks, and they used both red and green cabbage. There were also slices of onions and leeks. I do not usually like the vinegar-based cole slaws, preferring the creamy, but this version was quite tasty. The main dish was a turkey schnitzel. This was a breaded turkey breast that was served with spaetzel, which is little balls of flour that are fried and have the consistency of a dumpling. The schnitzel was also served with a creamy gravy, and warm red cabbage. It was delicious – spiced just right, tender, and the combination of the red cabbage, spaetzel, gravy and turkey made for a tasty combination. After this meal, we had dessert. We got the apple streudel, and were not disappointed. It was very sweet and crisp, and the apples were soft and sweet. They were combined with walnuts and brown sugar, and this was a very tasty ending. What can you say about the symbolic importance of food? Food is so much more than sustenance and nutrition. Food is symbolic of so many different things. For instance, there are comfort foods. These are foods that people turn to when they are stressed. These foods symbolize, for many of us, the foods of our youth. Macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken pot pie – these are all foods that many mothers feed their children growing up. These are rich, filling foods and foods that kids like to eat, which is why these are foods that many of us get while growing up. Then, as adults, eating these foods transport us back to a time when we were children, and our mothers were taking care of us. We did not have the same worries that we do today – bills, mortgages, children, relationships. We did not have these worries, and we had our mother's love, and this is what this food symbolizes. This is why we turn to these foods in times of stress. And comfort foods can really be anything – for some, it may be pizza, while for others it is chicken fingers. Whatever food is associated with childhood gains the distinction of that individual's comfort food. Food is also symbolic in that it unites a culture. Different cultures have different food at their base, and this food is important to the culture for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons is that these recipes are handed down from generation to generation, which unites people of different generations, the same way that oral history does. Another is that the food is as much a part of the culture as is anything else. For instance, the Mexicans have their cuisine that is a part of their culture, and this is as much a part of the culture as is their music, clothing and other traditions. It is the same with cultures around the world – food is at the center. How can you distinguish food from eating Food, at its base, is sustenance. There are nutritional aspects to food that is important for each of us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For instance, we all need a certain amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat to sustain energy. Food is the building blocks of this nutritional profile. It is necessary to live, and if there was not other aspects to food, this would be all that there is to it. Some people actually do treat food in this manner – that it is nutrition and nothing but. However, most people see food as something other than just nutrition. There are other aspects to food, and this is what goes into eating. There is a symbolic aspect, which is what was explained before. There is also a social aspect to food. Food is a way for people to gather together, at festivities, parties, and just getting together at a restaurant. It is unifying in this way. Most people, when they get together to see an old friend, or just getting together with current friends, do so around food. One friend makes dinner for the other friends, and everybody brings a dish. Or they meet at a restaurant. So, food is the centerpiece of the social interaction in these cases. Sometimes, often, eating gets out of hand. Individuals can get obsessive about eating or not eating, and this is the cause of weight gain on one end of the spectrum, and anorexia on the other end of the spectrum. This is the darker aspect of eating, because people eat for a variety of reasons. Emotional eating is one reason, and this is seeking food as a way to fill a void of some sort. This is often the cause of obesity – an individual is seeking emotional sustenance, and feels that the food is the way to get it. How does food look at the complex ways that define families? Families are often defined by food. Many times, there are large families that get together over meals once a week. This is their way of keeping tabs on one another and keeping close. For these families, the meal is incidental yet central at the same time. It is incidental in that it is not really the main purpose for the gathering – the main purpose is to spend time with one another. At the same time, it is central, in that it is what unifies the family. Without the food, there would be no gathering, or the gathering would not be the same. But getting everybody together around a dinner table, with some wine and good food, is the way to define how these families interact. Grievances are aired, jokes are told, advice is given, news is announced – these are the central parts of why families get together, and the food and the meal is the unifying force for these interactions. Holidays is also a way for families to interact, and this also always involves food of some sort. Thanksgiving feasts are a reason for extended families to see one another, even if this is the only time all year that everybody gets together. People will travel great distances to be with their family on this day. Same with Christmas dinner. On each of these occasions the food is the unifying tie that brings everybody together, as well as the occasion itself. As with the weekly Sunday dinners, there would not be much point in meeting if there was not food, so the food is, in this way, the reason for the gathering. Other ways that families use eating is myriad – such as “bribing” children with McDonalds when they are good, or going out to eat as a “date night” for harried husbands and wives. These are just some of the ways that eating defines families. Bibliography Baedeker, S. (1995). Austria. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Macmillan Co. Bedford, N. & Pitcher, G. (2005). Austria. New York, NY: Lonely Planet. Musulin, S. (1971). Austria and the Austrians. New York, NY: Praeger Publishers. Read More