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KIDS’ GUIDE TO

Austria

Hallstatt 1 Heritage Village

Welcome to Austria Austria is a landlocked nation in Central Europe. It is predominantly mountainous, with the western part defined by the Eastern Alps. Let’s learn about Austria from kids like you. Abbi lives in Graz, in the southeast part of the country. She is 8 years old.

Abbi enjoys horseback riding. Her instructor is teaching her how to ride and care for horses.

Abbi is a nickname. It is short for Abigail, which means “joy of the father.” Abbi sits on a comfortable saddle when she rides. She wears a helmet to protect her head if she falls off. She wears tall leather boots.

Leopold is Abbi’s brother. His name means “brave people.” He shows his bravery on the ski slopes.

Alpine skiing is a popular pastime in Leopold’s country. Some top-rated ski resorts are in Austria. Abbi and Leopold love their country and hope you will, too. Let’s learn some more about Austria.

Where in the World? Austria borders the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Toward the east, Austria’s large mountains unfold into foothills. This region is home to the low-lying Austrian Granite Plateau as well as the Vienna Basin. The east of the country is the center of its agricultural sector. Austria also is home to portions of the Carpathian Mountains. Mountain valleys are filled with dense, old-growth forests and dozens of lakes. Ella lives in Bregenz, located at the eastern end of Lake Constance in the country’s northwest. The lake borders Austria, Switzerland, and Germany.

AUSTRIA

Ingo lives in Linz. The city straddles the Danube River halfway between Salzburg and Vienna in northern Austria. It is the country’s third largest city.

40 mi

Vienna

Innsbruck

Graz

Klagenfurt

Salzburg

St. Polten

Eisenstadt

Linz

46º N

SWITZERLAND

LIECHTENSTEIN

VADUZ

Bregenz

40 km

C o u n t r y ca p i t a l S t a te c a p ita l

Bodensee Lake

48º N

10ºE

P OLITICA L W ITH S TATE S

ch Le

Innsbruck

I TA LY

Munich

Danube

GERMANY

12ºE

Salzburg

Enn

HUNGARY

Eisenstadt

BRATISLAVA

C R O AT I A

VIENNA

16ºE

ZAGREB

D a nu b

Graz

St. Polten

SLOVENIA

Linz

LJUBLJANA

Klagenfur t

Mur

CZECH REPUBLIC

14ºE

KIA S L O VA

A US TR IA

Mu r

Can You Find It?

Austria consistently enjoys a temperate climate. However, high in the mountains, an alpine climate prevails and there is typically snow above the tree line year-round. Throughout lower altitudes, the country enjoys four distinct seasons with cold, snowy winters and mild summers. Breda lives in Klagenfurt near the Slovenian border on the eastern shore of Lake Wörthersee. Its cold winters have sporadic warmer periods due to wind from the Karawanken Mountains.

The country’s climate and diverse topography support a wide variety of flora and fauna. As one of the most heavily wooded countries in Europe, Austria is full of forests that include oak, beech, fir, larch, and pine trees, as well as various alpine flowers.

Groundhogs, eagles, and the mountain jackdaw are all native to alpine regions, with deer, rabbits, foxes, pheasants, and badgers common as well.

Lake Achen Northwest Austria’s Lake Achen is a popular body of water and the region’s largest at nearly 9.5 kilometers (6 miles) long. The alpine lake is crystal clear, making it possible to see up to 10 meters (32.8 feet) below the surface.

Danube River

Lake Achen Grossglockner

Grossglockner Austria’s highest mountain stands at 3,798 meters (12,461 feet) above the Adriatic. The 40-kilometer-long (25-mile-long) Grossglockner High Alpine Road offers scenic overlooks of the area.

Danube River The Danube, Europe’s secondlongest river, flows for 2,850 kilometers (1,771 miles) through 10 countries. In Austria, the river valley features vineyards, castles, fortresses, villages, and monasteries. The area is best explored by bike or boat. 7

History 15 BCE The area known as Noricum is annexed to the Roman Empire. With a population that reaches 50,000, the city of Carnuntum, east of what is now Vienna, is the largest in the province.

996 CE The first use of the name Austria appears in a document signed by the German king, Otto III, referring to the “eastern lands.”

1453 Frederick V unites Upper and Lower Austria. Through his marriage to Mary, Duchess of Burgundy, he expands the empire to include most of the Low Countries.

1815 With Napoléon’s defeat, the leaders of the European states gather to write the Congress of Vienna, dividing the continent into spheres of influence and creating the German Confederation. 8

1955 Austria is again a sovereign nation as the Allied occupation formally ends and the new parliament ratifies the Austrian State Treaty.

1995 Austria becomes a member of the European Union.

2000 After decades of a government built under Social and Christian Democrats, Austrians elect far right Freedom Party candidate Jörg Haider.

2013 Austrians vote 60 to 40 percent to keep compulsory military service. The country withdraws from the UN force monitoring the Golan Heights. 9

People Ethnic Austrians make up most of the population and are a Germanic group. In fact, the country was once a part of the German Confederation.

Jerneja has Slovenian ancestry. Her lessons at school are taught in Austrian German, but she speaks Slovene with her family at home.

There are also large Turkish, Yugoslavian, German, and Serbian populations in Austria, as well as notable numbers of Slovenians, Croatians, and Hungarians.

Austrian German is the official language of Austria and varies only slightly from the German spoken in Germany. It is used mostly in education, publications, and formal settings.

Christianity is the predominant faith in Austria, with more than 50 percent of the population claiming to be Roman Catholic. Other Christian religions include Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Protestant—particularly Lutheran.

Minority religions include Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Ivan’s family are Lutherans. His name is of Russian, Slavic, and Hebrew origin. It means “God is gracious.”

Names Michaela

Wolfgang

Michaela is a Hebrew name meaning “Who is like God?”

Wolfgang is a German name meaning “path of the wolf.”

Renate

Renate is a Latin name meaning “born again.”

Wilhelm

Wilhelm is a German name meaning “resolute protector.”

e (male) Nam

Origin

M e aning

Christian

Latin

follower of Christ

Hans

German

“God is gracious”

Johann

Hebrew

“God is gracious”

Josef

Hebrew

“God increases”

Karl

German

free man

Latin

dedicated to Mars

Markus

Michael Hebrew “Who is like God?” Peter Greek rock Walter German powerful warrior Werner German defender

e (female) Nam

Origin

M e aning

Anna

Hebrew

grace, favor

Brigitte

Irish

power, strength

Christine

Latin

follower of Christ

Claudia Latin

lame

Elisabeth

Hebrew

“God is my oath”

Johanna

Hebrew

“God is gracious”

Karin Swedish pure Katharina Greek pure Margit Hebrew pearl Maria

Latin

star of the sea 13

Learn German The official language of Austrian German is used in government, education, business, and the media. Alemannic is a dialect spoken in Voralberg, while dialects of Austro-Bavarian are spoken in the surrounding area. These dialects are significantly different from standard German. Hallo

HAH-loh (Hello)

Guten morgen

GOOT-ehn MORE-gun (Good morning)

Ich heiße ____

EEH HIGH-seh ____ (My name is ___)

Wie geht’s?

vee GATES (How are you?)

Ich habe Hunger

EEH HAH-bah HOONG-er (I’m hungry) Ich habe Durst

EEH HAH-bah DOORST (I’m thirsty) Danke

DAHN-ke (Thank you)

Bitte

BIT-te (Please)

Yah (Yes)

Nein

Naiyn (No)

Auf Wiedersehen

Owf VEE-dehr ZEH-yehn (Goodbye) 15

Holidays and Festivals Austria has a rich and dynamic culture, and Austrians celebrate many holidays and festivals throughout the year. Here are a few:

National Day October 26 marks the anniversary of the day in 1955 Austria regained its sovereignty, when the last occupying forces left the country after World War II. Organized events include parades and armed forces displays, but most Austrians enjoy their holiday by taking walks and hikes.

Feast Day of St. Rupert Known locally as Rupertitag, September 24 is when the residents of Salzburg celebrate the city’s patron saint. Salzburg’s Cathedral Square is the center of the day’s activities, which include rides, games, live entertainment, and fireworks.

Feast Day of St. Florian May 4 is the feast day of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, Linz, and several other towns in northern Austria. As a soldier he refused orders to execute all Christiansand paid the price with his life.

Vienna Festival This five-week festival takes place in May and June. Beginning with a free concert at Vienna’s city hall, it showcases local and international performances of theater, film, music, and visual arts from around the world.

Salzburg Festival Taking place for five weeks beginning in July, this festival features performances of music and drama. Started in 1920 as a peace project, the event highlights musical and theatrical entertainment provided by skilled musicians and performers from around the globe.

Food Austria is landlocked between European countries, and its regions each have subtly different cuisines influenced by their neighbors. Austrian cuisine most closely resembles German cooking with its emphasis on heavy foods such as meat, dairy products, and fine desserts. Sausages, including the Wiener würstchen, are especially popular in Austrian eating. Dumplings are popular throughout Austria, especially in the Upper Austria region.

Liptauer Served with crackers or toast, this savory cheese spread is flavored with paprika, mustard, capers, and chives.

Frittatensuppe This traditional soup features a flavorful beef broth topped with pancake-like noodles called frittaten.

Krautsalat A mix between sauerkraut and coleslaw, this warm side dish combines marinated shredded cabbage and bacon.

Weiner Schnitzel This signature dish of Vienna is made from a thin slice of veal coated in breadcrumbs and fried.

Apfelstrudel This layered pastry is filled with chopped apples, cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and breadcrumbs.

Linzertorte This traditional Austrian cake features a rich, nut-based dough with a fruity jam filling.

Bosna Similar to a hot dog, bosna is a grilled bratwurst served on bread topped with mustard and onion.

Geselchtes Geselchtes, meaning “smoked meats,” refers to thick cuts of pork or beef, which are commonly served with crusty bread. 20

Eierflöckchensuppe (Egg Drop Soup)

A traditional Austrian comfort food, eierflöckchensuppe or egg drop soup is a flavorful chicken soup made with scrambled eggs.

Ingredients Total Time

50 min

2 Tbsp (30 ml) oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 Tbsp (25 g) celery leaves 2 cups (280 g) shredded cooked chicken 4 Tbsp (50 g) rice 1 tsp (5 g) salt ½ tsp (2.5 g) ground black pepper 5 cups (1.2 liters) chicken stock 3 large eggs, beaten 4 Tbsp (50 g) chopped green onion

Directions

Pour oil into a large pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and celery leaves to the hot oil and saute for 3 minutes. Add chicken, rice, salt, peppers, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add eggs gradually while stirring. 6 Ladle soup into serving bowls, garnish each with green onion, and serve hot.

National Symbols National Bird (unofficial) Barn Swallow (common name) Hirundo rustica (scientific name)

National Day National Day October 26

National Flower Edelweiss (common name) Leontopodium alpinum (scientific name)

National Animal Black Eagle (common name) Ictinaetus malaiensis (scientific name)

National Flag First used – 1230

National Currency Austria’s official currency is the European Union euro and cent. 1 euro = 100 cents

National Anthem “Land der Berge, Land am Strome”

Lyrics by: Paula von Preradović

German Lyrics

English Translation

Land der Berge, Land am Strome, Land der Äcker, Land der Dome, Land der Hämmer zukunftsreich! Heimat bist du großer Söhne, Volk begnadet für das Schöne,

Land of mountains, land on the stream, Land of fields, land of cathedrals, Land of hammers, with a promising future, You are home to great sons, People blessed with a sense of beauty

Vielgerühmtes Österreich, Vielgerühmtes Österreich!

Much-praised Austria, Much-praised Austria!

Things to See and Do Tiergarten Schönbrunn Founded in 1752, Vienna’s zoo is the world’s oldest. On the grounds of Schönbrunn Palace, it is home to more than 7,500 animals representing about 700 species, including giant pandas and koalas.

Hohensalzburg Fortress Overlooking Salzburg from atop Festungsberg Hill, Hohensalzburg Fortress is one of Europe’s largest medieval castles, dating to 1621. Accessible by hiking or riding a funicular, the fortress houses museums, shops, and a restaurant.

Donauturm (Danube Tower) At 252 meters (827 feet) tall, Donauturm is Austria’s tallest freestanding structure. Built during the early 1960s, the tower features high-speed elevators, revolving restaurants, a viewing platform, and a location for bungee jumping. 24

Imperial Butterfly House Part of Vienna’s Hofburg Palace, this butterfly house was built in 1822 and renovated in 1998. Featuring a rainforestlife habitat, it is home to around 500 butterflies of various kinds.

Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave Eisriesenwelt, meaning “world of ice giants,” is the world’s largest ice cave. The more than 42-kilometer-long (26-mile-long) limestone cavern features staggering ice formations, including vast halls of stalactites and stalagmites.

Salzbergwerk Dürrnberg (Hallein Salt Mine) Salzburg, meaning “salt castle,” has long been mined for salt. South of the city, visitors can ride a train underground to explore tunnels and ride slides that once transported miners. There’s also a subterranean lake. 25

Hellbrunn Palace The landscaped gardens at Hellbrunn Palace feature trick fountains that spray water unexpectedly and figures that move using water power. In addition, the grounds include a stone theater, labyrinth, playground, grottoes, and artwork.

Natural History Museum Vienna

Opened in 1889, this museum houses 30 million objects, including the Venus of Willendorf, a diplodocus dinosaur skeleton, and other animal specimens of extinct and endangered species.

Lainzer Tiergarten Encompassing 2,450 hectares (6,054 acres) in Vienna, this wildlife preserve is home to a variety of plants and animals, as well as hiking trails, picnic areas, and playgrounds.

Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel Constructed in 1897 for the emperor’s Golden Jubilee, this wheel is available for rides year-round. Standing 64.75 meters (212 feet) tall, it features 15 stylized cabins and synchronized lights. 26

North Tyrol

Hohensalzburg Fortress

Tiergarten Schönbrunn

Voralberg

Imperial Butterfly House

Donauturm

Carinthia

Salzbergwerk Dürrnberg

Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave

Location Guide

East Tyrol

Salzburg

Upper Austria

Natural History Museum

Hellbrunn Palace

Styria

Lower Austria

Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel

Lainzer Tiergarten

Burgenland

Vienna

Fun Facts Oink, Oink Pigs are a symbol of good luck in Austria, and many Austrians celebrate the New Year’s holiday by preparing a feast of suckling pig. Miniature pigs made of marzipan and chocolate, as well as pig-shaped cookies, are part of the celebrations too.

Waste Not! Austria is one of the top 10 most environmentally friendly countries in the world. The nation recycles more than 50 percent of its waste, a very high percentage compared to many other countries. 28

Organic Origins Austria was the first nation to set regulations for organic farming. Some of the deep roots of the nation’s interest in organics can be found in the career of Austrian philosopher and educator Rudolph Steiner, who discussed organic agriculture in the 1920s.

Zoo for You Vienna’s Tiergarten Schönbrunn, also known as the Vienna Zoo, holds the title of the world’s oldest zoo. Established in 1752, it began as a collection of exotic animals for the ruling Habsburg family and opened to the public in 1778.

The Sound of Salzburg The movie The Sound of Music is set in Austria. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people visit the Salzburg region to walk in the footsteps of the von Trapp family and visit sites where the 1965 film was shot. 29

KIDS’ GUIDE TO

Austria Salzburg

Wattens

Vienna

Hallstatt

Innsbruck