AIFS in Salzburg: Notes from Campus
Features from the AIFS in Salzburg RD Newsletter!
5 Things to Do Before You Leave Salzburg
Bosna: A Sausage with History
Salzburger Dult:
Tradition Meets Trend
Cafe Stein's Panoramic Views of Salzburg‘ s Old Town
Americans Wearing European Pants?
Coffee house culture – "A coffee please !"
History of the Wiener Schnitzel
Thanksgiving in Salzburg
Salzburg Bullwashers
Ice Skating in the City Center (Mozartplatz)
Tips from a Former AIFS Student in Salzburg
5 Things to Do Before You Leave Salzburg
- Go outdoors: whether you decide to hike Kapuzinerberg or to lounge by the Salzach, take some time to relax and enjoy the Alpine air.
- Rock the European gear: throw on your tight pants, gel-up the faux hawk, and wear your Italian shades. Wear the crazy European trends now, because if you wear them when you get back to the U.S., people will probably laugh at you.
- Watch the sunset from Hotel Stein: order a coffee or a glass of wine and watch the sun set over Salzburg. You can see almost the entire city from the roof, and it’s the perfect place to reminisce over some of your favorite memories from the past semester (bring tissues.)
- Eat Schnitzel: plan an Austrian dinner night. Whether you go to a restaurant or cook it yourself, get in one last traditional Austrian meal before you leave. Try to speak only German to add to the ambience.
- Write it out: sit down and make a check-list of all the things you want to do in Austria before you leave. Do not do at least one of the things on your list, so that you will always have a reason to visit again.
Bosna: A Sausage with History
Bosna have a long tradition in Salzburg. Evidence for that is shown in the history of the oldest bosna stand in town: 1949, in front of the Augustiner Brewery, the bulgarian Zanko Todoroff offered the first oven roasted “Nadanitza” for sale. The success was so immense, that soon afterwards he moved into Getreidegasse and opened the still existing “Balkan Grill”. And because for many “Nadanitza” was a tongue-twister, he renamed this sausage speciality into Bosna. – Bosna is always in season and is well loved by locals as much as tourists. It is much more than a simple snack for in between as its many variations demonstrate. From the “Original” with onions, spices – and if desired – mustard to the “kidsbosna” without onions, but with ketchup and mayo there is a variation for every taste bud.
(Source: Stadtblatt Salzburg Nr.12.22.März 2006 page 10)
Salzburger Dult: Tradition Meets Trend
The Salzburger Dult is the yearly traditional folk-art festival held at pentecost. This year's motto is: Where tradition meets Trend.
The Salzburger Dult, or short just called Dult, will be held at the Messezentrum/Convention Center Salzburg. This fair/convention has been held in Salzburg for over 900 years and is known as the largest folk-art festival of western Austria.
Traditionally, local folk-art groups and their horses meet at Residenzplatz in the old city of Salzburg on Saturday, 22 May, at 9.am. This year they expect 45 horses with their riders. Following a very old tradition, the riders will bring their whips and crack the whip in the so called Fest-schnalzen. It is said that the cracking of the whip will ban the evil and awaken the good spirits.
The march will end at the Convention center and finish with the traditional tapping of the first barrel.
You will find Europe‘s largest transportable ferris wheel at the Dult!
Cafe Stein's Panoramic Views of Salzburg‘ s Old Town
Cafe Stein is located on the rooftop of the Hotel Stein. Here, you can enjoy your favourite Austrian beer whilst loo- king out over the Salzburg's Old Town. You will find the cathedral, the Nonn- berg Convent and the Mülln Church amongst the attractions you can see. The hotel was built in the 1950s and something of this era can still be sensed in the atmosphere of both the hotel and cafe. Drinks, snacks and ice-creams are served at reasonable prices. To get to the cafe, you go through the hotel lobby, then take the lift to the rooftop. The cafe is only open during the summer months when the weather nice.
Americans Wearing European Pants?
“I want to buy a pair of pants in Salzburg, but I don’t know if they’ll look good on me – what kind should I buy? Why can’t I find the right size? Why do people stare at me when I wear my sweatpants to class?”
When you look at European pants on the hanger, more often than not, they are ugly. Odd white-washing, peculiar button and zipper combinations, weird stitching, a ridiculously tight fit – to an American, the pants in Europe can seem very strange. However, when they wear them, Austrians have a way of making even the ugliest pair of pants seem cool. How do they do it? They have attitude. They’re confident in what they’re wearing. Europeans know that they are wearing pants that are skin-tight, and they work it. It’s an attitude that is not easily describable, but which is clearly recognizable.
If you too want to strut down Getreidegasse in a pair of white-washed cropped pants or prance around Mozartplatz in a pair of Lederhosen , the first step in looking good is to make sure that you are comfortable. Be confident. One of the easiest ways to feel confident in your clothes is to make sure that they fit well and that you like what you are wearing. If you enjoy fashion, definitely try some of the crazy European trends while you are here – if not, stick to the Levis from home.
Also, try different sizes. Generally sizes run smaller in Austria than they do in the US. When you are trying on pants, try a size larger and a size smaller than what you would normally wear back home. Different brands, different styles, and different materials all have an influence on how sizes run.
Stick to the basics. If you plan on investing in one pair of pants while you are in Salzburg (jeans are very expensive here), a classic dark denim straight-legged jean looks good on almost anyone. For men or women, dark denim can be dressed up or down. It’s a style that fits just as well in the US as it does in Europe.
It’s a shame: sadly, sweatpants aren’t worn in public in Austria. Ever.
Don’t go too long. You will almost never see an Austrian with his or her pants dragging on the ground. If your pants are too long, this season cuffing the bottom of pant legs has been very trendy. (Gentlemen: one cuff is sufficient. Ladies: to partake in the “homemade Capri pant” look, find the slimmest part of your leg (ankle to knee) and make large clean folds to that point. Be sure to keep both cuffs even. Wearing white socks with this look is not advisable.)
Coffee house culture – "A coffee please !"
The cold months of the year represent a boom time in Salzburg’s coffee houses. Both locals and visitors are happy to spend a cosy hour in a café, to engage in interesting conversation over coffee and cake, or simply just to relax and soak up the atmosphere. The continuous coming and going of prominent figures has long since been a feature of Salzburg’s old traditional coffee houses. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart drank coffee in the "Tomaselli," the oldest coffee house in Austria. As the writer, Friedrich Torberg, once proclaimed, "If all the coffee houses were to close their doors it would be the end of the world."
A historical atmosphere
The atmosphere in the coffee house in the Goldgasse, founded in 1703, is positively steeped in history. Since 1760 it has tempted passers-by on the Alter Markt to come in and tarry awhile; numbered amongst famous guests are not only the Mozart family, who stayed in the
Tomaselli in the 1820’s, but also Michael Haydn, Carl Maria von Weber, Hugo von Hoffmansthal and the founder of the Salzburg Festival,
Max Reinhardt. At the end of the 2nd World War the American occupying power was quartered in the Tomaselli, converting the timehonoured
coffee house into a “doughnut snack bar.” Since 1950 it has been firmly back in Austrian hands.
The actors’ café
Whereas the Café Tomaselli was always preferred by musicians, the Café Bazar, by dint of its proximity to the theatres (Landestheater, Kammerspielen,
Marionettentheater), has always been a meeting place for actors. A list of notable guests includes King Edward VIII., Marlene Dietrich and Louis Armstrong. For the
last 90 years the coffee house, situated on the right bank of the Salzach, a stone’s throw from the Staatsbrücke, has enjoyed tremendous popularity, and especially
during the festival season one can often spot the odd celebrity on the shaded terrace.
The original Mozartkugel
More than a hundred years ago, in 1890, the Salzburg pastry chef, Paul Fürst, created the "Salzburg Mozartkugel" at his premises in the Brodgasse, not far from the
Tomaselli. At the Paris World exhibition in 1905 he was awarded a gold medal for this chocolate and marzipan creation. As far as first class confectionary is
concerned, the cake shop in the Brodgasse, founded in 1884, is one of the top addresses in Salzburg. Josef Fingerlos equally understands the art of patisserie and
although his café, opened three years ago, can, in no way, compete with the long standing tradition of the Viennese coffee houses, the sight of his world class creations
are a sweet and tempting provocation to any gourmet.
Every cosmopolitan city has its Sacher
For many years now the original gateau (Sacher Torte) has been available at the Café Sacher directly adjacent to the Café Bazar. The café used to be called the Café
Österreichischer Hof, affectionately shorterned to "ÖH" by regular customers, but a short while ago both the hotel and coffee house adopted the world famous name
of Sacher and with it a new splendour. The cuisine on offer is made up of everything that has made the name Sacher famous; Eduard Sacher’s soured boiled rump of
beef (Tafelspitz), original Sacher sausages – and, last but not least, the genuine Sacher gateau.
Source: www. Salzburginfo.at
History of the Wiener Schnitzel
Schnitzel is a dish that has been enjoyed around the world for centuries. During the 17th century, Schnitzel was so popular that sometimes gold powder was added to the breadcrumbs to give the Schnitzel a more “luminous glow.”
Though you probably won’t find gold-dusted Schnitzel on a menu today, Schnitzel is still one of the signature dishes of Austria. Traditionally, Wiener Schnitzel is a thinly-sliced piece of veal (though pork or turkey is sometimes substituted), which has been tenderized with a meat hammer and then coated in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. The breaded meat is then fried in butter or lard. (Stop by the office for a copy of Ulli’s Schnitzel recipe so that you can make it at home as well.)
The origin of the Schnitzel is vague. However, the most popular theory is that Schnitzel came to Austria from Italy during the 15th or 16th century. At that time it was known by the Italians as “cotoletta alla Milanese.” Others believe that Schnitzel was brought to Austria by Field Marshal Radetzky in 1857.
Thanksgiving in Salzburg
As Austria does not celebrate Thanksgiving as in the USA, students enjoyed a festive alternative – the Dinner Concert in Peterskeller.
Legend has it that Mephistopheles met with Faust in this tavern, which was established by Benedictine monks in A.D. 803. In fact, it's the oldest restaurant in Europe, housed in the abbey of the church that supposedly brought Christianity to Austria. Aside from a collection of baroque banquet rooms, there's an inner courtyard with vaults cut from the living rock, a handful of woodpanelled rooms, and a brick-vaulted cellar with a tile floor and rustic chandeliers.
AIFS students enjoyed a night of good food and festive music, all included in the program fee.
Salzburg Bullwashers
Salzburg was once under siege by enemy forces during the peasant insurrections around 1525. The massive stonewalls of the town were virtually impregnable so the enemy had to find another way to conquer it. They planned to let the town starve until it was willing to surrender and encircled it with troops to prevent anyone from entering or leaving.
The Salzburg residents soon understood the enemy's intent. Although they had always relied on their fortifications until then, the situation caused them great concern. If the siege persisted, great famine would break out. The town's commander ordered his citizens to observe a strict fast. But one day only a single bull was left that had not been butchered. It had brown spots and was well nourished.
The town commander devised a means of fooling the enemy. In the early morning hours the bull was driven onto the bastion so that it was readily visible to the enemy to indicate that the Salzburg population was far from starving. That night the Salzburg citizens painted the spotted bull white, only to display it to the enemy again the next morning. On the third morning a pitch-black bull strolled up and down the fortress wall. The enemy troops gazed in astonishment, thinking the town was still well stocked and secretly retreated one dark night.
There was great rejoicing throughout the town. The citizens led the bull down to the Salzach and washed it until the brown spots on its coat became visible again. Ever since this time, Salzburg residents have been known as "Stierwascher" (Bullwashers).
That's how the popular legend is told. According to the historical facts, the Salzburg butchers had to slaughter the animals in public to prevent any contaminated meat from being sold. The customary practice of washing the animals on the shallow banks of the Salzach, which reached all the way up to the walls of the town, and the subsequent inspection of the meat caused Salzburg residents to be jokingly referred to as "Stierwascher."
Source: Fremdenverkehrsamt
Ice Skating in the City Center (Mozartplatz)
The skating rink will be set up on Mozart Square in the center of Salzburg's Old City under the watchful eyes of the Mozart Monument for the tenth time this year. Mozart Ice will be open daily until 9:30 p.m. from November 14 to January 6. Rental boots are available for those who don't have their own. Helpers on skates are there to assist beginners. A visit to the winter lounge next to the skating rink is recommended to warm up: visitors are pampered with a wonderful hot punch from Salzburg.
Tips from a Former AIFS Student in Salzburg
Though there are differences between studying at an American university and at a European university, the differences are not so great that you cannot adapt to them. Here are a few points to keep in mind:
Respect. In the US we are also expected to treat professors and university staff with respect. However, in Salzburg good manners and proper etiquette are more readily expected, and more strictly enforced. Greet your professor when you see him or her. Don’t wear your hat in class. Say please and thank you. Your professors here in Salzburg expect this from you. These may seem like small details, which are sometimes very easy to forget, but your professors notice them.
Internet: Although procedures at different universities in the US vary, it is generally not recommended (or sometimes even possible) to add or drop a class online without speaking to someone in person first. This is particularly true in Austria. Not everyone goes to college; to many, a university education is considered a privilege, which students and professors take very seriously. If you are enrolled at an Austrian university, you are serious about studying. Dropping classes is rarely done, and when it is, it is done after the student has made an appointment to speak with his or her professor (in person) first.
Directness: Austrians rarely sugar-coat anything. If you ask a question, you get an answer. Punkt. This direct way of speaking is particularly noticeable in the classroom between professors and students. To an American, this way of speaking can seem harsh, and sometimes even rude. Keep in mind that this is just another way in which English differs from German. Usually Austrians think that they are being polite by giving you an efficient answer.
Above all, Austrian university professors expect that if you have a problem, you will talk to them about it. To them, we are adults, and they expect that we will act accordingly. If you are feeling overwhelmed with a class or are having difficulties, you can certainly come into the AIFS office to talk about it. However, the best thing to do in certain situations may be to speak directly with your university professor. Although they may seem aloof (and perhaps a bit strange), they will help you - if you ask. Arrange a meeting to speak with them. Just make sure that you take off your hat, spit out your gum, and say “Grüss Gott” first.
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