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Welcome in Salzburg and Austria


rolilau

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For the Ski World Cup - Austrian Alpine Ladies are doing very well, for the Men, Austrian medias said today, that they saved the World Cup, because other nations find more motivation when winning (7 races, 7 winners from 7 countries up to now!!). The criticism on Austrian Skiteam is big at the moment. On the other hand our nordic athletes get honorable mention - Christoph Bieler won his first Nordic Combined competition, yesterday. Also yesterday, Gregor Schlierenzauer (16 years old) won his first skijumping competition. His the 6th youngest winner of a skijumping event ever!

Now a little bit on Austria at this point, I think most of you are more interested in this.

The next three days have a traditional meaning in Austria.

December, 4th - Day of St.Barbara:

Dec 4th is the day of St.Barbara, the patroness of the miners. Not only in the mines, the day is celebrated. Tradition says that branches of the cherry tree have to be cut and brought into the house. The branches are given into water. If the branches are in bloom until Christmas this should bring luck!

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St. Barbara in mine

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Benches

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December, 5th: Day of Krampus: Today, is the day of the Krampus. In Central European regions there are wild creatures on the streets, round the 5th of December. Tradition says, that they fight against the cold winter. The so called Krampus (5th of December) is companian of St. Nikolaus. He punishes the bad children. Nearly every town has its own Krampus parade. These are very traditional in the region of Southern Salzburg, Tyrol and Northern Styria. Very famous parades are in Schladming and St.Johann im Pongau. Here are some impressions for you:

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World Cup in Austria

This weekend the World Cup was in Austria - the Biathlon athletes were in Hochfilzen and the Alpine Men at Reiteralm near Schladming.

Biathlon

At temperatures from 15°C the biathletes started last Friday their competitions in Hochfilzen (1000m above sea level). The 7,5km Women's race started with a German win. Andrea Henkel won 30,6 seconds faster than Magdalena Gwizdon/POL and as third Yingchao Kong/CHN. No surprise was the win of Ole Einer Bjoerndalen/NOR beating Michael Greis/GER and the suprising Michael Simmen/SUI in the 10km Men.

Andrea Henkel/GER won also the 10km race on Saturday beating Lina Grubben/NOR and Ann Carin Olofsson/SWE. The 12,5 km of Men once more went to Norway to Ole Einar Bjoerndalen. The places 2 and 3 to Russia with Dimitri Jarotschenko and Iwan Tscheresow.

At least on Sunday there was a winter wonderland for the team competition - 15cm new snow over the night changed Hochfilzen from the green village to a winterland. Russia won the Men and Women's competition in front of Germany. The third place went to Norway (Women) and France (Men).

Pictures from Hochfilzen:

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Because of cancelling the competitions in Slovakia next week, Hochfilzen gets more World Cup competitions the next weekend!

Ski Alpin

All over Europe there are problems with snow, so Reiteralm near Schladming/AUT made a Men's Super Combination, today. In less than one week the organisers made a perfect pist and more than 5000 visitors came to "Gasselhoehe" in 1500 metres by cable car. The pictures, which were sent all over the world showes a winter landscape after the snowfalls of last night.

The race was very exciting till the end. Ivica Kostelic/CRO won with a strong Super G and a very strong Slalom. He is the eight winner in eight competitions from eight countries this season!!! The Austrian fans saw a new star with Romed Baumann and his sensational second place. Third the French Pierrick Bourgeat.

The next week Women's races in Val d'Isere are already cancelled, so Reiteralm organises two more races.

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Rolilau, could you tell me more information about Andreas Schifferer? Well, he has now retired from competition alpine skiing:

Link: BBC: Downhill Star Schifferer Quits

First of all, the athlete in the picture of the BBC-article is not Andreas Schifferer. He was in the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) since 1992 and had his most successful season 1997/98 with winning the Downhill Worldcup. He won 7 Downhills and 1 SUper G in his career. In Sestriere 1997 (Giant Slalom) and in Salt Lake City 2002 (Super G) he won his two Bronze Medals. In the last years he didn't have too good results - his last place under the top 3 was in December 2003. His last race was the SUper G in Are (March 06). This year he did't have good training results - and he didn't get a starting place from the Austrian Ski Federation. That's the problem here - we have too many good athletes, the qualification is very hard! The athlete from Radstadt (near Salzburg) decided to quit his career, yesterday. Hermann Maier - long time his chamber college - said, that it is a pity. The two athletes, who live only a few kilometres away, had many of their big successes together.

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First of all, the athlete in the picture of the BBC-article is not Andreas Schifferer. He was in the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) since 1992 and had his most successful season 1997/98 with winning the Downhill Worldcup. He won 7 Downhills and 1 SUper G in his career. In Sestriere 1997 (Giant Slalom) and in Salt Lake City 2002 (Super G) he won his two Bronze Medals. In the last years he didn't have too good results - his last place under the top 3 was in December 2003. His last race was the SUper G in Are (March 06). This year he did't have good training results - and he didn't get a starting place from the Austrian Ski Federation. That's the problem here - we have too many good athletes, the qualification is very hard! The athlete from Radstadt (near Salzburg) decided to quit his career, yesterday. Hermann Maier - long time his chamber college - said, that it is a pity. The two athletes, who live only a few kilometres away, had many of their big successes together.

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Edit: Today one more Austrian Ski racer ends his career - Werner Franz, who won one Downhill and one Super G doesn't want to race anymore. He had many bad injuries - in August 2005 he nearly lost his leg at a training in Chile.

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You know, rolilau, unless she ends up not finishing the rest of the World Cup season in her favorite event(s) by injury or the like, Schild could be the overall World Cup champion this season:

Link: CBC: Schild Continues Skiing Dominance

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Rolilau and others here, Renate Goetschl is on her way by winning the first Super-G event for women of the FIS ski season at Lake Louise, Alberta:

Link: BBC: Goetschl Wins But Alcott Shines

She does it again:

Link: CBC: Goetschl, Austria Rule Super-G

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Also yesterday, Gregor Schlierenzauer (16 years old) won his first skijumping competition. His the 6th youngest winner of a skijumping event ever!

Now a little bit on Austria at this point, I think most of you are more interested in this.

The next three days have a traditional meaning in Austria.

Guess what? He did it again:

Link: CBC: Schlierenzauer Tops In Ski Jumping

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You know, rolilau, unless she ends up not finishing the rest of the World Cup season in her favorite event(s) by injury or the like, Schild could be the overall World Cup champion this season:

Link: CBC: Schild Continues Skiing Dominance

Rolilau, it is the same "old news" again. This time, it was at Val d'Isere, France, (host alpine venue of Albertville 1992):

Link: CBC: Schild Topples Slalom Competition

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Christmas in Austria

Only a few hours 'til the "Holy Christmas Eve". I want to show you how Christmas is celebrated in Austria. The 24th of December starts traditionally without meat. Tradition says that meat is allowed only after 3pm. In the afternoon there are Christmas matins especially for children. In the later afternoon people go traditionally to the cemetery to think for their decedents. At 6pm it is tradition to go through the house with frankincense to avoid unluck for the following year. Also from 6 on, "Silent Night" is played hourly in radio and TV.

Then there are some special dinners - depending on the region. For my region - in the southern Salzburg area there are two typical meals: On the one hand a noodle soup with sausages on the other hand a kind of semolina pudding called "Bachlkoch".

After dinner normally the bell rings on the Christmas Tree and children run to see a wonderful lighten tree. It's not Santa Claus who comes to bring the gifts, but it's the Christ Child here in Austria. In the night hours people visit the matins (in many towns at midnight).

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Traditional nativity scene.

One Austrian Christmas story went around the world. The famous Christmas song "Silent Night" was born in Oberndorf, about 15km north of the city of Salzburg. The text of the song was created by Joseph Mohr as a poem in Mariapfarr in the mountains of southern Salzburg. The history of the first performance of the song in 1818 is described as follows:

"It was the 24th of December of the year 1818, when the then assistant priest Joseph Mohr at the newly established parish of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf handed over to the organist represented by Franz Gruber (who at the time was also school teacher in Arnsdorf) a poem, with the request to write a fitting melody for 2 solo voices together with choir and for accompaniment by guitar." These are the words of Franz Xaver Gruber which he wrote on December 30, 1854 in his "Authentic Account of the Origin of the Christmas Carol, 'Silent Night, Holy Night!'" Later the same day, on the 24th of December, Gruber came to the musically talented Mohr and handed over to him his composition. As Mohr liked what he saw, this song was included in the Christmas mass that evening. Mohr sang the tenor part and provided accompaniment with guitar, while Gruber sang bass. According to Gruber, the song was met with "general approval by all" in attendance (mostly shipping laborers, boat builders and their families).

In Gruber's "Authentic Account," there is no mention of the specific inspiration for creating the song. One supposition is that the church organ was no longer working, so that Mohr and Gruber therefore created a song for accompaniment by guitar. Surrounding this premiere performance of "Silent Night!" many romantic stories and legends have been written adding their own anecdotal details to the known facts.

http://www.stillenacht.at/

The Christmas song made a voyage through Austria and from the Tyrolean Zillertal all over the world. Today it is translated in more than 300 languages and dialects.

Here is the song in the original 6 verses. Only 3 are known normally. You also find the translation.

1. Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!

Alles schläft; einsam wacht

Nur das traute heilige Paar.

Holder Knab im lockigten Haar,

Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!

Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!

1. Silent night! Holy night!

All are sleeping, alone and awake

Only the intimate holy pair,

Lovely boy with curly hair,

Sleep in heavenly peace!

Sleep in heavenly peace!

2. Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!

Gottes Sohn! O wie lacht

Lieb´ aus deinem göttlichen Mund,

Da schlägt uns die rettende Stund´.

Jesus in deiner Geburt!

Jesus in deiner Geburt!

2. Silent night! Holy night!

Son of God, O how he laughs

Love from your divine mouth,

Then it hits us - the hour of salvation.

Jesus at your birth!

Jesus at your birth!

3. Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!

Die der Welt Heil gebracht,

Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn

Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt seh´n

Jesum in Menschengestalt,

Jesum in Menschengestalt

3. Silent night! Holy night!

Which brought salvation to the world,

From Heaven's golden heights,

Mercy's abundance was made visible to us:

Jesus in human form,

Jesus in human form.

4. Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!

Wo sich heut alle Macht

Väterlicher Liebe ergoß

Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß

Jesus die Völker der Welt,

Jesus die Völker der Welt.

4. Silent night! Holy night!

Where on this day all power

of fatherly love poured forth

And like a brother lovingly embraced

Jesus the peoples of the world,

Jesus the peoples of the world.

5. Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!

Lange schon uns bedacht,

Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit,

In der Väter urgrauer Zeit

Aller Welt Schonung verhieß,

Aller Welt Schonung verhieß.

5. Silent night! Holy night!

Already long ago planned for us,

When the Lord frees from wrath

Since the beginning of ancient times

A salvation promised for the whole world.

A salvation promised for the whole world.

6. Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!

Hirten erst kundgemacht

Durch der Engel Alleluja,

Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah:

Jesus der Retter ist da!

Jesus der Retter ist da!

6. Silent night! Holy night!

To shepherds it was first made known

By the angel, Alleluia;

Sounding forth loudly far and near:

Jesus the Savior is here!

Jesus the Savior is here!

http://www.stillenacht.at

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Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf/Salzburg

Merry Christmas!

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Huh? Rolilau, could you explain how next door Liechtenstein "increased in size" here? Did it affect Austria in any way?

Link: BBC: Liechtenstein Redraws Europe Map

Nice article, to be honest, I didn't hear about this before and searched the news. I only found a few articles. An article in "Vorarlberg Online" (Vorarlberg is Austria's state directly bordering Liechtenstein) tells the size increased because of measuring failures in the past. The last measurements took place in 1980. So, don't bother, Austria and Switzerland didn't lose area :rolleyes:

Vorarlberg Online (german article)

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Last Sunday, the most important cultural event of Salzburg was opened: The Salzburg Summer Festival 2006. This year all 22 operas of Mozart are played. The other highlight is the annual "Jedermann" (Everyman) in front of the Cathedral. Wednesday "La nozze di Figaro" (Figaro´s marriage) had its premiere in the new built "House for Mozart". The opera was broadcasted in TV and at Kapitelplatz, where thousands of people watched the opera under the sky.

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Anna Netrebko in La Nozze di Figaro

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Jedermann in front of the Cathedral

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House for Mozart

Looks like another Mozart manuscript has been found and played for the first time:

Link: BBC: 'New Mozart Work' Gets Premiere

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The German-Austrian Four Hills Tournament

One of the highlights in the skijumping Worldcup - the annual German-Austrian Four Hills Tournament takes place around New Years Day every year. The 55th Tournament started today in Oberstdorf. 1952/53 the skiclubs of Oberstdorf, Partenkirchen, Innsbruck and Bischofshofen organized the first Tournament, which should become a successful story in the following years. The first Tournament was won by Buwi Bradl (first skijumper to jump more than 100metres) of the Skiclub Bischofshofen. From then on the Tournament took place every year - no competition had to be cancelled up to now. There are some records and special results.

2000/01 - the 50th Four Hills Tournament should be the first one, when one skijumper wins all 4 competitions. Sven Hannawald (Germany) was the only one to manage this up to now!

Jens Weißflog (GER) and Janne Ahonen (FIN) won the Tournament 4 times.

Björn Wirkola (NOR) and Jens Weißflog (GER) won with 10 competitions each - the most ones.

Last year, first time in the history of the 4 Hills Tournament, Janne Ahonen and Jakub Janda had the same number of points after the eight jumps and won the Tournament ex aequo.

Skijumpers from Finland won the Tournament 15 times.

Some facts to the skijumping hills:

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Oberstdorf/GER:

Schattenbergschanze - this year: Dec, 30th.

K-point: 120m

Hillsize (HS) 137m

Hillrecord: 143,5m

Last nordic Worldchampionsships 2005

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Garmisch-Partenkirchen/GER:

Olympiaschanze - Jan, 1st

K-point: 115m

HS 125m

Hillrecord: 129,5m

The skijump will be rebuilt after the competition!

Olympic Wintergames 1936

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Innsbruck/AUT:

Bergiselschanze - this year: Jan, 4th

K-point: 120m

HS 130m

Hillrecord: 134,5m

The skijumping hill was rebuilt 2001 and got some architectural awards.

Olympic Wintergames 1964, 1976

Last nordic Worldchampionsships 1985

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Bischofshofen/AUT:

Paul Außerleitner Schanze - this year: Jan, 7th (normally Jan, 6th)

K-point: 125m

HS 140m

Hillrecord: 143m

Biggest skijump, which is available for summerjumping, only "natural skijumping hill" of the four.

The skijumping hill is part of the Olympic bid plan for Salzburg 2014!

Nordic Worldchampionsships 1999

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And last but not least the first "podium" of the competition in Oberstdorf today:

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Andreas Küttel/SUI (2nd) - Gregor Schlierenzauer/AUT (winner - celebrating his 17th birthday at the final in Bischofshofen) - Adam Malysz/POL (3rd)

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New Year

The Year 2007 was welcomed at Austria's biggest Silvester Party in Vienna. The bell of St.Stephen's Cathedral - the "Pummerin" - and the sound of the Danube Waltz (J.Strauss) are the traditional sign that New Year has arrived. On the first day of the new year, Austria sends greetings in the world (to 53 countries this year, i.e. USA, China, Japan, Germany) with the traditional New Years concert in Vienna. The well-known sounds of Johann Strauss go around the world. Traditional highlight is the "Radetzky Marsch".

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  • 5 weeks later...

Successful World Cup Events in Austria

In January many World Cup Events took place in Austria. After the two skijumping competitions in Innsbruck and Bischofshofen, the Alpine Ladies came to Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, the proposed venue for the Olympic Games 2014. Zauchensee had perfect conditions, while races had to be cancelled all over Europe. The skiresort in the "Tauern" mountains south of Salzburg is already a traditional highlight in the World Cup Calender of the Ladies.

In Seefeld a Nordic Combined competition was hold.

Last weekend the traditional Hahnenkamm-races took place in Kitzbühel. Unfortunately the storm "Kyrill" melt away the snow a week before, so the downhill had to be cancelled. Two slaloms and big parties took place. Now the snow came and Schladming - bid for the Alpine Ski Worldchampionships 2013 - is celebrating a big party tonight. An incredible crowd of 50 000 fans saw the men's nightrace and got crazy about the Austrian win just a week before the World Championships start in Are/SWE.

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Schladming Nightrace with an incredible number of 50 000 fans and an Austrian winner Benjamin Raich (right, with the second Jens Byggmark/SWE and the fourth Marc Berthod/SUI)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Vienna Opera Ball

Yesterday the 51st Opera Ball took place in Vienna "Staatsoper" Operahouse. The traditional and unique event brings hundreds - above all from the high society - from all over the world to Vienna. One special guest of this ball was Paris Hilton. The important Austrian politicians also invite guests from all over the world.

The ball was traditional opened by the debutants. Opera sanger Ana Netrebko sang, the young dancers of Vienna's dancing schools performed.

The ball was the glamourous highlight of the Austrian Carneval season. Here are some pictures from ORF (Austrian broadcaster)

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Paris Hilton arriving

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President Heinz Fischer with his wife

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Cancellor Gusenbauer (left) and Vice Cancellor Molterer

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Debutants

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Ioan Hollender - director of the Staatsoper

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Ana Netrebko

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"Alles Walzer" - everyone dancing Waltz

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This weekend the Bobsleigh Worldcupfinals and the Skeleton Worldcupfinals and European Championsships take place in Schoenau am Koenigssee (Germany) - venue for the Salzburg 2014 bid. As Germans are traditionally doing very well in both - Bobsleigh and Skeleton - many visitors come to the nice village at Koenigssee Lake near Berchtesgaden.

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Marlies Schild is the 2006-2007 FIS World Cup overall champion in women's slalom.

Link: BBC: Schild Powers To World Cup Title

Congratulations to you, Marlies Schild.

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As for the men's slalom event, the World Cup overall champion here is Mario Matt.

Link: BBC: World Champion Matt On Top Again

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That is two for two for Austria so far.

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Thanks for the correction, rolilau. I knew my head wasn't working properly, when I wrote that post and what I read there. Anyway, it comes to show me how the Austrians are always the team to beat in these kind of events.

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Nice article, to be honest, I didn't hear about this before and searched the news. I only found a few articles. An article in "Vorarlberg Online" (Vorarlberg is Austria's state directly bordering Liechtenstein) tells the size increased because of measuring failures in the past. The last measurements took place in 1980. So, don't bother, Austria and Switzerland didn't lose area :rolleyes:

Vorarlberg Online (german article)

Looks like some members of the Swiss army didn't get it and the BBC made a news clip about it here.

Link: BBC: Swiss In Liechtenstein 'Invasion'

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