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Count Von Beust

Count von Beust

Friedrich Ferdinand Graf Beust (or Count Friedrich Ferdinand von Beust), (January 13, 1809 - October 24, 1886), Austrian statesman, was descended from a noble family which had originally sprung from the Mark of Brandenburg, and of which one branch had been for over 300 years settled in Saxony. He was born in Dresden, where his father held office at the Saxon court. After studying at Leipzig and Göttingen he entered the Saxon public service; in 1836 he was made secretary of legation at Berlin, and afterwards held appointments at Paris, Munich and London. In March 1848 he was summoned to Dresden to take the office of foreign minister, but in consequence of the outbreak of the revolution was not appointed. In May he was appointed Saxon envoy at Berlin, and in February 1849 was again summoned to Dresden, and this time appointed minister of foreign affairs, an office which he continued to hold till 1866. In addition to this he held the ministry of education and public worship from 1849 to 1853; that of internal affairs in 1853, and in the same year was appointed minister-president. From the time that he entered the ministry he was, however, the leading member of it, and he was chiefly responsible for the events of 1849. By his advice the king refused to accept the constitution proclaimed by the Frankfort parliament, a policy which led to the outbreak of revolution in Dresden, which was suppressed after four days fighting by Prussian troops, for whose assistance Beust had asked. On Beust fell also the chief responsibility for governing the country after order was restored, and he was the author of the so-called coup d'état of June 1850 by which the new constitution was overthrown. The vigour he showed in repressing all resistance to the government, especially that of the university, and in reorganizing the police, made him one of the most unpopular men among the Liberals, and his name became synonymous with the worst form of reaction, but it is not clear that the attacks on him were justified. After this he was chiefly occupied with foreign affairs, and he soon became one of the most conspicuous figures in German politics. He was the leader of that party which hoped to maintain the independence of the smaller states, and was the opponent of all attempts on the part of Prussia to attract them into a separate union; in 1849-1850 he had been obliged to join the three kings union of Prussia, Hanover and Saxony, but he was careful to keep open a loophole for withdrawal, of which he speedily availed himself. In the crisis of 1851 Saxony was on the side of Austria, and he supported the restoration of the diet of the confederation. In 1854 he took part in the Bamberg conferences, in which the smaller German states claimed the right to direct their own policy independent of that of Austria or of Prussia, and he was the leading supporter of the idea of the Trias, i.e. that the smaller states should form a closer union among themselves against the preponderance of the great monarchies. In 1863 he came forward as a warm supporter of the claims of the prince of Augustenburg to Schleswig-Holstein; he was the leader of the party in the German diet which refused to recognize the settlement of the Danish question effected in 1852 by the treaty of London, and in 1864 he was appointed representative of the diet at the congress of London. He was thus thrown into opposition to the policy of Bismarck, and he was exposed to violent attacks in the Prussian press as a particularist, i.e. a supporter of the independence of the smaller states. The expulsion of the Saxon troops from Rendsburg nearly led to a conflict with Prussia. Beust was accused of having brought about the war of 1866, but the responsibility for this must rest with Bismarck. On the outbreak of war Beust accompanied the king to Prague, and thence to Vienna, where they were received by the emperor with the news of Koniggratz. Beust undertook a mission to Paris to procure the help of Napoleon. When the terms of peace were discussed he resigned, for Bismarck refused to negotiate with him. After the victory of Prniei,i there was no office for Beust in Germany, and his public career seemed to be closed, but he quite unexpectedly received an invitation from the emperor of Austria to become his foreign minister. It was a bold decision, for Beust was not only a stranger to Austria, but also a Protestant; but the choice of the emperor justified itself. Beust threw himself into his new position with great energy; it was owing to him that the negotiations with Hungary were brought to a successful issue. When difficulties came he went himself to Budapest, and acted directly with the Hungarian leaders. In 1867 he also held the position of Austrian minister-president, and he carried through the measures by which parliamentary government was restored. He also carried on the negotiations with the pope concerning the repeal of the concordat, and in this matter also did much by a liberal policy to relieve Austria from the pressure of institutions which had checked the development of the country. In 1868, after giving up his post as ministerpresident, he was appointed chancellor of the empire, and received the title of count. His conduct of foreign affairs, especially in the matter of the Balkan States and Crete, successfully maintained the position of the empire. In 1869 he accompanied the emperor on his expedition to the East. He was still to some extent influenced by the anti-Prussian feeling he had brought from Saxony. He maintained a close understanding with France, and there can be little doubt that he would have welcomed an opportunity in his new position of another struggle with his old rival Bismarck. In 1867, however, he helped to bring the affair of Luxemburg to a peaceful termination. In 1870 he did not disguise his sympathy for France, and the failure of all attempts to bring about an intervention of the powers, joined to the action of Russia in denouncing the treaty of Paris, was the occasion of his celebrated saying that he was nowhere able to find Europe. After the war was over he completely accepted the new organization of Germany. As early as December 1870 he had opened a correspondence with Bismarck with a view to establishing a good understanding with Germany. Bismarck accepted his advances with alacrity, and the new entente, which Beust announced to the Austro-Hungarian delegations in July 1871, was sealed in August by a friendly meeting of the two old rivals and enemies at Gastein. In 1871 Beust interfered at the last moment, together with Andrassy, to prevent the emperor accepting the federalist plans of Hohenwart. He was successful, but at the same time he was dismissed from office. The precise cause for this is not known, and no reason was given him. At his own request he was appointed Austrian ambassador at London; in 1878 he was transferred to Paris; in 1882 he retired from public life. He died at his villa at Altenberg, near Vienna, on the 24th of October 1886, leaving two sons, both of whom entered the Austrian diplomatic service. His wife, a Bavarian lady, survived him only a few weeks. His elder brother Friedrich Konstantin (1806-1891), who was at the head of the Saxon department for mines, was the author of several works on mining and geology, a subject in which other members of the family had distinguished themselves. Beust was in many ways a diplomatist of the old school. He had great social gifts and personal graces; he was proud of his proficiency in the lighter arts of composing waltzes and vers de société. His chief fault was vanity, but it was an amiable weakness. It was more vanity than rancour which made him glad to appear even in later years as the great opponent of Bismarck; and if he cared too much for popularity, and was very sensitive to neglect, the saying attributed to Bismarck, that if his vanity were taken away there would be nothing left, is very unjust. He was apt to look more to the form than the substance, and attached too much importance to the verbal victory of a well-written despatch; but when the opportunity was given him he showed higher qualities. In the crisis of 1849 he displayed considerable courage, and never lost his judgment even in personal danger. If he was defeated in his German policy, it must be remembered that Bismarck held all the good cards, and in 1866 Saxony was the only one of the smaller states which entered on the war with an army properly equipped and ready at the moment. That he was no mere reactionary the whole course of his government in Saxony, and still more in Austria, shows. His Austrian policy has been much criticized, on the ground that in establishing the system of dualism he gave too much to Hungary, and did not really understand Austrian affairs; and the Austro-Hungarian crisis during the early years of the present century has given point to this view. Yet it remains the fact that in a crisis of extraordinary difficulty he carried to a successful conclusion a policy which, even if it was not the best imaginable, was probably the best attainable in the circumstances. Beust was the author of reminiscences:
- Aus drei Viertel-Jahrhunderten (2 vols, Stuttgart, 1887; English trans. edited by Baron H de Worms)
- he also wrote a shorter work, Erinnerungen zu Erinnerungen (Leipzig, 1881), in answer to attacks made on him by his former colleague, Herr v. Frieseri, in his reminiscences. See also Ebeling, F. F. Graf v. Beust (Leipzig 1876), a full and careful account of his political career, especially up to 1866; Diplomatic Sketches: No. 1, Count Beust, by Outsider (Baron Carl v. Malortie); Flathe, Geschichte von Sachsen, vol. iii. (Gotha, 1877); Friesen, Erinnerungen aus meinem Leben (Dresden, 1880).

Notes

Beust, Friedrich Ferdinand Graf Beust, Friedrich Ferdinand Graf Beust, Friedrich Ferdinand Graf Beust, Friedrich Ferdinand Graf

January 13

January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is still celebrated as New Year's Eve by those on the Julian calendar. There are 352 days remaining (353 in a leap year).

Events


- 888 - Odo, Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks.
- 1099 - Crusaders set fire to Mara, Syria.
- 1328 - Edward III of England marries Philippa, daughter of the Count of Hainault.
- 1547 - Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey sentenced to death
- 1559 - Elizabeth I crowned queen of England in Westminster Abbey.
- 1602 - William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor is published.
- 1605 - The controversial play Eastward Hoe by Ben Jonson, George Chapman, and John Marston is performed, landing two of the authors in prison.
- 1607 - Bank of Genoa fails after announcement of national bankruptcy in Spain.
- 1610 - Galileo Galilei discovers Callisto, 4th satellite of Jupiter.
- 1622 - Work on the printing of the First Folio of William Shakespeare is suspended.
- 1625 - John Milton, 16, admitted to Christ's College, Cambridge.
- 1733 - James Oglethorpe and 130 colonists arrive in Charleston,South Carolina.
- 1785 - John Walter publishes first issue of the Daily Universal Register (later renamed The Times).
- 1830 - Great fire in New Orleans thought to be set by rebel slaves.
- 1832 - President Andrew Jackson wrote Vice President Martin Van Buren expressing his opposition to South Carolina's defiance of federal authority in the Nullification Crisis.
- 1834 - John Mason Cook, whom JMC Air is named after was born.
- 1840 - The steamship Lexington burns and sinks four miles off the coast of Long Island with the loss of 139 lives.
- 1847 - The Treaty of Cahuenga ends the Mexican-American War in California.
- 1854 - The accordion is patented by Anthony Faas.
- 1869 - National convention of black leaders meets in Washington D.C.
- 1893 - The Independent Labour Party of the UK has its first meeting.
  - US Marines land in Honolulu from the U.S.S. Boston to protect the king and stop the queen from abrogating the Bayonet Constitution.
- 1898 - Emile Zola's J'accuse exposes the Dreyfus affair.
- 1913 - Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. founded. Currently the largest African-American women's organization
- 1915 - Earthquake in Avezzano, Italy kills 29,800
- 1930 - Mickey Mouse comic strip makes first appearance.
- 1935 - A plebiscite in Saarland shows that 90.3% of those voting wish to join Nazi Germany.
- 1942 - Henry Ford patents a plastic automobile, which is 30% lighter than a regular car.
  - The United States begins the iternment of Japanese-Americans living on the American west coast.
- 1953 - Marshal Josip Broz Tito chosen President of Yugoslavia.
- 1957 - Wham-O Company produces the first Frisbee.
- 1958 - Moroccan Liberation Army ambushes Spanish patrol in the Battle of Edchera
- 1966 - Robert C. Weaver becomes the first African American Cabinet member by being appointed United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
- 1972 - Prime Minister Kofi Busia and President Edward Akufo-Addo of Ghana were ousted in a bloodless military coup by Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
- 1982 - Shortly after takeoff, Air Florida Flight 90 737 jet crashes into Washington, DC's 14th Street Bridge and falls into the Potomac River, killing 78 including four motorists. Plane was not properly de-iced. There were five survivors.
- 1986 - A month-long violent struggle began in Aden, South Yemen between supporters of Ali Nasir Muhammad and Abdul Fattah Ismail, resulting in thousands of casualties.
- 1989 - The final episode of the American soap opera Ryan's Hope is aired, ending a 14-year run on the network.
- 1990 - L. Douglas Wilder becomes the first elected African American governor as he takes office in Richmond, Virginia.
- 1991 - Soviet military troops attacked Lithuanian independence supporters in Vilnius.
- 1992 - Japan apologizes for forcing Korean women into sexual slavery during World War II.
- 1998 - ABC and ESPN negotiate a $1.15 billion a season contract to keep Monday Night Football.
- 1999 - Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls basketball team announces his retirement (for the second time -- he has since rescinded his retirement).
- 2001 - An earthquake hits El Salvador. More than 800 deaths.
- 2002 - US President George W. Bush faints after choking on a pretzel.

Births

1334 to 1899


- 1334 - King Henry II of Castile (d. 1379)
- 1562 - Mark Alexander Boyd, Scottish poet (d. 1601)
- 1596 - Jan van Goyen, Dutch painter (d. 1656)
- 1610 - Maria Anna of Austria (d. 1665)
- 1616 - Antoinette Bourignon, Flemish mystic (d. 1680)
- 1635 - Philipp Jakob Spener, German theologian (d. 1705)
- 1651 - Henry Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington, English politician (d. 1694)
- 1720 - Richard Hurd, English bishop and writer (d. 1808)
- 1749 - Friedrich Müller, painter, narrator, lyricist and dramatist (d. 1825)
- 1805 - Thomas Dyer, Mayor of Chicago (d. 1862)
- 1808 - Salmon Chase, Secretary of the Treasury and Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1873)
- 1812 - Victor de Laprade, French poet and critic (d. 1883)
- 1832 - Horatio Alger, Jr., American minister and author (d. 1899)
- 1861 - Max Nonne, German neurologist (d. 1959)
- 1864 - Wilhelm Wien, German physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1928)
- 1866 - Vasily Kalinnikov, Russian composer (d. 1901)
- 1879 - Melvin Jones, American founder of Lions Clubs International (d. 1961)
- 1884 - Sophie Tucker, Russian-born singer, comedienne, and vaudeville performer (d. 1966)
- 1893 - Clark Ashton Smith, American writer (d. 1961)
- 1899 - Kay Francis, American actress (d. 1968)

1900 to 1999


- 1909 - Marinus van der Lubbe, Dutch communist accused of setting fire to the Reichstag (d. 1934)
- 1911 - Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Premier of Queensland (d. 2005)
- 1919 - Robert Stack, American actor (d. 2003)
- 1924 - Paul Feyerabend, Austrian-born philosopher (d. 1994)
- 1925 - Gwen Verdon, American actress and dancer (d. 2000)
- 1926 - Michael Bond, British writer
- 1926 - Carolyn Gold Heilbrun, American feminist author (d. 2003)
- 1927 - Brock Adams, American politician (d. 2004)
- 1927 - Sydney Brenner, British biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- 1930 - Liz Anderson, American singer
- 1930 - Frances Sternhagen, American actress
- 1931 - Charles Nelson Reilly, American actor
- 1934 - Rip Taylor, American actor
- 1938 - William B. Davis, Canadian actor
- 1938 - Tord Grip, Swedish football manager
- 1942 - Richard Moll, American actor
- 1943 - Carol Cleveland, English actress
- 1948 - Gaj Singh, Maharaja of Jodhpur
- 1949 - Brandon Tartikoff, American television executive (d. 1997)
- 1954 - Trevor Rabin, South African musician (Yes)
- 1955 - Jay McInerney, American writer
- 1958 - Andrew Stanton, American actor and director
- 1961 - Julia Louis-Dreyfus, American actress
- 1961 - Graham McPherson, English singer
- 1962 - Trace Adkins, American musician
- 1964 - Penelope Ann Miller, American actress
- 1966 - Patrick Dempsey, American actor
- 1969 - Stephen Hendry, Scottish snooker player
- 1970 - A. Onomen Asikele West African Born Writer, Poet & Filmmaker
- 1970 - Keith Coogan, American actor
- 1970 - Marco Pantani, Italian cyclist (d. 2004)
- 1972 - Nicole Eggert, American actress
- 1973 - Nikolai Khabibulin, Russian hockey player
- 1977 - Orlando Bloom, English actor
- 1980 - Krzysztof Czerwinski, Polish conductor and organist
- 1982 - Guillermo Coria, Argentine tennis player
- 1983 - William Hung, Hong Kong-born singer

Deaths

85 BC to 1899


- 85 BC - Gaius Marius, Roman general and politician
- 703 - Empress Jitō of Japan (b. 645)
- 858 - King Ethelwulf of Wessex
- 888 - Charles the Fat, Holy Roman Emperor
- 1138 - Simon I, Duke of Lorraine (b. 1076)
- 1151 - Abbot Suger, French statesman and historian
- 1177 - Henry II of Austria (b. 1107)
- 1330 - Duke Frederick I of Austria (b. 1286)
- 1363 - Meinhard III, Count of Tyrol
- 1547 - Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, English poet (b. 1517)
- 1599 - Edmund Spenser, English poet (b. 1552)
- 1658 - Edward Sexby, English Puritan soldier (b. 1616)
- 1691 - George Fox, English founder of the Quakers (b. 1624)
- 1762 - Leonhard Trautsch, German composer (b. 1694)
- 1766 - King Frederick V of Denmark (b. 1723)
- 1775 - Johann Georg Walch, German theologian (b. 1693)
- 1790 - Luc Urbain de Bouexic, comte de Guichen, French admiral (b. 1712)
- 1796 - John H. D. Anderson, Scottish scientist and inventor (b. 1726)
- 1797 - Elisabeth Christine von Braunschweig-Bevern, queen of Frederick II of Prussia (b. 1715)
- 1852 - Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, Russian explorer (b. 1778)
- 1864 - Stephen Foster, American composer (b. 1826)

1900 to 1999


- 1923 - Alexandre Ribot, French statesman (b. 1842)
- 1929 - Wyatt Earp, Western lawman (b. 1848)
- 1941 - James Joyce, Irish writer (b. 1882)
- 1962 - Ernie Kovacs, American actor and comedian (b. 1919)
- 1974 - Salvador Novo, Mexican writer and poet (b. 1904)
- 1978 - Hubert H. Humphrey, Vice President of the United States and Senator from Minnesota (b. 1911)
- 1978 - Joe McCarthy, baseball manager (b. 1908)
- 1979 - Donny Hathaway, American musician (b. 1945)
- 1988 - Chiang Ching-kuo, President of the Republic of China (b. 1910)

2000 onwards


- 2001 - Michael Cuccione, Canadian actor and singer (b. 1985)
- 2002 - Ted Demme, American film and television director (b. 1963)
- 2002 - Frank Shuster, Canadian comedian (b. 1916)
- 2003 - Norman Panama, American screenwriter and director (b. 1914)
- 2004 - Arne Næss Jr., Norwegian mountain climber and businessman (b. 1937)
- 2004 - Harold Shipman, British serial killer (b. 1946)
- 2005 - Earl Cameron, Canadian broadcaster (b. 1915)
- 2005 - Nell Rankin, American mezzo-soprano (b. 1924)

Holidays and observances


- National Vocation Awareness Week
- Liberation Day in Togo
- In Sweden, Christmas ends on the 20th day, St. Knut's Day. Children celebrate a party throwing out the Christmas tree (julgransplundring)

External links


- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/13 BBC: On This Day] ---- January 12 - January 14 - December 13 - February 13 — listing of all days ko:1월 13일 ms:13 Januari ja:1月13日 simple:January 13 th:13 มกราคม

1809

1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar).

Events


- January 5 - Treaty of Dardanelles between Britain and France concluded
- January 16 - Peninsular War: The British defeat the French at the Battle of Corunna.
- February 3 - Illinois Territory was created.
- February 8 - Franz I of Austria declares war on France
- February 11 - Robert Fulton patents the steamboat.
- February 20 - A decision by the Supreme Court of the United States states that the power of the federal government is greater than any individual state.
- March 4 - James Madison succeeds Thomas Jefferson as the President of the United States.
- March 13 - Military coup ousts Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden - he is confined in the Gripsholm castle.
- March 29 - At the Diet of Porvoo, Finland's four Estates pledge allegiance to Alexander I of Russia, commencing the secession of the Grand Duchy of Finland from Sweden. King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden abdicates after a coup d'état and is later exiled.
- April 9 - Tyroleans rise against French and Bavarian occupation - they include militia lead by Andreas Hofer.
- April 14 - Napoleon defeats Austrians in the Battle of Abensberg, Bavaria
- April 19 - Battle of Raszyn between armies of Austria (attackers) and Duchy of Warsaw (defenders) as a part of struggles of the Fifth Coalition (1809). Austrian army was defeated.
- April 22 - Battle at Eckmuhl - French troops beat Austrians under archduke Karl
- May - Napoleon captures Vienna, is excommunicated, imprisons pope Pius VII.
- May 5 - Mary Kies is the first woman to be awarded a patent.
- May 5 - The Swiss canton of Aargau denies Jews citizenship.
- May 17 - Napoleon I of France orders the annexation of the Papal States to the French empire. When he announces Pope's secular power has ended, pope excommunicates him.
- May 21 - Battle at Aspern-Essling: Austrian troops under archduke Karl beat French under Napoleon
- May 24 - Dartmoor Prison opens, first to house French prisoners of war
- June 1 - Allardyce Barclay begins a bet of walking 1 mile every hour for 1,000 hours. Each hour he walked a mile round trip from his home
- June 6 - Sweden promulgates a new Instrument of Government, which restores political power to the Riksdag of the Estates after authoritarian rule since 1772.
- June 7 - Shoja Shah of Afghanistan signs a treaty with the British. Only weeks later, he is succeeded by Mahmud Shah.
- July 5-6 - Battle of Wagram - Napoleon defeats the Austrians
- July 6 - French troops arrest Pope Pius VII and take him to Liguria
- July 30 - British invasion army lands in Walcheren
- August 8 - 70 disciples of Gaon of Vilnus arrive in Palestine
- August 10 - Ecuador declares independence from Spain
- August 11 - Severe earthquakes strike the Azores and sinks the village of São Miguel
- September 17 - Peace of Hamina - Peace between Russia and Sweden in the Finnish War. The territory to become the Grand Duchy of Finland is ceded to Russia by the Treaty of Fredrikshamn.
- September 18 - Royal Opera House opens in London
- October 11 - Along the Natchez Trace in Tennessee, explorer Meriwether Lewis dies under mysterious circumstances at an inn called Grinder's Stand.
- October 14 - Treaty of Schoenbrunn cedes Illyrian provinces to France
- December 26 - British invasion troop leaves Vlissingen
- December 30 - Wearing masks at balls forbidden in Boston, Massachusetts
- USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) is recommissioned as flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron.
- Louis Poinsot describes the two remaining Kepler-Poinsot solids.
- Jean-Baptiste Lamarck publishes Philosophie Zoologique, outlining the concept of evolution.
- First running of the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes horse race in England.
- Miami University (Ohio) established by congressional order by George Washington.

Ongoing events


- Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815)-Peninsular War/Finnish War/Fifth Coalition

Births


- :Category:1809 births
- January 4 - Louis Braille, French teacher of the blind (d. 1852).
- January 15 - Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, French anarchist (d. 1864)
- January 19 - Edgar Allan Poe, American writer and poet (d. 1849)
- February 3 - Felix Mendelssohn, German composer (d. 1847)
- February 12 - Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States (d. 1865)
- February 12 - Charles Darwin, British naturalist (d. 1882)
- February 15 - Cyrus McCormick, American inventor (d. 1884)
- March 31 - Nikolai Gogol, Russian writer (d. 1852)
- April 15 - Hermann Gunter Grassmann, Prussian mathematician (d. 1877)
- June 4 - Columbus Delano, American statesman (d. 1896)
- June 4 - John Henry Pratt, English clergyman and mathematician (d. 1871)
- June 8 - Richard Wigginton Thompson, American politician (d. 1900)
- August 6 - Alfred Lord Tennyson, British poet (d. 1892)
- August 8 - Heinrich Abeken, German theologian (d. 1872)
- August 27 - Hannibal Hamlin, American politician (d. 1891)
- August 29 - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., American physician and writer (d. 1894)
- October 22 - Volney E. Howard, American politician (d. 1889)
- December 24 - Kit Carson, American frontiersman (d. 1868)
- December 29 - William Ewart Gladstone, British politician (d. 1898)

Deaths


- January 16 - John Moore, British general (killed in battle) (b. 1761)
- March 7 - Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, Austrian composer (b. 1736)
- March 25 - Anna Seward, English writer (b. 1747)
- March 27 - Joseph-Marie Vien, French painter (b. 1716)
- May 13 - Beilby Porteus, English bishop and abolitionist (b. 1731)
- May 17 - Leopold Auenbrugger, Austrian physician (b. 1722)
- May 31 - Joseph Haydn, Austrian composer (b. 1732)
- May 31 - Jean Lannes, French marshal (mortally wounded in battle (b. 1769)
- June 4 - Nikolaj Abraham Abildgaard, Danish painter (b. 1743)
- June 8 - Thomas Paine, American revolutionary writer (b. 1737)
- August 18 - Matthew Boulton, English manufacturer and engineer (b. 1728)
- October 8 - James Elphinston, Scottish philologist (b. 1721)
- October 11 - Meriwether Lewis, American explorer (suicide) (b. 1774)
- November 9 - Paul Sandby, English cartographer and painter (b. 1725) Category:1809 ko:1809년 ms:1809 simple:1809

October 24

October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining.

Events


- 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus, the commander of the Danube armies, loyal to Vespasian, defeat the forces of Emperor Vitellius.
- 1260 - The spectacular Cathedral of Chartres is dedicated in the presence of King Louis IX of France; the cathedral is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 1260 - Saif ad-Din Qutuz, Mamluk sultan of Egypt, is assassinated by Baibars, who seizes power for himself.
- 1360 - The Treaty of Brétigny is ratified at Calais, marking the end of the first phase of the Hundred Years' War.
- 1648 - The Peace of Westphalia is signed, marking the end of the Thirty Years' War.
- 1795 - Partitions of Poland: The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is completely divided between Austria, Prussia and Russia
- 1812 - Napoleonic Wars: The Battle of Maloyaroslavets takes place near Moscow.
- 1861 - The first transcontinental telegraph line across the United States is completed, spelling the end for the 18-month-old Pony Express.
- 1903 - General Order (GO) 167 authorized the formation of the "Canadian Signalling Corps (Militia)" (CSC) - the first independently organized Signal Corps in the British Empire.
- 1917 - Battle of Caporetto starts on the Austro-Italian front of World War I
- 1929 - "Black Thursday" stock market crash on the New York Stock Exchange.
- 1930 - A bloodless coup d'état in Brazil ousts Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa, the last President of the First Republic. Getúlio Dornelles Vargas is then installed as "provisional president."
- 1935 - Italy invades Ethiopia
- 1944 - World War II: The Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku is sunk.
- 1945 - Founding of the United Nations
- 1947 - Walt Disney testifies to the House Unamerican Activities Committee, naming Disney employees he believes to be communists.
- 1954 - Dwight D. Eisenhower pledges United States support to South Vietnam
- 1955 - The body of Manolo Just, a probable bisexual, is found in the Mexico apartment of Mary Rogers, daughter of Will Rogers. Homicide is suspected, but never proven.
- 1956 - Soviet Union invades Hungary
- 1957 - the USAF starts the X-20 Dyna-Soar program.
- 1960 - Nedelin catastrophe: An R-16 ballistic missile explodes on the launch pad at the Soviet Union's Baikonur Cosmodrome space facility, killing 165. Among the dead is Field Marshall Mitrofan Nedelin, whose death is reported to have occurred in a plane crash.
- 1964 - Northern Rhodesia gains independence from the United Kingdom and becomes the Republic of Zambia (Southern Rhodesia remained a colony)
- 1970 - Salvador Allende elected President of Chile
- 1973 - Yom Kippur War ends
- 1980 - Government of Poland legalizes Solidarity trade union
- 1989 - Televangelist Jim Bakker is sentenced to 45 years in prison and a 500,000 USD fine for defrauding investors of 3.7 million USD.
- 1992 - The Toronto Blue Jays become the first non-US team to win the World Series. This is also known as the first real "World" Series.
- 1998 - Launch of Deep Space 1 comet/asteroid mission
- 1998 - Tropical Storm Mitch reaches hurricane strength.
- 2002 - Police arrest spree killers John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, ending the Beltway sniper attacks in the area around Washington, DC.
- 2003 - Concorde makes its last commercial flight, bringing the era of airliner supersonic transport to a close, at least for the time being.
- 2004 - A plane carrying ten members of the NASCAR Hendrick Motorsports team crashes en route to the race held at Martinsville Speedway. There were no survivors.
- 2005 - Cream begins a series of three shows at Madison Square Garden. These shows are similar to the reunion shows held in May at the Royal Albert Hall.
- 2005 - Hurricane Wilma makes landfall in South Florida.

Births


- 51 - Domitian, Roman Emperor (d. 96)
- 1402 - David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay, heir to the throne of Scotland (b. 1378)
- 1632 - Anton van Leeuwenhoek, Dutch microbiologist (d. 1723)
- 1675 - Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham, English soldier and politician (d. 1749)
- 1710 - Alban Butler, English Catholic priest and writer (d. 1773)
- 1788 - Sarah Hale, American poet (d. 1879)
- 1804 - Wilhelm Eduard Weber, German physicist (d. 1891)
- 1811 - Ferdinand Hiller, German composer (d. 1885)
- 1855 - James S. Sherman, Vice President of the United States (d. 1912)
- 1868 - Alexandra David-Néel, French explorer and writer (d. 1969)
- 1891 - Rafael Molina-Trujillo, President of the Dominican Republic
- 1901 - Gilda Gray, Polish-born actress and dancer (d. 1959)
- 1903 - Melvin Purvis, American Federal Bureau of Investigation director (d. 1960)
- 1904 - Moss Hart, American dramatist (d. 1961)
- 1909 - Bill Carr, American athlete (d. 1966)
- 1915 - Tito Gobbi, Italian baritone (d. 1984)
- 1915 - Bob Kane, cartoonist (d. 1998)
- 1915 - Roger Milliken, textile heir
- 1923 - Denise Levertov, English-born poet (d 1997)
- 1925 - Luciano Berio, Italian composer (d. 2003)
- 1926 - Y. A. Tittle, American football player
- 1927 - Jean-Claude Pascal, French singer (d.1992)
- 1929 - George Crumb, American composer
- 1929 - Yordan Radichkov, Bulgarian writer
- 1930 - The Big Bopper, American singer (d. 1959)
- 1930 - Johan Galtung, Norwegian scientist
- 1930 - Sultan Ahmad Shah, King of Malaysia
- 1931 - Sofia Gubaidulina, Russian composer
- 1932 - Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, French physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1932 - Robert Mundell, Canadian economist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1936 - Bill Wyman, English musician (The Rolling Stones)
- 1939 - F. Murray Abraham, American actor
- 1945 - Anthony Christian, English Artist
- 1946 - Jerry Edmonton, Canadian drummer (Steppenwolf)
- 1947 - Kevin Kline, American actor
- 1948 - Kweisi Mfume, American civil rights activist, U.S. Congressman from Maryland
- 1954 - Mike Rounds, Governor of South Dakota
- 1957 - Ron Gardenhire, baseball manager
- 1960 - Ian Baker-Finch, Australian golf player
- 1960 - Jaime Garzón, Colombian journalist and comedian (d. 1999)
- 1961 - Mary Bono, U.S. Congresswoman from California
- 1962 - B.D. Wong, American actor
- 1966 - Roman Abramovich, Russian oil magnate
- 1971 - Dervla Kirwan, Irish actress
- 1972 - Scott Peterson, American murderer
- 1972 - Pat Williams, American football player
- 1973 - Levi Leipheimer, American professional cyclist
- 1974 - Caprice Bourret, American model and actress
- 1975 - Juan Pablo Ángel, Columbian footballer
- 1979 - Ben Gillies, Australian musician (Silverchair)
- 1980 - James Killian, American football player
- 1980 - Monica, American singer
- 1981 - Tila Nguyen, American model
- 1985 - Wayne Rooney, English footballer
- 1991 - Edmund Townend, Author of Scorpius Diamond

Deaths


- 996 - King Hugh Capet of France (b. 938)
- 1260 - Saif ad-Din Qutuz, Mamluk sultan of Egypt
- 1375 - King Valdemar IV of Denmark
- 1537 - Jane Seymour, queen of Henry VIII of England
- 1572 - Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby, English politician
- 1601 - Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer (b. 1546)
- 1655 - Pierre Gassendi, French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist (b. 1592)
- 1669 - William Prynne, English Puritan leader (b. 1600)
- 1672 - John Webb, English architect (b. 1611)
- 1708 - Kowa Seki, Japanese mathematician
- 1725 - Alessandro Scarlatti, Italian composer (b. 1660)
- 1799 - Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, Austrian composer (b. 1739)
- 1821 - Elias Boudinot, American President of the Continental Congress (b. 1740)
- 1852 - Daniel Webster, American lawyer and politician (b. 1782)
- 1898 - Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, French painter (b. 1824)
- 1912 - Mykola Lysenko, Ukrainian composer (b. 1842)
- 1915 - Désiré Charnay, French archaeologist (b. 1828)
- 1938 - Ernst Barlach, German sculptor
- 1944 - Louis Renault, French automobile manufacturer (b. 1877)
- 1945 - Vidkun Quisling, Norwegian traitor (executed) (b. 1887)
- 1948 - Franz Lehár, Austrian composer (b. 1870)
- 1957 - Christian Dior, French fashion designer (b. 1905)
- 1971 - Carl Ruggles, American composer (b. 1876)
- 1972 - Jackie Robinson, baseball player (b. 1919)
- 1972 - Claire Windsor, American actress (b. 1897)
- 1974 - David Oistrakh, Ukrainian violinist (b. 1908)
- 1979 - Park Chung Hee, South-Korean president (b. 1917).
- 1991 - Gene Roddenberry, American television producer (b. 1921)
- 1997 - Don Messick, voice actor (b. 1926)
- 2001 - Wolf Rüdiger Hess, German neo-Nazi (b. 1937)
- 2002 - Winton M. Blount, United States Postmaster General (b. 1921)
- 2002 - Adolph Green, American lyricist and playwright (b. 1914)
- 2002 - Harry Hay, American activist (b. 1912)
- 2004 - Randy Dorton, NASCAR crew member (b. 1954)
- 2004 - Ricky Hendrick, NASCAR team owner (b. 1980)
- 2004 - James Cardinal Hickey, American Catholic archbishop (b. 1920)
- 2005 - José Azcona del Hoyo, President of Honduras (b. 1926)
- 2005 - Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist (b. 1913)

Holidays and observances


- R.C. Saints - optional memorial of Antonio Maria Claret
- Also see October 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- New Zealand -Labour Day (2005, 4th Monday in October).
- Zambia - Independence Day (1964)
- United Nations Day (charter 1945)
- Discordianism - Maladay

References


- In The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien, the date is mentioned to Frodo Baggins by Gandalf upon his waking in Rivendell.

External links


- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/24 BBC: On This Day]
- [http://pddod.byethost15.com/ a site made by a kid born on this day... 1988] ---- October 23 - October 25 - November 24 - September 24 - more historical anniversaries ko:10월 24일 ms:24 Oktober ja:10月24日 simple:October 24 th:24 ตุลาคม

Austria

The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in central Europe. It borders Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The capital is the city of Vienna. Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy consisting of nine federal states and is one of two European countries that have declared their everlasting neutrality, the other being Switzerland. Austria is a member of United Nations and the European Union.

Origin and history of the name

The German name Österreich can be translated into English as the "eastern realm", which is derived from the Old German Ostarrîchi. Reich can also mean "empire," and this connotation is the one that is understood in the context of the Austrian/Austro-Hungarian Empire, German Empire, "Third Reich," or Holy Roman Empire, although not in the context of the modern Republic of Österreich. The term probably originates in a vernacular translation of the Medieval Latin name for the region: Marchia orientalis, which translates as "eastern border," as it was situated at the eastern edge of the Holy Roman Empire, that was also mirrored in the name Ostmark applied after Anschluss to the Third Reich.

History

Austria and the Holy Roman Empire

The territory of Austria originally known as the Celtic kingdom of Noricum, was a long time ally of Rome. It was rather occupied than conquered by the Romans during the reign of Augustus and made the province Noricum in 16 BC. Later it was conquered by Huns, Rugii, Lombards, Ostrogoths, Bavarii, Avars (until c. 800), and Franks (in that order). Finally, after 48 years of Hungarian rule (907 to 955), the core territory of Austria was awarded to Leopold of Babenberg in 976. Being part of the Holy Roman Empire the Babenbergs ruled and expanded Austria from the 10th century to the 13th century. 13th century After Duke Frederick II died in 1246 and left no successor, the German King Rudolf I of Habsburg gave the lands to his sons marking the beginning of the line of the Habsburgs, who continued to govern Austria until the 20th century. With the short exception of Charles VII Albert of Bavaria, Austrian Habsburgs held the position of German Emperor beginning in 1438 with Albert II of Habsburg until the end of the Holy Roman Empire. During the 14th and 15th century Austria continued to expand its territory until it reached the position of a European superpower at the end of the 15th century until the end of the Habsburg monarchy in 1918.

Modern history

After the abolition of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Empire of Austria was founded, which was transformed in 1867 into the double-monarchy Austria-Hungary. The empire was split into several independent states in 1918, after the defeat of the Central Powers in World War I, with most of the German-speaking parts becoming a republic. (See Treaty of Saint-Germain.) Between 1918 and 1919 it was officially known as the Republic of German Austria (Republik Deutschösterreich). After the Entente powers forbade German Austria to unite with Germany, they also forbade the name, and then it was changed to simply Republic of Austria. The democratic republic lasted until 1933 when the chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß established an autocratic regime oriented towards Italian fascism (Austrofascism). Austria became part of the Third Reich in 1938 through the Anschluß and remained under Nazi hegemony until the end of World War II. After the defeat of the Axis Powers, the Allies occupied Austria until 1955, when the country became a fully independent republic under the condition that it would remain neutral. (see: Austrian State Treaty). Austria also became a member of the UN in the same year. After the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, Austria became increasingly involved in European affairs, and in 1995, Austria joined the European Union, and the Euro monetary system in 1999.

Politics

1999 Austria became a federal, parliamentary democracy republic through the Federal Constitution of 1920. It was reintroduced in 1945 to the nine states of the Federal Republic. The head of state is the Federal President, who is directly elected. The chairman of the Federal Government is the Federal Chancellor, who is appointed by the president and voted into office by the majority of the lower chamber of parliament, the Nationalrat, the National Council of Austria. The government can be recalled by a vote of no confidence in the National Council. The Austrian parliament consists of two chambers. The composition of the Nationalrat is determined every four years by a free general election in which every citizen is allowed to vote to fill its 183 seats. A "Four Percent Hurdle" prevents a large splintering of the political landscape in the Nationalrat by awarding seats only to political parties that have received at least four percent of the general vote, or alternatively, have won a direct seat, or Direktmandat, in one of the 43 regional election districts. The Nationalrat is the dominant chamber in the formation of legislation in Austria. However, the upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat has a limited right of veto (the Nationalrat can pass the respective bill a second time bypassing the Bundesrat altogether). A convention, called the Österreich Konvent [http://www.konvent.gv.at/] was convened in June 30, 2003 to decide upon suggestions to reform the constitution, but has failed to produce a proposal that would receive the two thirds of votes in the Nationalrat necessary for constitutional amendments and/or reform.

Subdivisions

A federal republic, Austria is divided into nine states, (German: Bundesländer). These states are divided into districts (Bezirke) and cities (Statutarstädte). Districts are subdivided into municipalities (Gemeinden). Cities have the competencies otherwise granted to both districts and municipalities. The states are not mere administrative divisions, but have some distinct legislative authority separate from the federal government. Statutarstädte

Geography

Statutarstädte Statutarstädte Austria is a largely mountainous country due to its location in the Alps. The Central Eastern Alps, Northern Limestone Alps and Southern Limestone Alps are all partly in Austria. Of the total area of Austria (84,000 km²), only about a quarter can be considered low lying, and only 32% of the country is below 500 metres. The high mountainous Alps in the west of Austria flatten somewhat into low lands and plains in the east of the country. Austria may be divided into 5 different areas. The biggest area are the Austrian Alps, which constitute 62% of Austria's total area. The Austrian foothills at the base of the Alps and the Carpathians account for around 12% of its area. The foothills in the east and areas surrounding the periphery of the Pannoni low country amount to about 12% of the total landmass. The second greater mountain area (much lower than the Alps) is situated in the north. Known as the Austrian granite plateau, it is located in the central area of the Bohemian Mass, and accounts for 10% of Austria. The Austrian portion of the Viennese basin comprises the remaining 4%.

Climate

The greater part of Austria lies in the cool/temperate climate zone in which humid westerly winds predominate. With over half of the country dominated by the Alps the alpine climate is the predominate one. In the East the climate shows continental features with less rain than the Western alpine areas with high rainfall averages. The six highest mountains in Austria are:

Economy

alpine climate ]] Austria has a well-developed social market economy and a high standard of living. Until the 1980s many of Austria's largest industry firms were nationalised, however in recent years privatisation has reduced state holdings to a level comparable to other European economies. Labour movements are particularly strong in Austria and have large influence on labour politics. Germany has historically been the main trading partner of Austria, making it vulnerable to rapid changes in the German economy. Slow growth in Germany and elsewhere in the world affected Austria, slowing its growth to 1.2% in 2001. But since Austria became a member state of the European Union it has gained closer ties to other European Union economies, reducing its economic dependence on Germany. In addition, membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market and proximity to EU aspiring economies. Therefore estimates of growth in 2005 (up to 2%) are much more favourable than in the crippling German economy. Agriculture: Austrian farms, like those of other west European mountainous countries, are small and fragmented, and production is relatively expensive. Industry: Although some industries, such as several iron and steel works and chemical plants, are large industrial enterprises employing thousands of people, most industrial and commercial enterprises in Austria are relatively small on an international scale. Services: Like in other western countries, the biggest contributor to Austria's GDP is its service sector. Most notably is tourism, especially winter tourism. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden. See also: List of Austrian companies

Demographics

List of Austrian companies]] Austria's capital Vienna is one of Europe's major cities with a population exceeding 1.6 million (2 million with suburbs) and constitutes a melting pot of citizens from all over Central and Eastern Europe. In contrast to this Metropolis, other cities do not exceed 1 million inhabitants, in fact the second largest city Graz is home of 305,000 people (followed by Linz with 180,000, Salzburg with 145,000 and Innsbruck with 120,000). All other cities have fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. Austrians of German mother tongue, by far the country's largest ethnic group, form 91.1% of Austria's population. The remaining number of Austria's people are of non-Austrian descent, many from surrounding countries, especially from the former East Bloc nations. The Austrian federal states of Carinthia and Styria are home to a significant (indigenous) Slovenian minority with around 14,000 members (Austrian census; unofficial numbers of Slovene groups speak of about 40,000). So-called guest workers (Gastarbeiter) and their descendants also form an important minority group in Austria. Around 20,000 Hungarians and 30.000 Croatians live in the east-most Bundesland, Burgenland (formerly part of Hungary). The official language, German, is spoken by almost all residents of the country. Austria's mountainous terrain led to the development of many distinct German dialects. All of the dialects in the country, however, belong to Austro-Bavarian groups of German dialects, with the exception of the dialect spoken in its west-most Bundesland, Vorarlberg, which belongs to the group of Alemannic dialects. There is also a distinct grammatical standard for Austrian German with a few differences to the German spoken in Germany.

Politics concerning ethnic groups (Volksgruppenpolitik) in Austria

An estimated 25,000-40,000 Slovenians in the Austrian state of Carinthia as well as Croatians and Hungarians in Burgenland were recognized as a minority and have enjoyed special rights following the Austrian State Treaty (Staatsvertrag) of 1955. The Slovenians in the Austrian state of Styria (estimated at a number between 1,600 and 5,000) are not recognized as a minority and do not enjoy special rights, although the State Treaty of July 27, 1955 states otherwise. The right for bilingual topographic signs for the regions where Slovene and Croatian speaking Austrians live alongside with the German speaking population (as required by the 1955 State Treaty) is still to be fully implemented. There is also an undercurrent of thinking amongst parts of the Carenthian population that the Slovenian involvement in the partisan war against the Nazi occupation force was a bad thing, and indeed "Tito partisan" is a not an infrequent insult hurled against members of the minority. Many Carinthians are afraid of Slovenian territorial claims, pointing to the fact that Yugoslav troops entered the state after each of the two World Wars. The current governor, Jörg Haider, regularly plays the Slovenian card when his popularity starts to dwindle, and indeed relies on the strong anti-Slovenian attitudes in many parts of the province for his power base. However, a recent poll suggests that a 2/3 majority of Carinthians are in favour of an increase of bilingual topographic signs in order to fulfil the requirements set by the State Treaty. Another interesting phenomenon is the so called "Windischen-Theorie" [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windischen-Theorie] stating that the Slovenians can be split in two groups: actual Slovenians and Windische, based on differences in language between Austrian Slovenians, who were taught Slovenian standard language in school and those Slovenians, who spoke their local Slovenian dialect but went to German schools. To the latter group the term "Windische" (originally the German word for Slovenians) was applied, claiming that they were a different ethnic group. This theory was never generally accepted and has been ultimately rejected several decades ago.
- List of cities in Austria

Religion

List of cities in Austria] While northern and central Germany was the origin of the Reformation, Austria (and Bavaria) were the heart of the Counter-Reformation in the 16th and 17th century, when the absolute monarchy of Habsburg imposed a strict regime to maintain Catholicism's power and influence among Austrians. Despite this establishment of Catholicism as the predominant Christian religion (Protestants have throughout Austria's history remained a relatively small group), Austria's history as a multinational state has made it necessary for Habsburg rulers to deal with a heterogeneous religious population. Religious freedom was declared a constitutional right as early as 1867 and Austria-Hungary was home of numerous religions beside Roman Catholicism such as Greek, Serbian, Romanian, Russian, and Bulgarian Orthodox Christians, Jews, Muslims (Austria neighboured the Turkish empire for centuries), Mormons and both Calvinists and Lutheran Protestants. Still Austria remained largely influenced by Catholicism. After 1918 First Republic Catholic leaders such as Theodor Innitzer and Ignaz Seipel took leading positions within or close to the Austrian Government and increased their influence during the time of the Austrofascism – Catholicism was treated much like a state religion by dictators Engelbert Dollfuss and Kurt Schuschnigg. Although Catholic leaders welcomed the Germans in 1938 during the Anschluss of Austria into Hitlerite Germany, Austrian Catholicism stopped its support of Nazism later on and many former Religious public figures became involved with the resistance during the Third Reich. After 1945 a stricter secularism was imposed in Austria and religious influence on politics has nearly vanished. As of the end of the 20th century about 73% of Austria's population are registered as Roman Catholic, while about 5% consider themselves Protestants. Both these numbers have been on the decline for decades, especially Roman Catholicm has suffered an increasing number of seceders of the church. This is due partly to child sexual abuse scandals by priests as well as the alleged unwillingness of the Roman Catholic Church to implement reforms. In addition Austrians Catholics are obliged to pay a mandatory tax (calculated by income – ca 1%) to the Austrian Roman Catholic Church, which acts as another incentive to leave the church. About 12% of the population declare that they do not belong to any church or religious community. Of the remaining people, about 180,000 are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church and about 7,300 are Jewish. It has to be noted that the Austrian Jewish Community of 1938 – Vienna alone counted more than 200,000, of which solely 4,000 to 5,000 remained after the Second World War. The influx of Eastern Europeans, especially from the former Yugoslav nations, Albania and particularly from Turkey largely contributed to a substantial Muslim minority in Austria – around 300,000 are registered as members of various Muslim communities. The numbers of people adhering to the Islam has increased largely during the last years and is expected to grow in the future. Buddhism, which was legally recognized as a religion in Austria in 1983, enjoys widespread acceptance and has a following of 20,000 (10,402 at the 2001 census). A 2005 survey among 8,000 people in various European countries showed that Austrians are still among the countries with the strongest belief in God. 84% of all Austrians do state they believe in God, with only Poland (97%), Portugal (90%) and Russia (87%) in front of the countries surveyed. This is a much larger figure than the European average of 71% or Germany with 67%. [http://www.readers-digest.de/service_fuer_journalisten/index.php?id=mrd&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=251&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=15]

Culture

Germany Although Austria is a small country, its history as a world power and its unique cultural environment in the heart of Europe have generated contributions to mankind in every possible field. One might argue that Austria is internationally best known for its musicians. It has been the birthplace of many famous composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, Johann Strauss, Sr., Johann Strauss, Jr. or Gustav Mahler as well as members of the Second Viennese School such as Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern or Alban Berg. Complementing its status as a land of artists, Austria has always been a country of great poets, writers and novelists. It was the home of novelists Arthur Schnitzler, Stefan Zweig, Thomas Bernhard or Robert Musil, of poets Georg Trakl, Franz Werfel, Franz Grillparzer, Rainer Maria Rilke or Adalbert Stifter. Famous contemporary playwrights and novelists are Elfriede Jelinek and Peter Handke. Among Austrian artists and architects one can find painters Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Egon Schiele or Friedensreich Hundertwasser, photographer Inge Morath or architect Otto Wagner. Austria was the cradle of numerous scientists including physicists Ludwig Boltzmann, Lise Meitner, Erwin Schrödinger, Ernst Mach, Wolfgang Pauli, Richard von Mises and Christian Doppler, philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper, biologists Gregor Mendel and Konrad Lorenz as well as mathematician Kurt Gödel. It was home to psychologists Sigmund Freud,