Violent conflicts and social unrest in the Middle East, in Central Asia, and in Africa have led to growing numbers of persons seeking refuge in Europe since 2011. The phenomenon culminated in 2015. In that year, with 88,300 new asylum applications, Austria was the 4th largest receiver of asylum seekers in the EU, thereby increasing visibly religious diversity in the country. Using two social surveys carried out in 2015 and in 2017 among asylum seekers and refugees, we study religious affiliation, religiosity, and attitudes as well as participation in religious groups. By focusing on the time span shortly after arriving in Austria, we aim to shed light on first steps in the host society and the multi-layered roles of religion for participation and integration. We provide a comparison with the host society in terms of religious affiliation and religiosity, and discuss recent qualitative research on refugees and religiosity. Insights into the engagement of refugees in several activities related to religion or not are valuable to shed light on the multi-layered characteristics of the recent inflow of forced migrants in Austria.

Der Beitrag analysiert die Präzision der Aufkommensprognose wichtiger Bundesabgaben der Jahre 1976 bis 2002 in Österreich. Dadurch wird eine im Schrifttum bestehende Forschungs- und Informationslücke verringert. Eine Prognose wird dazu als präzise verstanden, wenn sie sowohl unverzerrt als auch im Mittel genau ist. Die Prognose des Steueraufkommens auf Bundesebene ist in Österreich gemessen am Bruttogesamtabgabenaufkommen präzise. Dennoch sind aufgrund der unpräzisen Prognosen wichtiger Einzelsteuern Verbesserungen möglich. Als mögliche Ursachen für die Verschätzungen werden die Organisation der Prognose, die verwendeten Prognosemethoden, der Vorsteuerbetrug, Ausgliederungstendenzen aus dem Staatshaushalt und neue kommunale Finanzierungsformen isoliert. Eine Erhöhung der Präzision sollte durch die Kombination mehrerer unabhängiger Prognosen zu einer Gesamtprognose, durch eine stärkere Dokumentation der Prognose, durch die Verwendung univariater Zeitreihenmethoden für die Prognose des Aufkommens an veranlagter Einkommensteuer und an Körperschaftsteuer und durch die Reduktion (Umsatzsteuer) bzw. Erhöhung (Mineralölsteuer) der verwendeten Aufkommenselastizitäten erreicht werden.

Mortality in Cisleithania in 1881-1911 Abstract The aim of this thesis is to analyze mortality in Cisleithania in general and its parts within 1881-1911. Trends in mortality and its level during this period were significantly influenced by the contemporary social situation and economic development which were parts of the process of modernization. Therefore when analyzing mortality rates the economic and social situation of each country was taken into account. The analysis showed significant regional mortality differences. Important factor affecting the mortality level in the above mentioned period was proportion of the population working in industry and agriculture sectors and related proportion of the population living in urban and rural areas. The mortality analysis in this thesis is based on the standardized crude death rate, the infant mortality rate and abridged life tables. The changes in mortality level were additionally analyzed by various decomposition methods providing more comprehensive information about mortality in Cisleithania. Keywords: mortality, Cisleithania, process of modernization, proportion of the population working in industry and agriculture sectors, proportion of the population living in urban and rural areas, decomposition

Tato práce pojednává o postoji Rakouska k rozšíření Evropské unie o Turecko. Rakousko patří v rámci Evropské unie k euroskeptickým zemím, což se odráží i v postoji k dalšímu rozšiřování. Zejména negativně se Rakousko staví k rozšíření Evropské unie o Turecko. Tento negativní vztah je dán jednak historickými vztahy mezi oběma zeměmi, negativními zkušenostmi s tureckou menšinou v Rakousku a charakterem volebních kampaní rakouských politických stran.

Tato práce pojednává o postoji Rakouska k rozšíření Evropské unie o Turecko. Rakousko patří v rámci Evropské unie k euroskeptickým zemím, což se odráží i v postoji k dalšímu rozšiřování. Zejména negativně se Rakousko staví k rozšíření Evropské unie o Turecko. Tento negativní vztah je dán jednak historickými vztahy mezi oběma zeměmi, negativními zkušenostmi s tureckou menšinou v Rakousku a charakterem volebních kampaní rakouských politických stran.

Austria, a small Central European economy belongs to the winners of globalization. Its involvement in world's international trade has been remarkable and is generally seen as one of the crucial factors of its GDP growth. Austrian exporters have become an example of efficiency for all the other in-county industries, as well as a proud of leading politicians. The Austrian Chamber of Commerce is self-managed and led by its members, not only big, but in over 90 %, small and medium size enterprises. Internationalization and the support of barrier free international trade belong among its most important goals. Therefore the Chamber of Commerce founded its International Trade Branch, which has a network of 108 offices worldwide and aims to be the world's biggest organization of a kind. This network supports Austrian entrepreneurs in developing their international business activities.

Bertha von Suttner lived in fin-de siècle Vienna. She wrote her romantic novel Die Waffen nieder in 1889 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905 for the novel’s influence on the German peace movement. This thesis looks at the effect Suttner’s gender had on the novel and its reception. As a woman writing about peace, Suttner was aware of the societal limitations placed upon her treatment of a political subject. Suttner carefully and consciously chose the novel’s genre. Her synthesis of content and form epitomizes her pacifist and feminist cause. The protagonist’s rhetorical language and the novel’s genre compliment each other by using nineteenth century assumptions about women to persuade the reader to reevaluate their contemporary notions about war.

no / The eight-hour meeting at Dresden between Napoleon and Metternich on 26th June 1813 is a famous moment in modern French and European history. It marked a decisive stage in Austria’s tortuous path from ally to enemy of France, and thus played a crucial part in Napoleon’s downfall. Yet it still remains unclear exactly what transpired during the interview—the three published accounts, two by Metternich himself and one by Napoleon’s secretary Baron Fain, are contradictory and incomplete. There are, however, two further accounts of the Dresden meeting, one unpublished, the other almost completely neglected since its publication in 1933. The first is a revealing letter from Metternich to his wife Eleonore two days after the interview. The second is a narrative of the meeting taken down from Napoleon’s own words by his Grand Equerry Caulaincourt just a few hours after it ended. This sheds important new light on some of the key issues discussed. In particular, it clarifies the central question of whether or not Metternich offered concrete peace terms to Napoleon. Finally, the question of how far, if at all, the wider French public supported Napoleon’s determination not to conclude a ‘dishonourable’ peace in 1813 is examined.

No / The 15 essays collected here focus on literary and cultural relations between Germany or Austria on the one hand and the neighbouring countries of eastern and southern Europe on the other, with particular reference to the period since the Wende, but also with a glance back to the period of German division. Topics include the overarching theme of psychological, political, historical and geographical boundaries and the perspective offered by German writers from both East and West on Poland, Russia and neighbouring countries. Equally important to the contributors are specific authors who have crossed national and cultural borders, such as Libu¿e Moníková, Irena Bre¿na, Richard Wagner and Hans Bergel. The role of memory, Vergangenheit, time and space are examined in the context of works by Anna Mitgutsch, W G Sebald, Christoph Ransmayr and Elisabeth Reichart, and the reception of the theories of Pierre Nora in the German-speaking countries. The re-emergence of t! he Right in politics, drama and film forms a further dimension explored in these essays. Neighbours and Strangers will be of interest to students and scholars working on contemporary German and Austrian culture.

Territoriale Entwicklung Nachleben und Sagen