Naomi Hunt
Naomi Hunt is a managing editor at Metropole, with roots in the U.S. and Malaysia that have long been buried under Austrian soil. She previously served as a program manager at the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) and was a Senior Press Freedom Adviser at the International Press Institute (IPI).
News
Sebastian Kurz Announces His Retreat From Political Life
Embattled former chancellor says he is stepping back from politics to spend time with his newborn; remains confident the ÖVP will continue to succeed.
News
Mirabell Mozartkugel Manufacturer Begins Insolvency Proceedings
The manufacturers of Mozartkugeln have applied for insolvency and hope to keep operating; meanwhile, the Chamber of Labor has stepped in to support unpaid employees.
News
Energy Prices Shoot Up in Austria
As the economy recovers, demand is driving energy prices up – increasing heating bills as well as the cost of other goods and services. Austria is encouraging people to heat homes with renewables.
News
A Battle of Wills Over Possible School Closures in Austria
With sky-high coronavirus levels among children and youth, virologists and educators differ on possible school closures.
Coronavirus
Covid on November 15-21 | Fourth Lockdown, Boosters for Everyone
The coronavirus is shaping our lives. Here’s what happened in regards to COVID-19 in Austria in the week of November 15-21 2021.
Coronavirus
Nationwide Lockdown Begins Monday; Mandatory Vaccines from 2022
Austria announced a nationwide lockdown starting Monday, as well as the introduction of mandatory vaccines from 2022.
Business
Vienna’s Business Immigration Office Helps Foreign Workers Get Residency and Work Permits
The City of Vienna has brought MA 35, AMS and the Vienna Business Agency’s Expat Center under one roof in what consultant Friedrich Bruckner calls a major “cultural shift”.
Coronavirus
Covid on November 8-14 | Lockdown for Unvaccinated, Boosters, New Rules
The coronavirus is shaping our lives. Here’s what happened in regards to COVID-19 in Austria in the week of November 8-14 2021.
Coronavirus
Austria-Wide Lockdown Starting Midnight, Vaccine Boosters in Vienna After 4 Months
A country-wide lockdown for unvaccinated people will go into effect at midnight - and other updates.
Interviews
INTERVIEW: Vienna-Based Team Engineer Coronavirus “Super Antibodies” in a Tobacco-Related Plant
Dr. Herta Steinkellner’s work could lead to a new, effective treatment for COVID-19 – and demonstrates the power of plants to produce highly complex human proteins.
Long Reads
One Year After the Vienna Terror Attack of 2020, Most Austrians Not Afraid of Another Attack
One year on, two-thirds of Austrians are not expecting further terror attacks. At the same time, the government intensifies its activities targeting “political Islam”.
News
Austrian Defense Minister Criticizes the EU
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner criticized the EU and called for more action on a Common Security and Defence Policy
News
New Polls: Majority of Austrians Against a Comeback for Chancellor Kurz
Two new polls show most Austrians don’t want Sebastian Kurz back in the federal chancellery – but the ÖVP base remains loyal.
News
Assisted Dying in Austria to be Permitted from 2022
As of Jan. 1, 2022, a legal pathway for assisted dying in Austria will be available.
Art
Vienna Is On OnlyFans: Our Cultural Capital Gets Naked
The Vienna Tourism Board keeps having artworks censored on social media. The solution? Now, Vienna is on OnlyFans.
Food & Drink
Insect Burger Patties Coming Soon to Austrian Supermarkets
Insects provide a climate-friendly, high-protein alternative to meat – and producers are betting that ever more consumers will bite in response to the latest buzz.
General
Why Were Austrian Kindergarten Employees On Strike?
Thousands of kindergarten teachers on strike this week said staff and children deserve better conditions - because early childhood education is education.
News
Alexander Schallenberg Sworn in as New Chancellor
Alexander Schallenberg (Conservative Party, VP) has been sworn in by President Alexander Van der Bellen as the new Chancellor of Austria.
News
Chancellor Kurz Rejects Corruption Allegations; Greens Question Kurz’s Competence but Coalition Stil...
The political fall-out continues after Chancellor Kurz and associates are implicated in bribery and corruption allegations
News
Signs of Live – Concerts and Fairs Return to Vienna’s Stadthalle
Austria’s largest indoor arena, the Wiener Stadthalle, re-opens for live acts and exhibitions under the 2G rule
Cover Story
Families – Dreaming of Life After Corona
So there she was, on a Tuesday morning of what we now call the Corona Era, gazing at the
walls of the little “water closet” decorated in Viennese style.
Business
From Timber to Timbre
In a fast-paced, digital world, Vienna’s master instrument makers seem to live a time apart.
Vienna News
Philippa Strache – in or out of Parliament? In, she says.
The far-right Freedom Party decides not to give Philippa Strache a seat in parliament (though they may not have a choice), while husband H.C. appears to be floating the idea of founding his own party
Vienna News
Scientists Offer Advice on Climate Change
We spoke with climate researcher Mathias Kirchner about Austria’s forthcoming Energy and Climate Plan, scientists’ efforts to help politicians, and why systemic reform is barely on the horizon.
Vienna News
Wiener Wiesn | The Chipmunks Couldn’t Save Us
It was all as it should be: Schlager music, gigantic beers, traditional dress, sizable pretzels. It isn’t you, Wiener Wiesn. It’s me.
Vienna News
Thomas Cook Insolvency Affects Thousands in Austria
The British travel giant announced Monday its would cease all operations, stranding tens of thousands and costing thousands of jobs.
Vienna News
Fridays for Future | How a Movement of Kids Is Leading the Way
This Friday, the youth-led movement will launch its largest collective action ever. Three local representatives tell us how complex the challenge is – and how, with collective effort, we can rise to the challenge.
Vienna News
Blue + Yellow = Green | Let’s Talk Trash
Sorting out recyclables just got a little easier in Vienna, thanks to an initiative that lets people chuck plastic and metal into the same container.
Vienna News
Back to School | Our Vienna Survival Guide for Education Helps Expats Aged 1 to 100 Navigate a Compl...
Metropole adds another title to its Survival Guide series this November – this time, we tackle education in Austria. Here, an excerpt from the introduction.
Vienna News
The Casinos Austria Scandal Stains Everyone
Election campaigns for the National Assembly are in full swing, but the fallout continues for the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) and Novomatic. As Metr...
Vienna News
Measles Keeps Rearing Its Ugly Head
Nearly twice as many cases were reported by mid-August as in all of 2019 – a quarter of which have resulted in hospitalization.
Vienna News
North Vienna Gets Its First Daytime Shelter for the Homeless
Nord_light in Vienna’s 22nd District will provide shelter, beds, food, laundry and showers – the first such offer north of the Donau.
Vienna News
The Return of Wolves and Bears in Austria
The reappearance of apex predators in the alps have some calling for a cull; but environmentalists decry the “scaremongering” and call for more electric fences.
Vienna News
Tough Times for Austria‘s Retail Sector
One in three Austrian retailers booked losses in 2017/2018, new research shows – as did every second book, jewelry and watch dealer. Still longer-term trends are positive.
Vienna News
Red Cross Sanguine in Blood Drive Dispute
The Austrian Red Cross has called for a law to be lifted that requires a medical doctor to be present at blood drives; the Medical Chamber disagrees
Vienna News
E-Scooter Troubles
Electric scooters offer a fast and affordable means to zip around town – but as with other new tech, there are growing pains.
Vienna News
Bomb Threat Leads to Shootout Near Innsbruck
A caller’s threat to the Altstadt in Innsbruck on Wednesday led to a wide-ranging evacuation and shootout between the alleged caller and police.
Vienna News
Uber’s Last-Ditch Petition to Avoid Taxi Rules
A new law would impose standardized cab fares on ride-hailing services Uber and Holmi – which they and the NEOS say undermines fair competition.
Vienna News
Creative Bookkeeping at the WKO
The Vienna Chamber of Commerce has been “hiding” payments to retirees as non-profit contributions, while the Chamber says the auditors knew about it all along.
Vienna News
Vienna Police Under Scrutiny for Violence
Officers captured on video striking activists has brought recriminations, reviews and uproar on social media.
Vienna News
The Sweet Taste of Success
How hard work and good planning made Taybat Sweets a Viennese Model for Entrepreneurship
Vienna News
U.S. Consular Services with a Side of Fries, Please
The U.S. Embassy in Austria has partnered up with McDonald‘s to help “citizens in distress”. We sent an American to try it out.
Vienna News
FPÖ Dodges Fallout from Ibiza-Gate
The Freedom Party paints itself as a victim of conspiracies, but numerous unanswered questions remain.
Vienna News
Kurz No Longer Chancellor, Government Dismissed
+++ Breaking News, May 27, 16:20 +++
The vote of no confidence went through. Sebastian Kurz is no longer Chancellor of Austria.
The End of...
Vienna News
EU Election Countdown | Kurz Adopts Far-Right Coalition Partner Positions
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s populist swipes at Brussels in the run-up to the EU election reap opposition scorn, but maybe a few votes, too
Part of ...
Vienna News
A Rising Tide: Measles and the Vaccination Debate
A wave of cases in Austria puts the spotlight on anti-vaxxers, the health care system and society’s short memory
Austria has been facing a spike in...
Culture
A Hello to Arms | Rojava at the Volkstheater
Rojava offers lessons on love, life and death from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria
Rojava, the self-described autonomous admi...
Vienna News
Much Ado About Guns
The opening of a new sporting goods store on the Mariahilferstrasse reveals the cultural rift over firearms in Austria
A minor kerfuffle ensued las...
How To
How to Grow Up in Vienna
Coming of age in Vienna can be frightening, freeing and exhilarating at the same time - just like growing up.
Arriving in Vienna at 14 wa...
