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.
People
“Hello Grief and Welcome”
South-African Liani Drury (49) is a mom, an artist, a university lecturer, a seamstress, a coach, and a citizen of Vienna. Above all, she is a grief counsellor who overcame her own loss through a journey of healing and hope.
Features
Paul Pizzera’s 5 Quirks of the German Language
The cabaret performer writes the music and lyrics for Pizzera & Jaus. He spoke to Metropole about black humor and the benefits of therapy – he also told a few dirty jokes.
People
Meet Mouddar Khouja, Secretary General of the Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce
Mouddar Khouja first came to Europe in 1981. In 1985, he moved to Vienna, where he has been helping the Austrian-Syrian business community thrive.
Features
Marjorie Perloff – An Alternative Language of Modernism
From The Vienna Paradox to The Edge of Irony, the distinguished literary critic and professor emerita examines the seminal literature and thought of Austria’s interwar period.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Meet Nadia Varadinova, Purveyor of Delicacies
Now in her 60s, the native Bulgarian had spent most of her life in Sofia, until unimaginable circumstances brought her to Vienna to transform the lives of others.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Meet Petar Naydenov, Bulgarian Opera Basso
It was for a place in the company of the Wiener Volksoper that Petar Naydenov came to Vienna from a theatre in Bavaria eight years ago.
People
Meet Thomas Stelzer, Dean of the International Anti-Corruption Agency
“Corruption has been with us as long as mankind, but there’s been progress: If you can’t expect to get away with something, you might think twice about committing it.”
Bulgarian in Vienna
Meet Miglena Hofer & Severina Ditzov, the Founders of Austria for Beginners
The two friends decided to join forces. And in 2016, they set up the non-profit organization Austria for Beginners.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Meet Borjana Ventzislavova, Bulgarian Artist Who Spinning on Wheels Around
Raised bilingually in Sofia, and re-established in Vienna, artist Borjana Ventzislavova is a woman of many worlds.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Ivan Krastev – Stretched Between Two Worlds
When national governments closed borders and asked people to stay put at the beginning of 2020, Ivan Krastev and his family decided to go back to Bulgaria.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Law, Folklore, and Music – the Many Faces of Nina Wasilewa-Zanechev
Moving to a new country brings many challenges. Here’s how community advice and music help Bulgarians settle in.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Being Bulgarian in Vienna
For those moving west from Bulgaria, Vienna has become a favorite destination - a "Bulgarian village" in its own right.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Meet Lubomir Vassilev, Entrepreneur, Inventor & Change Maker
“Nothing is impossible for those you love”
People
Meet Florian Skrabal, Editor-in-Chief of Investigative Media Outlet Dossier
“Politicians think we don’t like Vienna. In fact, the opposite is true: We’re critical because we love this city that much."
Bulgarian in Vienna
Ilija Trojanow – Writing Multilingually in One Vernacular
Language is our wealth, our tradition – and a tool to understand the world.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Meet Bojidar Kassabov, a Robotic Surgeon in Vienna
For Bojidar Kassabov, everything began in October 1999. An agreement between Austrian and Bulgarian universities gave him the chance to study medicine in Vienna.
Bulgarian in Vienna
Meet Milena Paneva, the Human Factor That Makes the System Understandable
The Bulgarian law graduate works for the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) and gives free consultations on labor and social security law in her mother tongue.
Features
Meet Bettina Knötzl, the President of Transparency International Austria
“I’ve got what you might call ‘helper syndrome.’ Being a lawyer is not just a profession for me – it’s a calling.”
People
Meet Susanne Reindl-Krauskopf, a Criminal Law Professor in Vienna
“Corruption will never be 100% eradicated. But it’s important to set parameters and structures that show people that in the end, corruption doesn’t pay.”
Interviews
Christoph Wiederkehr Tells Us How He Will Change Vienna for the Better
The new deputy mayor has ambitious plans to improve the schools and launch an independent office to fight corruption ... big ideas for the junior coalition partner.
Interviews
Kurt Bayer’s Top 5 Austrian Corruption Scandals
From the Finance Ministry to the World Bank and Transparency International, Economist Kurt Bayer sniffs out all kinds of corruption.
Although sometimes, it just presents itself.
People
Meet Photographer Sepp Dreissinger – the Coffeehouse Is His Studio
"When I don't feel at home, I go to the coffeehouse"
German in Vienna
Meet the Germans Living in Vienna
What does it mean to be German in Austria? A satirist, a local activist, a musician, a community manager, and a TV and radio star share their experiences.
German in Vienna
Meet Karola Kraus, the German Directing Vienna’s Mumok
Kraus sets her sights on educating audiences and widening the platform for women in the Austrian art world. In some ways, being German helped.
Interviews
Grande Dame Susanne Widl Explains Coffeehouse Culture and the View of Vienna through Café Korb
Viennese legend Susanne Widl discusses her Café Korb upbringing, her illustrious past and the future of how we spend time together – inside the 'Kaffeehaus' and out.
German in Vienna
Thonet – Vienna’s Iconic Chair, Made in Germany
A fixture in the traditional 'Kaffeehaus' – the creation of German master joiner Michael Thonet became a legend of 19th-century design.
People
Meet Michael Parzefall, Roasting Enthusiast and Owner of Rauwolf Coffee
“Vienna has a great coffeehouse culture, but sadly – or in my case, fortunately – a bad coffee culture when it comes to quality.”
People
Meet Johanna Weichselberger, Founder of the Vienna School of Coffee
“I’m not sure I know what fourth wave coffee culture is – but I know I’m the tsunami!”
Home is where the Herz is
The Serbians Making Vienna’s Music Scene
From the Vienna Boys Choir to the University of Music and Performing Arts, Serbian musicians bring a unique soulfulness to the Austrian musical tradition.
Home is where the Herz is
Meet Aleksandar Saša Petrović, an Austrian Actor With Serbian Roots
Actor Aleksandar Saša Petrović feels indestructible when he thinks in Serbian. A talk about movies, life and what it means to be Viennese.
People
Meet Christina Meinl, the Great-Granddaughter of Austria’s Coffee Roasting Pioneer
“I wish global politics were more like the global coffee community: We have no borders and
we work together to make coffee better.”
Features
Our Local Serbian Heroes
From health and security providers to scientists and civil servants, these Serbians have become a key part of Austrian society.
Features
Serbian Families Living in Vienna
A story of two couples and their children through the generations,
with different histories and reasons for moving to and staying in Vienna.
General
Renowned Journalist Slavenka Drakulić Revisits Café Europa and Post-Communist Central Europe
A new collection of essays by the renowned journalist retakes the pulse of Central Europe 30 years after communism, and finds the optimism faded into disappointment, fueling an exodus.
Features
Austria’s Notable Serbs
Here are some of the most important Serbs that spent time in Austria.
Features
Poles in Vienna Keep Their Language Alive in Uni Courses and Bi-lingual School Programs
Culture, attitudes and habits of thought are shaped by our mother tongue: Polish, a Slavic language, thrives in Vienna with the help of several institutions.
Features
The Polish Figures in Vienna’s Art Scene
Polish artists bring Vienna’s streets, stages and dance floors to life
Features
The Poles of Vienna
From community organizing and trekking through the Alps to conducting top-notch research, these Poles enrich our city every day.
Features
Meet Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic, the Polish-Austrian in Parliament
From first coming to Austria as a child to being elected to Parliament, Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic has always been a fighter.
Features
Meet Vienna’s Polish Women
Far from cliché of being cleaning ladies, over 20,000 these women start businesses, organize protests and defend minorities – making the city their home abroad.
Features
Meet the Hungarian Voices on Viennese Stages
Founded in 1741, the Burgtheater always had a strong link between language and national identity, but today it stages an international ensemble of artists. Just like the Volkstheater, Vienna’s stages are opening up to Europe and beyond.
Features
Hungarian Musicians Are Taking Over Vienna’s Art Scene
Since the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Hungarian musicians have adored Vienna’s art scene. The tradition of displaying
their talents in Vienna continues to this day.
Fall 2020
How Austrian Designer Carolin Holzhuber is Sculpting the Future of Footwear
The shoe designer is blending the line between fashion and art with sculptural footwear.
Fall 2020
Meet Praline Le Moult, a Parisian Fashion Designer Who Launched Her Brand in Vienna
“Beauty, like a butterfly, is fleeting. Like a spectacular sunset, it’s there for a moment – and then it’s gone.”
Features
Hungarians Living in Vienna
More than 25,000 Hungarians live in Vienna. We talked to some of them to learn why they moved here and what makes them feel at home.
Features
Meet Gyorgy Lang, the Hungarian Surgeon Who Performed the World’s First Lung Transplant on a C...
The story of a man who extends boundaries, in more than one way.
People
Meet Mary Larunsi, an Austrian Fashion Model With Nigerian Roots
“What you see in the pictures is
not necessarily the reality. I don’t
get flown anywhere in a private jet
with a glass of champagne in my
hand. In the end, it’s hard work.”
Features
Growing Up Hungarian in Vienna
Since the launch of the Hungarian-German bilingual elementary school in 2019, Viennese parents can give their children an authentic 'magyar' learning experience.
Fall 2020
Meet Simon Winkelmüller, a Fashion Stylist With Something to Say
“I would never write some kind
of trend column stating what’s ‘in’
or ‘out.’ For me, that’s somehow
so 2000.”
Fall 2020
Historian Philipp Blom – “The Machine Can Be Stopped.”
On the Enlightenment’s mixed legacy, European solidarity and lessons of the pandemic.
Fall 2020
Star Designer Thomas Kirchgrabner Spills the Secrets of His and Lena Hoschek’s Success
The head of Lena Hoschek’s couture atelier, designer Thomas Kirchgrabner describes demanding clientele, recounts his rise in Austria’s fashion scene and how he met his boss.
Home is where the Herz is
Meet Anita Hartig, Opera Singer and Transylvania’s Prima Donna
To make it on the boards that mean the world, you need talent, passion and grit. Even more so, when you start out from a modest background.
Home is where the Herz is
At Home in Someone Else’s House
You cannot escape old age. An estimated 456,000 people in Austria depend on care services and the numbers continue to rise. Many prefer 24-hour care at home. In 2018, this meant around 65,000 caregivers worked.
People
Frederick Baker, in Memoriam
The Austro-British filmmaker stretched the boundaries of documentary and film technique, exploring interactive storytelling and the application of virtual reality to the experience of art.
People
Sisters and Business Partners
At the Viennese label Kids of the Diaspora, founders Leni Charles and Cherrellone do everything together – even motherhood – creating a space where everyone belongs.
People
Meet Hedwig Wölfl, Director the Child Protection Agency “Die Möwe”
Families come in many shapes and sizes, but they share challenges. These Viennese are here to guide and inspire.
People
Meet Walter Hermann, Family Psychotherapist in Vienna
Families come in many shapes and sizes, but they share challenges. These Viennese are here to guide and inspire.
Interviews
Ewald Nowotny on the EU Post-Pandemic
The pandemic could be the making of the EU, says the former ÖNB governor. On coronabonds,” the “frugal four” and the clever Mrs. Merkel.
People
Meet Anna Spindler, Preschool Teacher in Vienna
“Understanding each child is
like a puzzle that I piece
together.”
People
Meet Nabila Irshaid, Artist & Single Mother of Five
“Being a single mom is intimidating; there are no safety nets. You could even say it’s existentially life-threatening.”
People
Ruth Wodak on How the Far-Right Deceives the Public and Undermines Democracy
How the far-right deceives the public and undermines democracy. A conversation with linguist Ruth Wodak.
People
Meet Elisabeth Mertl, the Viennese Chemist Who Saved Mice From Animal Experiments
“I like wearing the white coat. I always pictured them on mad scientists in laboratories – that’s what I wanted to do.”
People
Meet Nuno Maulide, Star Chemist & Learned Concert Pianist With a Mission
“I tell my students, ‘I can get your foot in the door, but then you have to open it.’ I’m the kind of person who once I get my foot in, I will bang that door down.”
People
Meet Jenny Reddish, Storyteller of Our Age
“You could attach significance to any moment in history. Right now people are saying ‘Things are really changing’ – it’s about a search for meaning.”
Interviews
Meet Gerhard Hirczi, Vienna’s Head Hunter
No stranger to challenges, the general manager of the Vienna Business Agency, Gerhard Hirczi is placing the city’s assets front and center.
People
Meet Herbert Störi, Vienna’s Master of the Supercomputer
“A [spending] limit for supercomputers? Well, it was unthinkable to fly to the moon before they managed to – but it wasn’t cheap!”
People
Profiles | Antonia Matschnig
Matschnig’s approach to DJing has been called everything from “experimental,” “post-club,” “hybrid,” to “deconstructed.”
People
Profiles | Matthias Naske
Matthias Naske has been director of the Vienna Konzerthaus since 2013 where he works on bringing music to a broader audience.
People
Profiles | Wolfgang Muthspiel
He’s made over 30 albums and tours all over the world. Yet, although he’s grateful for this substantial career, he’s never had the feeling that he’s “made it.”
People
Profiles | Wolfgang Zerobin
“All components of public service – water, sewage, trash, energy – must remain in communal hands. Our public utilities belong 100% to the city. This is – and must – be important.”
People
Profiles | Stefanie Lamp
“It’s really necessary to bring all the people together and talk as often as possible. Of course, you can’t make everyone happy because people want different things – but you can try.”
People
Profiles | Martin Giesswein
Twice a year, Martin Giesswein goes on a “digital detox,” foregoing the internet and all devices for a couple of weeks. Not an easy task.
People
Profiles | Daniel Pratl
“When people look at traffic lights, they see only red, yellow, and green. They have no idea about what lies beyond those colors."
Fall 2019
The Good Life by Design | Interview with Vienna’s Mayor Michael Ludwig
Mayor Michael Ludwig shares the secret to Vienna’s top ranking for smarts and livability: Planning with people in mind by Margaret Childs.
Features
Matti Bunzl: Staging the Conversation
At the Wien Museum, the US-educated Austrian scholar wants to use the incidents of history to question the way we live now.
In Vienna, museums are ...
Interviews
For Love of the Game
At a gaming café outside Vienna, Monika Racek, the CEO of the Admiral Casinos and Entertainment AG talks addiction, legislation and why old ladies pla...
Features
Profile | Izabela Horodecki
"Obviously, I don’t gamble – apart from the occasional lottery ticket. It’s like a tax on hope.”
For most people, winning big on a night out at the...
Features
Profile | Dieter Strehl
“People think that soon, everything will be digitalized. That was, is, and will never be true. Analog isn’t going anywhere.”
Despite the rise of digi...
People
Profile | Karl Schlag
Economics Professor, University of Vienna
In an unpredictable world, you need strategies that do not rely on being able to predict others. In this ...
Business
Banking for the People
In the first installment of our new series of how expats built their careers in Vienna, we talked to Maurizio Poletto, the designer behind E...
People
Timothy Snyder’s Call to Action
In an age of confusion, historian and author Timothy Snyder looks to the past for a guide to the future of the West.
On a pleasant evening in late O...
People
Profile | Natalia Corrales-Diez
Founder, Fund of Excellence, Erste Group
“Human capital is the oil of the 21st century. Ten years ago, it was all about big data. Now it’s about ...
People
Profile | Herbert Schweiger
Director, Die Wiener Volkshochschulen
“When the world is spinning faster than you are, you need help to keep moving forward – so ...
People
Profile | Angela Köppl
Environmental Economist, Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO)
“Even though we were among the first movers towards susta...
People
Profile | David Jandl
Forest Ranger
“We’re very proud of the fact that the very concept of ‘sustainability’ originated from forestry.”
If a tree falls...
Interviews
The Vienna Stock Exchange | A Piefke Takes Stock
The CEO of the Vienna Stock Exchange, Christoph Boschan, on financial literacy, sharing the wealth and north German Gemütlichkeit.
#HaveweMET? | Yoga Teacher Sara Ticha
On a rainy Wednesday morning, the busy Coffee Pirates on Spitalgasse is overrun by hipsters, students and a group of young moms exchanging baby tips. ...
December/January 2018/2019
#HaveweMET? | Warda Network
Stepping out to Warda Network's rooftop balcony reveals a panoramic view of Vienna's picture-perfect 8th district. This, apparently, is the city f...
December/January 2018/2019
Michael Haider | Culture Club Austria
The new director of the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York on diversity, connecting artists and putting discovery over instruction.
December/January 2018/2019
Profile | Friedrich Schipper
“In war, culture is anything but irrelevant. Destroying someone’s cultural identity is just as painful as any physical wound.”
Friedrich Schipper o...
December/January 2018/2019
Anna Karnitscher | Profiles
“Coffee culture is booming. Which also means that these days, we even have to compete with the fancy espresso machines people have at home.”
Café W...
December/January 2018/2019
Profile | Danielle Spera
“If we read people’s memoirs of the buildings important Jews lived in, a lot of them do not exist anymore. We are trying to tell the stories of what h...
December/January 2018/2019
Profile | Sabine Haag
“Both the museum and UNESCO are peace missions: to stimulate discussion and bring people together towards a better understanding of the human conditio...
November 2018
Profile | Adele Neuhauser
“Wiener Schmäh is a very creative and poetic language. But it’s also something that you must experience intuitively – through all of your senses.”
Wh...
Interviews
Otto Jaus | The Bright Side of Bleakness
Pop star and comic Otto Jaus waxes poetic about fame, being funny and attempts to define the many meanings of the word Schmäh.
Culture
Expat’s Voice | The (Other) Sound of Music
Austrians like to show off their serious appreciation of classical music. But if you want them to erupt into joyful singing, you’ve got to play them s...
General
Profiles | Karin Fleck
Founder, Vienna Textile Lab
“If synthetic dyes originate from crude oil, does it make sense to be using them for a 5-euro T-shirt you throw out aft...