Sicherheit und Blasmusik

7. 6. 2012 // // Kategorie Randnotizen 2012

During undergraduate school in East Virginia we skimmed across European history and took a brief look at the succession of Austrian monarchs – a degenerate and reactionary lot, as I remember.

Of most facts, I recall only the footnotes. Charles Sealsfield for example. He was a US naturalized citizen and travel-author, who had written an account of his journey through the stubbornly backward Austrian monarchy of the late 1820s. Approaching Vienna from the west via Prague, he noted with astonishment that there were only two things ever present in the country: the constant observation of the police, and music as the one form of the arts that is based mainly on affirmation. One of his most memorable words, The Austrian police or customs agent is of an awkward personage for this most infamous of all commissions; he conducts his duty in a silly and despicable manner, not withstanding a sort of pride in being an imperial instrument and person of importance.

In 1997 I moved to Austria. A year after the arrival the idyllic order had lifted from the land and its people and I witnessed a phenomenon, very much like Sealsfield had reported on. The Austrians of the present day seem to cherish two things: “Sicherheit” (police work) and “Blasmusik” (affirmation). It appears that the nasty habits of the police, customs and administrative officials written about 190 years prior, have remained and are now deeply embedded in their national identities.

Sicherheitsinsel

Annoyed by the ever-presence of law and order I started to take notes, names to subsequently assemble and report on the ill faded duties and deeds of Austrias police personages.