“We Are Austrian.” Part 4

The Croatian lady said she was Austrian, but what else beside Croatian ladies might be in a generalized “Austrian”?  There’s no doubt much possibility for extensive study of such a thing starting with what’s in history.  There are, of course, other places to be looking as well.  And, if one is doing precise research for some reason, one might try to sort out exactly how influential any Austrian influence might be in whatever is being considered.  Case in point:  there’s a “Franz Josef” area of New Zealand.  People live there.  Outsiders play there – it’s a tourist place.  There’s also a Russian Franz Josef because Austria – old Austria – once sent out polar expeditions.  New Zealand’s a bit distant in a couple of ways.  (Do they naturally have torte?) 

A lot of customs and traditions (therefore cultural things) are related to religion.  That’s as good a place as any other to start speculating, especially since religion’s been so fundamental to so much in the human experience.  Although closely connected to the Roman Catholic church, Austria had at least three kinds of Christianity; Protestantism and Eastern Orthodox groups were also around – something easily overlooked where the immigrants were lumped together.  There usually are atheists sprinkled amid the religious; and, given certain historic facts, it is possible there was some adherence to some primitive beliefs.  Jewish people can be found almost anywhere.  And, given the Turkish incursion, hidden Muslims are a distinct possibility. 

While Austria could be viewed as the Roman Catholic Germans (northern Germany is considered rather Protestant, and maybe religion helped maintain separate nations), there had to be some mixture.  Meanwhile, given Austria’s “collection” of over a dozen different nationalities, religion had to be a unifying factor.  Services in Latin are Latin to all people in all places and foreign to all.  Religious uniforms might vary from convent to convent or monastery to monastery, but some basic principles were the same in all of them.  A Jewish element might (quietly) observe a different set of holidays, but if it’s Christmas, it’s Christmas around the world and among Protestants as well.  It is only “others” who don’t have a baby Jesus. 

Speculation can produce understanding.  

“We Are Austrian.” Part 3

The Croatian lady’s point is more easily understood if one remembers that whether a person is a Texan, New Yorker, Californian or name your state, all are Americans.  It’s not quite the same, of course, as, for one thing, the language is pretty much the same from one side of the country to the other.  Another thing is that the national history isn’t something that can drift back into ancient times, emphasizing dissimilarities.  Further, religion doesn’t hold the people to what might be called a “like heritage.”  Every nation in Europe might have it’s own saints, patron and other, but the Emperor was also the “Holy Roman Emperor” at the beck and call of the Roman Catholic Pope.  The details are quite different; it’s the general concept that’s similar. 

So, we are Austrian.  If one sits in Rome or London, a seemingly endless sea is just beyond.  If one sits in Vienna, there are mountains just beyond.  Those may not be as conducive to a sense of freedom and an ability to escape.  Every little patch of ground takes on an importance.  Shipments of goods by sea are not so easily accomplished although not impossible.  In addition, what was exported with the immigrants back in the early 1900’s was the old Austria.  Today, all over Europe, there is an overlay of the European Union.  In some form that’s been around for fifty years, but the great exodus in the heritage many Americans have happened a century or more ago.  While what is of the more distant past might match their past, today is different.   

Many empires have existed, developed for whatever reasons seemed practical for the people of a given place at a given time.  Although in some cases very long gone, their imprint in some way easily exists today, very often in language and also in other ways both imperceptibly and clearly.   It’s been said about that old Austria that it was at least an economic unit.  Whether that had any influence for modern times is for true analyst types to figure.  Unofficially  it’s not surprising that things like traditional “ethnic foods” would drift from one region to another to eventually be claimed by both, perhaps with a few variables included.   So, today in a far away land where all of what was is misty to begin with, it can be hard to determine what belongs to who.  (Maybe more later.)

Grandmothers can be a great treasure.