1952: New Austria, Old Ideas
In 1952, this Schulfunk (school radio programme) item from Klagenfurt was broadcast on the radio. The programme focused more on feelings than knowledge. The creators selected a poem that encouraged pupils not only to live for their homeland, but also to die for it, entirely in the spirit of nationalist war propaganda.
When this poem was first printed in 1938, its author was the Nazi Ortsgruppenleiter (local group leader) in Trebesing, Carinthia. Here, he emphasises strong feelings for the “homeland” and complete devotion to it. The song that follows, O Rosental, was published by Anton Anderluh, the most prominent Nazi cultural functionary in Carinthia.
In general terms, one goal of the early Second Republic was to spread a popular self-image of Austria as an independent state and “nation”. The effort to educate young people in this regard was a success. Within just one generation, a majority of the population no longer viewed themselves as German, but as Austrian. “Folk culture” and regional diversity were important elements of this consciously promoted Austrian national pride.
School radio programme from the Klagenfurt studio, Sendergruppe Alpenland, 0:58 min., 1952, Österreichische Mediathek/Technisches Museum Wien
Transcript“This is the Alpenland broadcasting group, Studio Klagenfurt. Austrian school radio now broadcasts a music programme by Prof. Hilde Mayer for students of the 5th to 8th grades, presenting folk songs and folk music from Carinthia. The dialect poems by Franz Podesser and Gerhard Glawischnig are read by Hilde Schaunigg.”
[I mueß di jo liabm ... (For I Must Love You), published 1938] For I must love you / My Homeland you are /
In day you’re my sun / By night you’re my star.
My love grows from yours / my courage grows, too /
your words have such power / that all is for you.
Your happiness mine / your burden I bear /
I praise you, my Homeland / my life I forswear.
[Chorus O Rosental, by Johann Mack/Anton Anderluh]
