Melissa Breaden

Article Review: School Education in Austria

This article was created by the OECD in 2016 reviewing the education system in Austria.  Having grown up immersed in the United States education system, and working currently in a U.S. high school, I found it very interesting to learn about the Austrian school system and compare it to our U.S. system.   Both countries invest in education and seek to create early and equal access to education for all students, including those with disabilities.  In the school system as of 2016, factors such as socio-economic status, family  connections and immigration status have an influence on school trajectory for Austrian students.

One highlight of the Austrian education system that stood out to me the most was that they have high differentiation in the secondary school level and students are selected to pursue a specific track at an early age.  The selection of a future career path can be influenced by socio-economic and family background such as attending university.  This selectivity can be seen in American schools through students paying to attend private schools and/or using income to influence education opportunities.   This article highlighted the Education Reform measures that were proposed to change all secondary schools to New Secondary Schools which would allow students to attend secondary school without having to select a career track at such an early age, shifting the traditional early tracking.

There is high emphasis and support for students to obtain vocational training which leads a high percentage of students to pursue vocational careers.   This track allows them to complete their education in only a year after finishing secondary and enter the workforce.  There are several different options for secondary vocational training including full time, part time and specialist training.   Emphasis on vocational training in school is one of the biggest differences I noticed between the Austrian and American school systems.  In the U.S., high schools have been decreasing the vocational opportunities for students in the school building over the last few decades, pushing the emphasis on college bound studies.  This has led students who are not interested in college to often become disengaged and sometimes drop out before obtaining their high school diploma.  It has also impacted the vocational trade industries with less students learning critical careers such as auto mechanics, plumbing, electrical work and similar fields.  The focus that Austria places on providing career specific training for many vocational trades and health careers within the school day and without requiring 4 years of college (i.e. engineering, etc) encourages students to obtain specific training in a shorter time and enter the workforce as skilled laborers.  

One other interesting topic discussed in this article was the funding and administration of schools. Austrian schools obtain the vast majority of their funding from federal tax revenue with little funding coming from the provinces.  Up until 2016 (when the article was written), a large percentage of the policies, administration and decisions for all schools were made at a federal level, including hiring teaching staff for schools, curriculum development and design, planning, structures and assessments.  Schools had little decision making authority at the local and school level.  The proposed Education Reform was seeking to change this structure and allocate more decision making to the local level to give schools more autonomy in finances, organization and pedagogy.  This is a significant difference from the U.S. schools who have more autonomy to hire their own teachers, make decisions around the school’s organization and even how to allocate funds within their own school.   In the U.S., schools are funded from a combination of federal, state and local (town) funds and many decisions are made at the school district level within a town/city.  

This article gave a very thorough overview of the Austrian Education System, both as it was in 2016 at time of publish as well as the planned Education Reform that would shift the organization and structure of schools to respond to changing environments.  It is enlightening to review the education system of another country to gain a broader view of the many different ways schools systems can be organized and reflect on one’s own current practices and schools with a more open and curious lens.  Education systems must change as the country, people, communities and landscape change in order to meet the needs of current population and environment.

Movie Review: A Hidden Life (2019)

An Austrian man, husband and father, Franz Yagerstatter gets called to fight in World War II.  He must leave his family and his farm to serve against his will.  He conscientiously objects to pledge allegiance to Hitler and fight for the Nazis, leading to imprisonment and significant suffering.  Franz realizes that gravity of Hitler and the Nazi Party's movement and he must weigh the power of his conscience against the pull of others, including church clergy and attorneys, imploring him to choose survival over morality.  This movie raises the question of whether it is better to suffer injustice than to be a part of the injustice.  The stunning beauty of Austria's mountains, farmland and a small village community are contrasted with the harsh reality of the war.   The acting by August Diehl (Franz) and Valerie Pachner (Franziska Yagerstatter) is intense and conveys the depth of love, pain and suffering eliciting a strong sense of sympathy for both characters.   A Hidden Life is a captivating portrayal of how World War II impacted the people of Austria through the story of one man's hidden life and his actions that signified the sentiments and fear that Austrian people endured but were too afraid to express. 

Book Review: The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

The Only Woman in the Room is a historical fiction novel based on the life of Hedy Lamarr.  Hedy is a young Jewish Austrian woman who is just gaining fame in the theater world in Austria in 1937 as tension rises with neighboring Germany threatening invasion of other countries in its attempt to extinguish the entire Jewish population. A very wealthy munitions businessman, Fritz Mandl, pursues Hedy and they marry, forcing her to leave the theater life and focus on her role as his beautiful wife.  This novel takes the reader through the personal and political implications of Hedy’s marriage with Fritz, her escape to Hollywood and her attempts to share a technological discovery that could have a huge impact on the war against Germany.

As a reader, I enjoyed learning about Hedy Lamarr’s life as a Jewish woman in Austria during this time, her struggle to escape and her technological insight.   The author’s writing was a very easy read but the book left me with many questions about what was fact and what was fiction, as well as recognizing some gaps in her story that would have been interesting to have filled in.  These details aside, the book highlights the limitations that women had, even women in influential positions and with high intelligence, both in Austria and in the United States at the time.  Hedy experienced the political struggle of not being taken seriously for her technological invention because she was a woman, and especially because she was a beautiful woman.  This was also a personal struggle for her, as others were only interested in her external beauty and did not want to dive below the surface to see her as a smart and creative person with effective ideas.  The book was also interesting in highlighting the way Jewish families viewed themselves versus other Jewish people who may have been perceived as more religious or orthodox.  It also showed how non-Jewish people, even Hitler, were willing to excuse someone’s Jewish background if that person was vital to their own business or war interests.  These are selective biased actions that unfortunately still play out in our communities today.  Overall, I would recommend this book as a good introduction to learning about Hedy Lamarr, her life’s experience and the impact her technological invention, while denied during her time, has had for our technology today. 

Clio Waypoint:  Palais Niederösterreich 

The Palais Niederösterreich is a historic building that housed parts of the Austrian government until 1997. Originally known as the Niederösterreichisches Landeshaus (Estates House of Lower Austria), the building housed the Estates General of the state of Lower Austria - who represented lords, generals and cities - until 1848. In 1918, it housed the Parliament of the new German Austria. The state assembly and some state government ministries occupied it until 1997. In addition to government meetings and functions, this palace building was also used for grand balls and concernts. When the government moved out in 1997, the building was renovated to be used as a event space for exhibitions, weddings, concerts and other private events. This building retains the feeling of opulence with its grand rooms with fresco painted ceilings, an inner courtyard, a small chapel and gardens. 

Visual Thinking:  Vienna in may portrait

This portrait depicts Vienna in May, a month of love.  Couples are enjoying picnics of cakes and canteens of drinks on the hill, music playing, flower wreaths being woven, books to leisurely read, and romantic walks through the gardens. The shady retreat in the hill is a small retreat to nature and provides a scenic view of the whole city and far beyond.  The palace is in clear view as can be seen with a jousting event taking place. 

This picture was intriguing to me as I felt a small glimpse into the Vienna of the 1580s.  I could imagine the grandeur of the palace and the lifestyle of the residents.  I wonder if the couples in this painting are of a higher class, being able to enjoy a leisurely picnic or stroll, as their clothing is splendid and the cake decadent.  It raises the question if the month of love, as the artist declares, is something that all residents of Vienna at the time were able to enjoy in a leisurely fashion or if this pleasure was reserved for the upper class and nobility.   There appears to be a person on a horse in the far background, possibly chasing some other folks away, which would point to the exclusivity of this gathering.

I was equally drawn to the view of the city in this painting.  Having a grasp of Vienna as it stands today, the difference in size and composition of the city is stark.  As one would imagine, the palace was prominent and a focal point in the city center.  There are many boats highlighting the importance of the river for daily life in the city.  The city today still proudly displays the palaces, even with the immense growth it has sustained over the 430 years since this painting was completed.  This painting helps the viewer imagine Vienna's size, composition, livelihood and focus at the time.  I found my mind wandering back to that time period and then envisioning the growth over the four centuries as the empire grew and political decisions created opportunities, migration patterns changed, life span increased and population increased across the globe.  All of these factors continue to influence and shape Vienna and every city today.  It will be interesting to see what a painting of Vienna would look like in another 400 years. 

Visual Thinking: Egyptian Art Collection

The  Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna houses a significant collection of art and artifacts from other countries.  This picture shows the room where they house an extensive collection of Egyptian artifacts.  This includes elaborate columns, sarcophagi, mummies, tombs, jewelry and other treasures from the past.   As I walked through this area of the museum, I pondered the question of how Vienna came to acquire this Egyptian art.  Museums across the world often display artifacts from other countries.  However, the question of ethics is now being raised in many cases across the globe where art was originally stolen or taken from the original artists or people without their permission.  Today as we walk through museums displaying ancient artifacts of other countries, we must ask if this art was rightfully gifted or if it was the result of unethical means of acquisition.  There is an increase in the return of art to original countries and owners as reparations.   One can see the benefit of having art from other countries in display in a museum when it is appropriately acquired.  Museums provide an amazing educational opportunity for people of all ages to learn about history, culture, community and life of their own place as well as others across the globe.  It is a way to "travel" to another place and time.