Welcome to our first-ever Zeitgeist episode, where we chat about what's happening in Vienna, the world, and in our lives right now. This week, we're tackling everything from single-use plastics and Cybertrucks to the terrorist threat that forced Taylor Swift to cancel her Vienna shows. Plus, we attempt to introduce the German word Sommerloch to the American lexicon—because let’s face it, the English translation just doesn’t cut it. Join us for a lively, casual conversation about the headlines, our hot takes, and a few good laughs along the way.

For more, check us out on social media at viennapastandpresent, viennapastorpres on Instagram, or at viennapastandpresent.com. Reach out to us at viennapastandpresent@gmail.com. We love hearing feedback and ideas. Danke!

What do Mozambique, Tianjin, and the Nicobar islands have in common? Very little! Except that they were all sites of the Habsburgs' clumsy attempts at an overseas empire. In this episode, we dive into three little-known and ill-fated colonial ventures that saw the Habsburgs trying their hand at global expansion with less than stellar results. And while the lasting impacts of these colonies are near non-existent, you can see some in one of these places – if you squint.

For more, check us out on social media at viennapastandpresent or at viennapastandpresent.com. Reach out to us at viennapastandpresent@gmail.com. We love hearing feedback and ideas. Danke!

Links

• http://english.china.org.cn/english/culture/72974.htm

• Austrian East India Company - Wikipedia

• Bankipur (Bengal) - Wikipedia

• Austro-Hungarian concession of Tianjin - Wikipedia

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_III,_Holy_Roman_Emperor
• https://secretvienna.org/aeiou-isnt-just-a-string-of-vowels/#:~:text=There%20are%20multiple%20possible%20meanings,comes%20from%20Frederik%20III's%20notebook.
• https://www.habsburger.net/de/kapitel/aeiou
• https://www.vienna.at/raetsel-geloest-das-bedeutet-das-kuerzel-a-e-i-o-u/7994782
• https://www.habsburger.net/en/chapter/weak-yet-tenacious-emperor-frederick-iii
• https://hdgoe.at/1919_tianjin
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_concessions_in_Tianjin

The letters "AEIOU" can be found scattered throughout Vienna, etched in stone, engraved on buildings, and inscribed in art. But what do they mean? In this episode, we unravel the mystery behind these enigmatic letters that have puzzled historians and locals alike for centuries. These seemingly simple vowels are linked to grand ambitions of world domination and the Habsburgs' intricate political strategies. Join us as we explore the fascinating history and myriad interpretations of "AEIOU", from the Middle Ages until today.