Asterix is now 50 and all Gaul is celebrating! All Gaul? Yes, and the rest of the world.

Asterix came to be just as the Marseillaise: with a flash of genius. Captain Roguet de Lisle composed his war song of the Revolution in a short night in 1792. Later it became the French national anthem.

The very talented Albert Uderzo, now 82 years old, wrote in his newly published autobiography how the Asterix Comics came to be. The other author, Rene Goscinny asked him one time: “Name all periods of French history”. Well, there was the Stone Age…and then there was Gaul. The rest as they say, is history. A village, in a far corner of Gaul, a perpetual thorn in Caesar’s side. There is a village chief, a druid, the annoying ministerl….and the little hero with the famous winged helmet.

Over 320 million Asterix comics have been sold in over 100 languages. Asterix goes beyond a mere parody of Gaul, or even the French for that matter. You can read and re-read the famous voyages of Asterix and Obelix: to the Swiss, the British, the Normans, and so on and so forth. Asterix has entertained generations all over the world and maybe taught us to not take ourselves so serious.

This is what I was thinking in Fall 2005, and I’m thinking the same thing still today….

I have said this many times, and I’ll say it again: Fall and Spring are the best times to visit Vienna. Ok, I tend to be a bit partial to fall, it is my favorite season. But it really is wonderful here.

Here in Vienna fall is a feast for the eyes. And every day brings new shades, new brilliance. Fall in the Wienerwald is one more celebration before the November rains put out the vibrant foliage colors. October, for the most part, offers sunny days, with mid-day highs around 70 F. The mornings can be a bit chilly, but the air is so crisp and fresh that you don’t mind. You just learn to carry scarf, hat and gloves with you at all times. Then at noon you can tie your scarf to your handbag, tres chic. It is still warm enough that you can sit in a cafe courtyard and have a Melange, or any other Viennese coffee specialty. Or take a stroll in the park, and take in all the colors. Half of Vienna is covered by parks, it has more parks than any other European capital. And if you get cold in your walks just buy some hot roast chestnuts, called Maroni here, from the next street vendor. They keep your hands warm and they are delicious. And if you’ve got a whole day to spend, then up to the mountains for a hike in Styria, or just take a walk to the nearest section of the Wienerwald. No time for museums and galleries yet, November is made for that. We are going to enjoy every free minute of this Vienna Fall outdoors. We are going to take in all the sun and all the colors, we are going to make colorful leaf collages, we are going to gather chestnuts, and we are going to go “swoosh, swoosh” in the thick carpet of dry leaves, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy…

Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria, nube! - Wars may be led by others - you, happy Austria, marry!

This is how the old Austrian got along with other nations: diplomacy. During the “golden” Monarchy years, the Austrian was the mediator between all the peoples in the Empire. The most prominent example of that was the Empress Elizabeth herself. The question is, what has the modern Austrian become? This is a subject that has fascinated me over the 5 years I have lived here. Is there a Homo Austriacus, and if so, how is he different from the other Homo Sapiens?

Turns out someone has been researching this, historian William M. Johnston. Here is just an excerpt from an interview with Der Standard:
The “boiling man” that essay writer Richard Schaukal talks about…These are people who are easily discomposed, who speak vehemently and want to enforce their point in every conversation. This type I have met in Austria, and only here. If such a type starts talking, then I must be quiet, because I have no chance, I am defenseless against the Wallungsmenschen (boiling man).

I think I must read this book, this man speaks after my heart. I have been saying things like these all this time, yet no one takes me seriously. Still, this mix of laissez faire, tolerance on one hand and just sheer stubbornness on the other, remains fascinating for me. Alas, the Austrian remains a charming and friendly creature in his habitat.