Doves released for funerals offer

Categories
Lifestyle

The Viennese funeral parlour Furtner now offers a symbolic supplement of the classic funeral. White doves can be released into the sky during the ceremony. Doves that fly towards the sky symbolise love, luck or peace, but also the rising of the soul of the dead. Melanie Furnter, head of the funeral parlour, is convinced […]

Everyday Blues gets worldwide audience

Categories
General News

An online comic strip set up as a blog by a Viennese student notched up in September more than 1 million page views. Felix Goldberg decided to put his English-language comic strips on the subject of love and relationships online and said he was surprised about the response. He said: “I am really overwhelmed by […]

Roman gladiators show Germany off the beaten track

Categories
Travel

Europe’s economic giant Germany is going on the offensive to promote its tourism credentials using a Canadian travel writer to discover the country off-the-beaten track. While Munich and Berlin are at the top of the tourism agenda Germany has many other cities that have a lot to offer, with a past that has influenced not […]

Small furry animal cuts off village electricity

Categories
Green Austria

Electricity to a village was cut off when a Martin tried to bite through a high voltage cable. Villagers in Waengle in Reutte, Tirol, were left without power for several hours until the fault could be discovered at a remote Alpine junction box. A fire brigade spokesman said: “The animal was killed instantly but its […]

Supermax mastermind dead aged 62

Categories
Culture

Funk rock pioneer Kurt Hauenstein has died.The Austrian bass player and singer – who fronted the band project Supermax – passed away in Vienna from a cardiac disease at the age of 62 yesterday (Sun), his management announced today.The musician – who is best known for his smash hit “Love Machine” from 1978 – received […]

Laun adamant over ‘sinful’ Love Parade

Categories
General News

A controversial Catholic bishop has claimed he was “misinterpreted” after branding the Love Parade stampede “God’s punishment” – but stressed he would still regard the event a “sin”.Salzburg Auxiliary Bishop Andreas Laun today (Mon) accused media of misinterpreting his statements made in a blog on a Catholic website last week.Laun said: “Love Parade equals sin […]

Austrian clubs Czech love rival to death

Categories
General News

An Austrian has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Prague court for beating a love rival to death.Judges at a court in the Czech capital heard yesterday (Tues) how the Austrian truck driver kidnapped the 21-year-old man after finding out that the Czech had met his girlfriend.The defendant, 41, however accused the […]