1. Feber – 27. August 2006

Veranstaltungsorte: Villach, Kötschach-Mauthen, Arnoldstein, (Österreich)
Vrsič-Pass – Trenta – Soča – Bovec – Kobarid – Kluže – Log pod Mangrtom (Slowenien)

Slowenien / Österreich · Slovenia / Austria · Slovenija / Ávstrija

In July 1914 the military leaders of the Austrian Hungarian Army promised a short war for some weeks. In May 1915 the Kingdom of Italy declared war to the Austrian Hungarian Monarchy. Now death began to work also on both sides of the river Isonzo. Since 1915 also gas was used for the annihilation of the so-called enemies. In the year 1916 at the front war and death was like an industrial complex. The big battles in the west of Europe at the river Somme or the big navy battle in the Skagerak. And at the southwest front at the Isonzo there five big battles took place between the Italian and the Austrian Hungarian troops. The biggest gas attack of World War I happened at the front of the Isonzo. 5000 to 8000 Italian soldiers died. On 29th June 1916 under the command of Major Dr. Lothar Rendulic the Austrian Hungarian army attacked with gas the Italians near Stan Michele del Carso at the plateau of Doberdò The use of gas was a new horrific development in the case of dieing. Profits of such situations were made by the war industry, these winners of war demonstrates their new richness. Social conflicts and famine develop more and more.
In the Austrian Hungarian Monarchy the year 1916 was also the year of the change of the emperors. On 21st November 1916 Emperor Franz Joseph I. died. 68 years he reigned for the family and dynasty of Habsburg the monarchy. But during his time of government he lost two possible successors, first his son Rudolf and second Franz Ferdinand on 28th June 1914 in Sarajevo. Now the number three of possible successors Karl became the Emperor of Austria and the King of Hungary. Only a sudden withdrawal from war could have had prevent the end of the double monarchy Austria-Hungaria, if Emperor Karl would have had ended immediately the cooperation with the German Empire and if Emperor Karl would have had made a separate peace treaty and if Emperor Karl would have had changed the monarchy into union of states with the same rights and duties, as Emperor Franz Joseph I. only gave to the Austrians and Hungarians. But all that did not happen and Emperor Karl was the willing executioner of the policy of Franz Joseph I.: “If we should have to disappear, we should do that in honour.”
In the centre of the artistic productions with such themes are musical works by the composer Viktor Ullmann, who served in the Austrian Hungarian army as an observer in a howitzer battery at the front on the river Isonzo and Herbert Thomas Mandl, his father served in the Austrian Hungarian army as an artillerist.
Especially at the beginning of the 21st century it is important to discuss the reasons for that horrific catastrophes of war. 21st century started with dangerous military and terror attacks. These attacks are dangerous for development of a peaceful coexistence of people and cultures. What can be done to avoid in the 21st century the faults of the 20th century, the bloodiest century of war in the history? War never was or is or will be a possibility for solving problems. That we should have learned from the 20th century.
Memory is an important development of civilisation. If we remember, if we remember the past, we could be able to find solutions for problems of the future in the present time. If we accept the past and the capability of memory, we could be able in present time to understand the past and to work for possible solutions for the future.
Productions with music of Ullmann and dramas of Mandl will be presented from 4th August to 27th August 2006 in Kötschach-Mauthen, Arnoldstein (Austria) and Trdnjáva Kluže (Slovenia). A conference about World War I in the year 1916 was done from 29th June to 1st July in Villach (Austria), Vrsič-Pass, Trenta, Soča, Bovec, Kobarid, Log pod Mangrtom, Trdnjáva Kluže (Slovenia). “The Ear Witness” of Canetti was presented in February in Villach (Austria).

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