In this Zeitgeist episode, we’re feeling festive as we dive into holiday traditions from around the world. Carmen and Stephen compare the Christkind to Santa Claus and explore the wild world of St. Nicholas and Krampus—because what’s Christmas without a satanic helper? But we don’t stop at Austria and the U.S.; there’s a delightful sidebar about how Christmas is celebrated in Japan, from fried chicken to commitment to kitsch. Whether you’re team Christkind, Santa, or Colonel Sanders, this episode has something for everyone who loves a good holiday tradition.

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!

In the second and final part of our deep dive into Jörg Haider, we explore his fall from grace and untimely death. Along the way, we consider whether Carinthia might just be the Texas of Austria, discuss the correct pronunciation of Phaeton, and dissect the many rumors that swirled around his tragic end. We also examine Haider’s lasting legacy, unpacking the cult of personality that mythologizes his life while conveniently overlooking his corruption and greed. It’s a roller-coaster episode—much like Haider’s life itself.

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

https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/jorg-haiders-fatale-erbschaft-7060375.html

https://time.com/archive/6944641/joerg-haiders-troubled-legacy/

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B6rg_Haider

The FPÖ of Jörg Haider - Populist or Extreme Right-Winger? (archive.org)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/feb/04/austria.ianblack

https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/der-lange-schatten-100.html

https://www.dermaerz.at/kaernten-ein-politischer-sonderfall-in-oesterreich-2/

https://www.diepresse.com/layout/diepresse/files/dossiers/hypo/index.html

Jorg Haider successor tells of their 'relationship' (telegraph.co.uk)

In our second Zeitgeist episode, we’re diving into what’s happening in the world—and in our lives—right now. We break down how Austrian elections work and the latest on coalition talks, before taking a detour to discuss why on Earth the Detroit Lions have made the Austrian news. Responding to a listener email from Joanna, Carmen shares a review of the Christmas markets she’s already visited (impressive, considering they’ve only been open a week!). And while we do talk about the elephant in the room—the U.S. election—we also admit to sticking our heads (or feet, in Carmen’s case, who was literally on the beach) in the sand. So grab yourself a glühwein and tune in for some casual conversation and hot takes.

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!

Detroit Lions make it on ORF: https://sport.orf.at/stories/3134174/

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vier-Prozent-H%C3%BCrde_(%C3%96sterreich)