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The Unifying Aspects of Cultures

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Twentieth-Century Austrian Authors as Examples of the Unifying Aspect of Cultures

Robert Weigel (Auburn University, Alabama)
Central Europe in the Work and Thinking of Hermann Broch and György Sebestyen

My starting point is the myth of the Habsburg Empire (e.g. as demonstrated by Austrian interwar literature) and its ability to at least partially unite different cultures under its multinational umbrella. Similarly, Sebestyen's idea of a transnational Central Europe can be seen as a role model for a unified Europe, whose cultural ties transcend national borders. The different ethnic groups and nations of the Danube-region are connected through a common historical, cultural and spiritual heritage. This common bond is the point of departure for their peaceful coexistence, which aims at integration through acknowledgement of their diversified backgrounds and may serve as a model for a unified Europe.

THE UNIFYING ASPECTS OF CULTURES