Свести счёты с жизнью по-штюрийски

Arbeitsloser Architekt stürzte in Graz von Balkon

Ein gebürtiger Engländer ist am Mittwoch in Graz aus bisher ungeklärter Ursache vom Balkon seiner Wohnung knapp drei Meter tief auf ein Autodach gefallen und hat dabei lebensgefährliche Verletzungen erlitten. Die Polizei konnte den derzeit 51-J. arbeitslosen Architekten noch nicht einvernehmen. Der schon seit längerem in Graz lebende Engländer ist laut der Exekutive bereits im Vorjahr einmal aufgefallen, als er “nicht ganz Herr seiner Sinne war”, so ein Beamter zur APA. Er hatte sich bei dem Sturz einen Nasenbeinbruch, vermutlich einen Leberriss und eine Verletzung der Halswirbelsäule zugezogen, sein Zustand sei lebensbedrohlich. Er wurde auf der Intensivstation des LKH im Tiefschlaf gehalten. Quelle: APA

Безработный архитектор выбросился с балкона своей квартиры

Безработный английский архитектор, который уже долгое время проживал в австрийском Граце и был известен соседям как человек с причудами, выбросился с балкона своей квартиры и получил тяжёлые увечья. Источник: APA, 05.03.09 (more…)

Galina, don’t be skeptical about your wishes and dreams! They are like seeds thrown in soil and waiting for time to sprout and blossom.
Thus I cheered myself up going along one of Vienna streets, and gusts of cold wind threw raindrops in my face. As alien I peeped in luminous shop windows, observing Christmas candles and  people in their purchase amok. For me – solo as I was, Christmas meant only a few additional days of aggravated solitude.
I didn’t manage well, besides arrival of accommodation welfare was delayed for two months. So the very idea of buying Christmas presents sounded improper, when two-digit figure of my recent bank report swirled in my mind as epitome of all I possessed and achieved after years of struggle in Austria.
At last I entered bakery to warm myself up, and as middle-aged sales woman glanced at me questioningly, I felt obliged to buy the cake and registered automatically miscount in 40 cents.
I walked for ages, and now it was middle of nowhere. The buzz of traffic subsided, and road widened in avenue of poplars and mansions, running forward to rural districts.
One could see around small picturesque gardens, lawns with statues and fountains. Some houses were richly decorated with clay molding and wood carvings. (more…)

Galina Toktalieva for Die Wiener Nachrichten (excerpt)
Graz was the very place, where my emigration trial by water and fire started. It was southern-looking fair town with medieval architecture, in strange way reminding me of sunny Bishkek streets. It was love at first sight. Graz struck me as prettiest place I ever knew. However, to reside in historical centre of it under heated, as oven roof, trapped in tiny attic, with deafening, amplified uproar of surrounding restaurants all night long, was hard. In addition, other inhabitants of under-roof space belonged to the African commune rap fans, and from their round-the-clock jovial blare, I was separated only by thin carton wall. (more…)

Young female beggar in one of Vienna streets listening to arguments of older woman who suddenly stopped to express her opinion on beggary.

For the first time in my life, I was brought at the place against my will and kept there shut. I felt shaken and thought it must be mistake and soon they would let me go.

At the same time, I knew in my heart that the world where I lived before would never be the same again. On incomprehensible reasons, I became outcast, object of persecution; I broke certain rules and revealed my alien nature to others. I failed to act in reality that all others people except of me shared. So albino crow in flock of black birds is hit by beaks of others till it is dead. I had feeling that all others shared knowledge I had no access to.

Many years would pass until I realize that everybody creates his own truth, and common reality for all does not exist. I would realize that unanimity and group thinking point out to higher levels of compromise only and also ability to float at surface of interactions without digging deep inside Feeling of being fatally unique and isolated was destructive and overwhelming illusion of my youth. I was subservient and quiet girl, brought up in family of five children as youngest, accustomed to respect older and rely on their wisdom. (more…)

Group of people in Mariahilfer Strasse, Vienna. That plump woman with hair standing on at her head looked rather funny. She addressed me with idea to get a few coins for drink
Zhanna
It was sunny spring of 1982. The university alley of apple and peach trees was all pink lace of blossoms. The air was fresh and clear. But I was ascending marble staircase of main building with monument of Great Chief at the top feeling chill in my heart.
I was first year philology student and had exam on history of communist party.
There were two sleepless nights before due to quantity of books to read, which added to feeling of emptiness inside.
The group of students gathered in corridor by the classroom where professor Zhanna – pride of Kyrgyz historical materialism and peril of neglecting freshmen was receiving exams. (more…)

When I came back to lathe, I saw inspector with measure gadget there probing my patterns. He declared high percentage of deficiency and recommended to sharpen the drill. It was smoke break in instrumental store, and a group of middle-aged workers gathered around the table. Black plate of old radio was on the wall.
While uncle Vanya was sharpening my drill, I listened to the radio and to small talk of oldies.
There were no victims and no buildings destruction in republic after night earthquake, except of few clay huts collapse in province.

One old turner told how he witnessed strong earthquake many years ago in mountains area, when canyon suddenly appeared within a few meters from him, devoured people and cattle, and then formed new, smooth plateau. Then there were rumors about replacement in power structures. It was not 1937, but 1977, but people still talked by euphemisms. The chief editor of town newspaper was fired. His typesetter in print shop missed one letter in composition, what came out unnoticed. Newspaper was issued as usual by 100.000 copies circulation with words: traitor Brezhnev- instead of -chairman Brezhnev- printed in bold shrift at the first page.
Getting the drill, I still didn’t work, as hand crane was out of order and could not transport me new supply of pieces. I decided to climb up 30-meters staircase and check what was going wrong. (more…)

The moral postulate of soviet society was simple: who does not work must not eat, and parasitism was considered to be hardest sin. One could even be in problems with police suspected in parasitic mode of existence.

Living in center of Europe nowadays, I see symbiotic relationships with society to be of no great fault at all, as life constantly brings me in touch with Austrians who exist on behalf of social benefits for years, imitating intense activity and presenting extraordinary image of themselves to the world.

In spite of my devotion to spiritual teachings of new age, where abundance as form of energy is available for everybody, I still convinced that universal law of prosperity has formula of short blanket: you can feel very good in social system only on expense of others (more…)

It was 5 o’clock in the morning. I lay in darkness of the room awaken by strange sensation. The night was sticky and still, and full moon accompanied by blinking pearl of lonely star beamed in the open window. A moment later neighbors dog gave low howl of misery and supplication, and distant wails of other dogs echoed it.

It was some time before my morning shift at the plant, and still seized by odd feeling, I got up to prepare a cup of tea. Electric bulb hanging down from ceiling of kitchen on the long cord lighted up paint washed walls and shining spherical teapot at the table. Bulb was moving back and forth, as if swayed by wind. Then I realized with mixture of exhilaration and dismay it was earthquake and ran out in the yard, as people in seismic zones normally do being not sure house would stand stronger shoves. However, all was still around, and minute later peacock in nearby yard crowed his solemn greeting for coming dawn. It was only slight wave – not more than three units on Richter scale that day, and inspecting plaster of our old brick house later, I found only one new crack.

(more…)