Miracles happen time and time again

It’s a cool morning. Gray clouds are rolling over Stuttgart. We’re standing at the bus stop, enjoying the cool air after a few days of heat in the Stuttgart “cauldron.” We’re on the move again. This time we’re heading to Austria, which we’ve chosen as our new home. Our journey to our new home takes us through Aalen, Munich, and Salzburg. We look back with a touch of wistfulness. Too much has changed—and too much of it is not exactly for the better. Our current government’s rallying cries ultimately prompted us to take this step. Of course, things aren’t much better in Austria either, but at least a little. As if the German railway wants to tell us once more on our way to our new home: “Look! It’s not all as bad as people always say" - the trains are running on time. Passing the golden-brown ears of grain in the cornfields of Swabia, we travel on to Upper Bavaria. The Alpine foothills and Lake Chiemsee greet us with sunshine. The Alpine peaks of the Berchtesgadener Land are getting closer and closer. We arrive in Salzburg right on time. We’ve never experienced anything like this before. Miracles happen time and time again.

Salzburg Central Station, Austria

But we’re drawn onward. Traveling through the Salzburg region, we reach Upper Austria. From Linz, we travel through the Enns Valley, heading south via Steyr into Upper Styria. Upper Styria is the northern, mountainous, and densely forested part of the Austrian state of Styria, bordered to the south by the Gleinalpe and Stubalpe mountains. It encompasses the districts of Liezen, Murau, Murtal, Leoben, and Bruck-Mürzzuschlag. The landscape is characterized by the Niedere Tauern, the Dachstein Massif, the Hochschwab, the valleys of the Mur, Mürz, and Enns rivers, the Ausseerland region, and the Gesäuse National Park. In the east, traditional mining and industry prevail (Erzberg, Leoben); in the west and north, agriculture, alpine farming, and tourism dominate (Ski amadé, hiking, climbing). Since the onset of the pandemic, the region has been suffering from population outflow. Economically, the area is experiencing only weak growth. Only tourism—described as “low-impact”—is managing to maintain its numbers to some extent. But as a nature lover, this also has its advantages. The forests, lakes, and floodplains remain intact; hospitality is still highly valued here; and the people are happy to welcome anyone who comes and respects and accepts their culture.

Visit to the Oberst-Klinke Hut with a view of the Kalbling

We also have a lot of friends in Austria whom we want to visit. First, we want to go to Upper Austria to see Babsi and Helmut. We met them in Papeete. They ended up sailing far ahead of us on the World ARC and have since completed their second circumnavigation of the globe. We have the utmost respect for this achievement and are eager to hear firsthand about their journey since we last met. 

At Babsi and Helmut

We set off in our classic car, an Opel Kadett. We can feel the road again, and the winding route without power steering demands everything from the driver. The steering wheel—a rubber-coated steel rim without an airbag—causes a momentary sense of unease and feels awkward to handle. But I soon get used to it, and the nostalgic feelings that come with driving a classic car take over. 

Opel Kadett, Hengstpass, Austria

We are greeted with a warm welcome, and as is customary among sailors, the nights run long. We begin our return journey via Kremsmünster and the Hengst Pass. The Benedictine Abbey of Kremsmünster is one of Austria’s oldest, continuously operating, and culturally most significant monasteries, located in the Traungau region on the Krems River in Upper Austria. It was founded on November 9, 777, by Duke Tassilo III of Bavaria. Legend has it that he vowed to build the monastery on the spot where his son Gunther was killed by a wild boar while hunting. Initially, it served to evangelize the Slavs and to cultivate and administer the monastery’s vast endowment lands in the border region between Bavaria and the East. The first abbot was Fater, the duke’s chaplain. Under Charlemagne, the monastery’s holdings grew. In the 10th century, the monastery was destroyed by Hungarian raids, which ultimately led to the loss of its holdings and its decline. Reconstruction took place under Emperor Henry II and Abbot St. Gotthard (1012–1046). The monastery successfully reclaimed its property and rights. During the Cluniac Reform (11th century) and later the Melk Reform (beginning in 1418), monastic life was revitalized, and discipline and scholarship were strengthened. The monastery school gained a high reputation, and the library became a center for chronicles and the humanities. In 1549, Abbot Gregorius Lechner opened the school to everyone—marking the birth of the public abbey high school, which continues to this day. From 1613 to 1639, Abbot Anton Wolfradt oversaw the major Baroque renovation. At the same time, he served as Bishop of Vienna and Imperial Minister. Between 1677 and 1740, the architects Carlo Antonio Carlone and Jakob Prandtauer redesigned the church and the grounds. Nine years later, between 1749 and 1758, construction began on the famous Mathematical Tower, which housed an observatory, collections of natural history and art, and a chapel (Europe’s first high-rise building). It was a unique, early scientific museum. 

Kremsmünster Abbey, Upper Austria

During the Josephine era, in the 1780s, the monastery faced the threat of dissolution. Thanks to petitions to Emperor Joseph II, the monastery was spared. In the 19th century, the monastery experienced a renewed flourishing of education and scholarship. Abbot Cölestin Ganglbauer became Archbishop of Vienna in 1881 and was later made a cardinal. During and between the world wars, the monastery remained a spiritual and cultural center. Today, Kremsmünster is a vibrant Benedictine community with a high school, boarding school, observatory, library, art collections, and a parish office. The Tassilo Chalice (8th century) is among its most valuable treasures. In summary, this represents 1,200 years of uninterrupted history as a bridge between faith, education, scholarship, and art—one of Upper Austria’s landmarks and definitely worth a visit. In Oberlaussa, we’ll stop for a bite at the Sagwirt. In the afternoon, we’ll continue on to southeastern Styria. Here, we’re looking forward to spending the next few days and weeks visiting friends, acquaintances, and relatives and enjoying the “Styrian Tuscany.” Until then, may there always be fair winds, and keep a stiff upper lip.