Dear Readers,

On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Fulbright Program in Austria, we are pleased to present a retrospective of the history of this unique academic program which has supported bilateral educational exchange of some 5,400 students, teachers, scholars and professionals. The anniversary has offered the opportunity to present recollections of former Austrian and American alumni representing several generations whose Fulbright year abroad has had a significant impact on their professional career.

Other topics include the 15th Anniversary of the National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism, which has been instrumental in reaching out to many Austrian Holocaust survivors in the U.S.

I would like to take this opportunity to bid farewell to all the readers of Austrian Information. It has been an honor and privilege to serve as the Director of the Austrian Embassy's Press and Information Service for the last four years, a period which has been marked by significant changes both in the U.S. and Europe. I would like to thank the entire team and all those, without whose help this publication would not have been possible, for their continued support and tireless assistance during that time.

Since 1948, Austrian Information has been published by the Austrian Press & Information Service, and we are proud to continue to provide Austrians and friends of Austria within the U.S. and North America with the latest news on Austria and  Austrian-American relations. For over two centuries, Austrians have made major contributions to culture, science and business, and we were pleased to feature many of them in this publication. Today's readers include many generations, and I am particularly grateful for their feedback and suggestions for the interesting stories we were able to bring you.

As for my family and myself, the years spent in Washington, D.C. have been fulfilling and rewarding, and I wish Alice Irvin, who will succeed me as Editor-in-Chief in August, as well as the team of the Press and Information Service all the best and continued success in the future.


Yours sincerely,

Wolfgang Renezeder
Editor-in-Chief