Ceremony to mark the founding of an international Stefan Zweig centre at the University of Salzburg 

Stefan Zweig, who lived in Salzburg from 1919 to 1934 and spent his most successful years here, is considered the city’s most important writer. For over ten years, the Stefan Zweig Centre and the Salzburg Literature Archive have been dedicated to researching and disseminating his literary work and intellectual legacy. Now the University of Salzburg has decided to join these efforts and create an international centre for Stefan Zweig with the support of the City and Province of Salzburg.   

The founding ceremony took place on 30 April, the commemoration day of the Salzburg book burning. This commemorates the city’s darkest period, forcing Stefan Zweig into exile. 

Zweig’s possessions donated to the University 

To mark the founding of the ‘Stefan Zweig House’, his heirs, who live in London, are donating a valuable part of his estate from his exile in Great Britain, the USA and Brazil. “It is a great vote of confidence from Zweig’s niece Eva Alberman and her family. From my personal encounters and conversations with Eva Alberman, I am aware of her great hope that Stefan Zweig will regain the worldwide reputation from the University of Salzburg that he had during his lifetime. That would also be an act of artistic and intellectual reparation, and a significant commitment for the city of Salzburg.” 

Centre soon to be housed in the Neue Residenz

The conceptual ‘House for Stefan Zweig’ will soon be based in the Neue Residenz, where extensive construction and renovation work is currently underway for the Salzburg Museum and the new ‘Belvedere Salzburg’. “With the Max Gandolph Library as the central exhibition space and adjoining rooms, the best conditions are in place for further research into and dissemination of Zweig’s literary work, as well as for academic and public events. Now it is up to us, the researchers and all those involved, to help establish Salzburg as the central location for Stefan Zweig and showcase his humanist legacy,” emphasised Rector Bernhard Fügenschuh.   

During the ceremony in the library auditorium, Rector Fügenschuh also thanked Governor Wilfried Haslauer and Deputy Mayor Kay-Michael Dankl. He emphasised the good partnership with the state and city of Salzburg, which have provided significant support to both the Stefan Zweig Centre and the Literature Archive over the years. ‘The merging of the two institutions will also intensify this cooperation with the city and province and simplify coordination processes,’ states Rector Fügenschuh. 

For Governor Wilfried Haslauer, “Stefan Zweig’s legacy will not only be preserved for future generations, but also made visible to the public in a very special way. Above all, the new centre will be a place of active remembrance culture.” 

Director named for the Stefan Zweig House 

The Stefan Zweig House will be directed by Werner Michler, Professor of Modern German Literature at the University of Salzburg, together with the two German Studies specialists Martina Wörgötter (Stefan Zweig Centre) and Lina Maria Zangerl (Salzburg Literature Archive). 

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 Video: Talk with mit Eva Alberman

 Video: Founding ceremony of the Stefan Zweig House

 The founding ceremony in pictures on Flickr