Total lockdown in Austria, shuts down all culture again. It's devastating

On Monday, Nov. 22, all ofAustria plunged back into the lockdown nightmare: in fact, the country’s government thought that a general shutdown of all activities is still, nearly two years after the pandemic began, the best response when the contagions rise. Indeed, cases have been rising sharply in recent days, touching records since the start of the pandemic: the Alpine country had been relatively spared during the first wave, that of spring 2020 (a high of 1,321 daily cases was touched), was being hit quite significantly last winter, and is now reaching unprecedented levels, with 15,145 new cases on Nov. 18. Hospital occupancy, however, is still far from the heights reached in November 2020, when the weekly average of hospitalizations approached 4,000 (we are currently just under 2,000, while during the first wave it did not reach 1,000). Deaths (average over the seven days of 43 per day) is also far from the 100-120 average of the second wave. On the other hand, Austria suffers from the problem of being one of the least vaccinated countries in Europe: as of November 17, 68.23% of the entire population had received at least one dose compared to, for example, 79.21% in Italy, 76.40% in France, 81.71% in Spain, 71.73% in Sweden, 76.81% in Finland, and 75.53% in Belgium. Austria’s situation is similar to neighboring countries such as Germany (69.65 percent), the Czech Republic (60.35 percent), Hungary (62.41 percent) and Switzerland (66.57 percent).

Numbers that alarmed the Austrian government. “Despite campaigns, it has not been possible to vaccinate people,” said Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg. “We have to look reality in the eye: we have too many political forces in this country opposed to vaccination,” and the consequence of this is overcrowded intensive care units and “endless suffering.” The government has therefore decided on a total shutdown in the country from Monday, currently for a maximum of 20 days, after which it will need to be evaluated. “We have to take such measures,” Schallenberg said, adding, “I am aware that we are asking a lot of people.” In Austria at the moment there are 520 patients being treated in intensive care units and 2,871 patients admitted to regular wards.

The lockdown will be total, similar to what we experienced in Italy during the first wave, but a little less restrictive: so it will be possible to go to school (mask requirement for everyone, and for older students also FFP2 requirement) or to work (as well as shopping or to the doctor), and to take walks in the open air. Everything else will be banned: closed stores that do not sell basic necessities, and especially closed culture. On this front, there are no exceptions: Austria has sanctioned a total lockout for museums, cinemas, theaters, and cultural institutions of all kinds. Those who have already booked a ticket between now and December 12, the date when the lockdown is supposed to end, will receive a refund or can book themselves for a visit or show on another date. And all culture is thus once again forced to find outlet on the online. Rehearsals will not even be possible in the theaters.

Naturally, the reaction from the Austrian cultural world is strong criticism of the government: skepticism, anger and frustration are the most widespread feelings. On the museum front, among the first to speak out is Klaus Albrecht Schröder, director of the Albertina in Vienna, where a major exhibition on Modigliani is under way. “It is simply devastating,” he told the Kurier newspaper. “The government had assured us that there would be no lockdown, and on that basis we had decided in June to hold our Modigliani exhibition in the fall. And since the lockdown came instead, this means a loss of 1-1.5 million euros for us.” The exhibition had posted excellent numbers, which, Schröder again explained, also partly compensated for the lack of tourists in Vienna. But the lockdown, they note in Austria, impacts not only the months of closure, but also those of reopening. “A hesitant return is to be expected,” they say from the Belvedere, “as after every lockdown.” And then three weeks of closure entails new negotiations with lenders of works displayed in exhibitions, who must be persuaded to extend their loans, new negotiations with insurance companies, and so on.

On the theaters ’ front, the director of the Wiener Staatsoper, Bogdan RošÄić, spoke, telling the APA news agency, “We rely on the government’s statements that the lockdown for vaccinated and cured people, who have been our audience since October 1, will last only three weeks and then they will be able to return again.” However, the director said, “it will not be easy. A year ago we were the only major theater in the world that kept working. Now we will soon be the only ones who will not be allowed.” Significantly harsher tones from Bernhard Günther, director of the Wien Moderne festival: “culture pays the bill for others,” adding that the public of culture has shown that a cultural life is possible without risk even with current precautions, and that “culture is certainly not responsible for this decision.” Also disappointed was Thomas Gratzer, director of the Rabenhof Theater in Vienna: “I am sad and angry: at the federal policies, at that irresponsible part of our society, and especially at those cynical and ruthless political forces that still fuel the divisions within our society. Now everything is again at a standstill and we have to start all over again. But because we have a loyal and extremely responsible public I still consider myself optimistic for the future in the medium term.”

Austria is also considering extending the lockdown, after Dec. 12, only for the unvaccinated and introducing mandatory vaccination by Feb. 1, introducing administrative penalties for those who do not comply. Regarding culture, Minister Andrea Mayer, recognizing that the new lockdown will have an impact on the sector, has provided allocations of 125 million euros to enable institutions to cope with these three weeks of closure. There will also be extensions of layoffs, disbursements for cultural workers, and solidarity funds.

Photo: the Belvedere Castle

Total lockdown in Austria, shuts down all culture again. It's devastating

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