Particularly in the early years, Die Bühne (= stage) claimed to be a platform for the widest possible readership and explicitly took a cosmopolitan (and quite grand) perspective. With an eye on international developments, the magazine presented a modern, urban lifestyle.
In the 1930s, Die Bühne reduced its popular cultural diversity but, unlike other Austrian magazines, remained (largely) true to its open, liberal-democratic stance. This was largely due to the contributors, editors, and owners: The magazine was founded in 1924 and published by Hungarian journalist and emigre Imre Békessy, widely known for his disputes over unethical practices, but at the same time instrumental in the introduction of modern journalism in Austria.
After his resignation in 1926, the Austrian government became involved in the Vernay publishing house, which printed Békessy’s media. Around this time until 1938, the Czechoslovak Orbis publishing house became the – more or less silent – majority owner as part of a government strategy.
The lecture examines how the Bühne’s claim to be up-to-date and cosmopolitan developed over the years, from pre-depression democratic Austria to the Dollfuß-Schuschnigg regime, focusing on the possible influence of the respective ownership structures and contributors. What, e. g., did the Czechoslovak government expect from its involvement in the Vernay publishing house – and a Lifestyle magazine?

The lecture will be streamed via Zoom as well, please contact sybevna.ehggare@pbyyrtvhz-pnebyvahz.qr.

Collegium Carolinum
German Historical Institute Warsaw
Leibniz-Institute for History and Culture in Eastern Europe
Masarykův ústav a archiv AV ČR