Prof. Dr. Dr. Peter Strasser, LL.M., University Professor for World Heritage and Cultural Property Protection at the University of Continuing Education Krems and Head of the Jiří Toman Center for Cultural Heritage and Humanitarian Standards at the Department for Building and Environment, gave a lecture on the topic “Alluvial Canal, Horse Railway, Trolleybus and Luxury Train - Interesting Connections between Austria and the Czech Republic!” to the young audience as part of the Junge Uni Waldviertel.
Throughout history, there have been various means of transportation between Austria and the Czech Republic. Of course, some means of travel were not designed for passengers, but were reserved for freight. While tree trunks themselves “traveled” on the alluvial canal from the Bohemian Forest to the Danube, the horse-drawn railroad transported salt as well as passengers - at a speed of 4 km/h! The trolleybus, which connected the main square of Gmünd with the train station in České Velenice at a speed of 15 km/h, was once faster. The journey from Prague to Vienna (and back) could once be enjoyed in the dining car of the luxury train “Vindobona”.
The young students were very interested in the subject - this was particularly evident in the questions that were asked during the lecture. Their knowledge of historical contexts on both sides of the state border was also impressive.
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