Welcome

 



The Austrian-American Council of North America is a not-for-profit organization which fosters good will and better understanding between the people of Austria and the United States. It sponsors and co-sponsors many Austrian cultural events such as concerts, recitals and exhibits,  Austrian artists and the arts, and supports many humanitarian causes world-wide.

  Fundraising Coronavirus (Covid-19) Relief

  Dear Members, Donors and Friends,

 We do hope that all of you and your loved ones are continuing to do well and staying safe in these challenging times. These times have occasioned countless examples of dire need. In the past few months our Council has been providing donations to local organizations to help those in need as a result of the pandemic. I know many of you have also been providing support for these relief efforts. We are now getting ready to send a substantial donation to provide Coronavirus (COVID-19) relief here in Southern California. We want to invite you to participate with us, if you would like to do so, in this organizational contribution in the name of the Austrian-American Council West and in honor of the long-standing friendship between the United States and Austria.

We channel all contributions through Direct Relief International, a Santa Barbara organization, whose mission is to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies.. This organization insures that our entire contribution reaches the intended target group, those who are truly in need. If you would like to join us in providing assistance for Southern California Coronavirus Relief, you may do so by sending your tax-deductible donation payable to:

 Austrian-American Council West

 Memo – Coronavirus Southern California

 In care of: Fred R. Reinelt

 2701 Forrester Drive

 Los Angeles, CA 90064

 Sincerely,

 The Board of Austrian-American Council West

For more information, call Lilliana (818) 507-5904

 

Board of Directors

 

Veronika Reinelt, President
Lilliana Popov-Alexander, Executive Vice-President
Fred R. Reinelt, Treasurer
Dr. Carolyn Spanier-Ladwig, Executive Secretary
 Hon. Jan Donsbach, Director of Special Events
Winnie Reitnouer, Special Advisor
Dennis F. Fredricks Esq, Legal Advisor

 

Directors Emeriti:

Yvonne Jurmann  

 

In Memoriam:

Robert Propst, Founding President
Robert Morefield, Executive Secretary
 


Austrian-American Day

 

In 1997, responding to an appeal initiated by the Austrian-American Council with support from then Austrian Ambassador to the United States of America Dr. Helmut Türk, the President of the United States Bill Clinton designated September 26 to be known nationwide as Austrian-American Day. In recognition of the friendships between the two countries and the contributions Austrians have made in so many fields to this great country, annual celebrations are organized and are attended by Ambassadors, members of the Diplomatic Corps, prominent local business leaders, and elected officials of Los Angeles City and County as well as members of the Austrian-American Council West and friends.


Proclamation 7027 - Austrian-American Day, 1997
September 25, 1997

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

For more than 200 years, the life of our Nation has been enriched and renewed by the many people who have come here from around the world, seeking a new life for themselves and their families. Austrian Americans have made their own unique and lasting contributions to America's strength and character, and they continue to play a vital role in the peace and prosperity we enjoy today.

As with so many other immigrants, the earliest Austrians came to America in search of religious freedom. Arriving in 1734, they settled in the colony of Georgia, growing and prospering with the passing of the years. One of these early Austrian settlers, Johann Adam Treutlen, was to become the first elected governor of the new State of Georgia.

In the two centuries that followed, millions of other Austrians made the same journey to our shores. From the political refugees of the 1848 revolutions in Austria to Jews fleeing the anti-Semitism of Hitler's Third Reich, Austrians brought with them to America a love of freedom, a strong work ethic, and a deep reverence for education. In every field of endeavor, Austrian Americans have made notable contributions to our culture and society. We have all been enriched by the lives and achievements of such individuals as Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter; Joel Elias Spingarn, who helped to found the NAACP; psychiatrist and educator Alexandra Adler; lyricist Frederick Loewe, who helped to transform American musical theater; and architects John Smithmeyer and Richard Neutra.

Americans of Austrian descent have also helped to nurture the strong ties of friendship between the United States and Austria, a friendship that has survived the upheaval of two World Wars and the subsequent division of Europe between the forces of East and West. On September 26, 1945, a conference was convened in Vienna among the nine Austrian Federal States that helped to unify the nation and paved the way for recognition by the United States and the Allied Forces of the first postwar Provisional Austrian Government. Setting the date for the first free national elections, this important meeting laid the foundation for the strong, prosperous, and independent Austria we know today.

In recognition of the significance of this date to the relationship between our Nation and the Federal Republic of Austria, and in gratitude for the many gifts that Austrian Americans bring to the life of our country, it is appropriate that we pause to celebrate Austrian-American Day.

Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Friday, September 26, 1997, as Austrian-American Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize and celebrate the important contributions that millions of Americans of Austrian descent have made—and continue to make—to our Nation's strength and prosperity.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-second.


WILLIAM J. CLINTON


Information

ANNUAL MEETING: Members are hosted to a luncheon or buffet supper with fine wines--often with entertainment. These meetings present a wonderful opportunity to enjoy good fellowship and sharing of mutual interests.

AUSTRIAN-AMERICAN DAY:  Yearly on or near September 26, the Council celebrates the friendships between Austria and the United States at a more formal gathering with a special theme, such as a lovely dinner party with music for listening and dancing. The Council selects a special charity for its annual contribution.

VIENNESE HEURIGEN:  This popular event is held at an attractive setting such as the Residence of the Austrian Consul General or the garden of a member’s estate. The Heurigen is a Viennese tradition featuring Austrian foods and music partnered with specially selected Austrian wines.

SPECIAL EVENTS:  Members are invited to cultural and social events often not available to the public.

SPECIAL EVENTS FOR SPONSORS:  An elegant luncheon exclusively for Sponsor level members is given annually at a private location, such as an oceanfront home in Malibu.