The exhibition presents the original Ostarrichi manuscript, the oldest document mentioning the name Austria. It investigates the transition of this medieval legal record into a political symbol utilized for post-war state-building. Visitors engage with the history of commemoration and the construction of national narratives through this milestone document.
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This exhibition presented the original Ostarrichi document, which contains the first known written mention of the name 'Austria' (ostarrîchi). It explored both the historical significance of this 996 AD text and its symbolic usage in shaping Austrian national identity throughout the 20th century.
The exhibition '#Ostarrichi. The Career of a Document' centered on the Ostarrichi document, the oldest known reference to 'ostarrîchi,' the Old High German form of 'Austria.' Dating back to November 1, 996, the document originally functioned as a land grant issued by Emperor Otto III to the Bishop of Freising. The exhibition traced the document's journey from a medieval legal record to a potent political instrument used during the 20th century to forge a distinct post-war Austrian national identity, particularly in the wake of the Second World War. By displaying the original manuscript for the first time in Vienna, the House of Austrian History engaged with the complex intersection of historical research and political myth-making. The exhibition examined how various 'Ostarrichi' commemorations—such as the 950th anniversary in 1946 and the millennial celebrations in 1996—were utilized by politicians and cultural institutions to anchor the young Republic in a distant, glorious past. Through this presentation, visitors were invited to reflect on how historical narratives are constructed and mobilized in the service of contemporary state-building and identity discourse.
The exhibition was held at the House of Austrian History in the Neue Burg at Heldenplatz. Visitors were granted free entry on the opening day, October 26, 2019, as part of the public access program at the museum site.
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