Salzburg: Program of the Festival at the House of Austrian History

This digital exhibition explores the revival of the Salzburg Festival in 1945, shortly after the end of World War II. It examines the complex political and cultural environment in which the festival was re-established under the influence of the US occupation forces.

Following the liberation of Salzburg by American forces on May 4, 1945, the decision to revive the Salzburg Festival was made almost immediately. The Information Service Branch of the US occupation authorities established its headquarters in Salzburg to coordinate this cultural reconstruction. The festival's reopening was a complex endeavor, occurring during a time of severe economic hardship and complicated by the fact that many artists had previously worked within the Nazi cultural system or were associated with the regime's elite. The festival's opening on August 12, 1945, featured a notable address by US General Mark Clark, marking the first time a US general spoke publicly in Austria. The program intentionally highlighted works by Hofmannsthal and Mozart, and included 'Austrian Evenings' designed to foster a renewed sense of Austrian identity. Despite the challenging circumstances, the event attracted a significant audience, with two-thirds of the attendees being members of the American armed forces, illustrating the festival's role as a tool for cultural diplomacy and reconstruction in the immediate postwar period.