Summer
The way of the Europe-cross on the Feuerkogel – project-description and meaning
Thoughts about the Europe-cross from FOL Schmid/ HTL Wels
Everything started on July 2004, when FOL Helmut Ecklmayr of the HTL Wels did a hiking-tour to this region.
There he has spontaneously thought, that this technical school in Wels is able to manufacture a summit cross. His idea got a high agreement within the school community. Then the search started for a suitable place of assembly and for cooperated companies for the static works, which has been founded by the ”Naturfreunde” Ebensee and the “Feuerkogel cable car” ltd. And so the project was able to start.
The next step was the appellation in “Europe cross”, which was heavily coined by consultant OSR Josef Hintermaier.
There was a quick agreement referenced to the concept and a model in the benchmark of 1:4, which was presented the first time 2005 on the “Europe day” in the city hall of Wels, was produced.
From May 2005 the fabrication of the original started in the handicrafts trough the students. Also many other subjects were mentioned with this project for example: works in all technical subjects, homepage designing or translations in the subject English.
A half year ago, a colleague has described the situation perfectly with the following sentence: “I think that the “Europe-cross” already includes the whole school now”.
Meanwhile I think, the project acquires more as the HTL Wels and so a very important aim is reached. The conflict in the publicity with the topics of this project.
The cross was assembled from several cubes. Each cube symbolizes an EU-member state. Each cube has the same design and look.
Herewith the principle of equality and unity and the connection of the several states in the European Union were mentioned.
On the cube-surface, round holes have been cut out.
These vents symbolize the opening each country to all directions and allows a view inside of the cube: Catchword: Free trade, travel freedom or the exchange of research, education capacities and concepts.
Each cube for a state is named in the country-specific language. In the middle of the cube, there is a rock from the particular country situated, which should advert to the special properties of the state.
Every European should maintain the typical features of his country, his cultural roots, his habits, his language, but anyway he should feel free and at home in the “European Homeland”.
It will probably take too much time, to read all the descriptions of the rock in the cubes. I want to hand only content:
Annelie Roose, professor on the “Narva college of Tartu” wrote about the rock of Estonia:” The students of the Narva University searched this stone and it has been found in the surroundings of the city. Narva is a border town in direction to Russia and the most eastern point of the EU.”
About the stone of Latvia, the ambassador Dr. Winfried Köfler mentioned: “This stone is a chunk of the podium of the former memorial of Lenin in Riga, which was removed in the night of the 23rd of August 1991. This day made history, as a “human chain” nearly 600 km long, reached from Lithuania over Estonia to Russia. Finally Latvia gained its independence September 1991 and this “human chain” surly contributed to this.
Mag. Susanne Ranetzky director of the Austrian culture forum, wrote about the stone of Slovakia: This stone was taken from an historical place, at the foundation of the Devin castle, on the confluence of the Danube and March. In the 30ies of the 19th century the patriotism of the Slovakians flamed up and the people arranged processions on this castle. Beneath this text is mentioned: “…thus the Slovakian nation was combined in a linguistic, cultural and national way.” The castle is a national sanctuary of the Slovakian nation. The area, where the stone was found, has a mystic, cultural and historic importance. Since 1985, this district is one of the major national parks of the small mountains of the "Karparten".
Ambassador Dr. Ulrike Tilly accounts about the stone of Spain: “This stone originates from the “El Escorial” palace, which was built by Phillipp II. (1527-1598), exactly 2 km from the remote estate from Phillipp. It’s a big granite rock, whose head was formed to a raised stand, where you have a marvelous view over the surrounding landscapes. Along a legend, Phillip II. He should have controlled the progress of the constructions of his palace on this place.
The stone of Germany – an exemplar of the wall of Berlin. Comparatively a short history but so much emotional. As the time from the construction in 1961 to the fall of the wall 1989 is everybody still in mind.
About the source and the meaning of the Austrian stone, you should collaborate.
Let me give you a few aphorisms. Its place of birth is situated in a quarry in Burgenland, where every year famous operas take place. If this stone had a human character, it would have been able to watch countless people of all nations, during its 800 year old history.
To its feet kings, emperors, priests, monarchs, presidents from Russia to America and even the most of us passed this area. It would report about sad experiences, like the leaguer of it nearly fall prayed to a fire in 1945, but also about many delightful experiences. The monument, where the stone has belonged to, is a spiritual and cultural center, a world-famous sight of Austria and a symbol of Austrian Identity.
The individual cubes are so situated, that Austria presents the center of the cross. All other countries are ordered clockwise of the air-line distance from the Alberfeld-Kogel to the particular capital city of each state around Austria.
This presents the central situation and part of Austria, especially during the EU-presidency.
The no-name stones which are fixed on the ground, stand for more member-states of the EU.
According to terms of the EU, each European state can join the community, when it decrees about a firm democracy and assures the constitutional legality, the human rights and the protection of minorities. Also it must decrees about a good working market economy and an administration, which can apply the rights of the EU.
It belongs to the peculiarities of Austria, our political and economical firm and strong, our social balanced and peaceful, our cultural living, over all boards famous, our scenic and so beautiful and manifold Alpine-country, that crosses are situated on so many mountain tops.
With the construction of this cross, we join not even a tradition, we indicate a visual symbol for cooperation, coherence and community. This cross should always send out signals like a radar station for stability, social fairness, tolerance and peace in our community, in our country, in Europe and in the whole world and in this spirit it should inspire a lot of people and should contribute to an international understanding.
previous
print Page
recommend this Page