From now on, the WOCHE publishes excerpts from Graz’s eventful sports history in every issue.
What will happen in 2021 cannot be said after the first few weeks.
But one thing is already certain: This year will be really sporty, at least in Graz. The big sports year starts on March 1st with countless highlights and hands-on activities. According to Mayor Siegfried Nagl, Graz will become the “number one sports city in Austria”. However, not everyone in Graz is aware that sport in all its complexity has been inextricably linked with the state capital for more than a hundred years – and it is precisely this knowledge gap that will be filled this year.
New WEEK series
Specifically, a comprehensive publication is to be produced by the end of the year, which sheds light on various perspectives of Graz’s sports history. The city of Graz, in the person of Sports Office Manager Thomas Rajakovics and FPÖ Club Chairman Armin Sippel, entrusted the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for War Impact Research, which can refer to several publications in the field of sports history (sports and politics, social and societal history of sports) Implementation of the project. The Institute for Economic, Social and Corporate History of the University of Graz is on board as a cooperation partner. The WOCHE acts as a media partner and will publish an article on the history of sports in every issue as part of the “City in Motion” series from now on and until just before Christmas.
Forgotten delicacies
“Our aim is to work out the tradition and importance of Graz as a sports city in a modern way and in a wide variety of facets: society, economy, politics, culture”, explains Walter Iber (University of Graz). Together with his colleagues Harald Knoll and Reinhard Lux (both at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute), he is responsible for the development of the individual series parts, which are created in cooperation with guest authors. “The series does not claim to be complete, but is intended to bring very representative and unknown or forgotten topics to the fore,” said Iber. The focus is deliberately not only on football, but also on traditional Graz sports such as gymnastics, tennis or athletics. The close links between sport and entrepreneurship are also shown in great detail.
–At the end there is a book
“Sport has an eventful history in Graz. The extensive look back brings us back to the many great personalities and clubs and the legendary events. I’m sure everyone will have their aha experience,” says Sippel happily on the individual series parts. Sports department manager Rajakovics is certain that “the people of Graz will learn a lot. Who knows, for example, that the first cross-country ski trail in Styria was realized in Thal?” The project, which is completely new in this form, was also impressed by the city councilor for sports, Kurt Hohensinner: “The sports city of Graz has a long and varied history that also has some delicacies to offer. We are now taking the sporting year 2021 as an opportunity to combine these stories and many more In cooperation with WOCHE, we will also be providing insights into the exciting history of the sports city of Graz throughout the year. Let’s go Graz! “
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