Thomas Bernhard famously said: “Die Mentalität der Österreicher ist wie ein Punschkrapfen: Außen rot, innen braun und immer ein bisschen betrunken” [the mentality of the Austrians is like a punch-cake: red on the outside, brown on the inside and always a little bit drunk]. And such contradiction permeates throughout Austrian life—outwardly seemingly liberal, but it is a liberalism that does not appear to extend to women. Sure, there are plenty of women artists who enjoy exposure in the large galleries, but behind this seemingly equitable façade lies a right-wing misogyny, deeply rooted in the country’s difficult relationship with its past.

After the  election (September 2024), there were signs that the far-right is once again in the ascendancy and in Baden-bei-Wien (a small Austrian spa town of 25,000 inhabitants), this undercurrent has quietly assassinated the realisation of the Frauenmuseum [Women’s Museum].

First visualisation of the Zentrum für Kultur und feministische Forschung from the feasibility study. © Andrea Graser

I caught up with Beate Jorda, the driving force behind the planned museum, to find out more about how the plans had not only been derailed, but are now dead and buried. She is convinced that the current political situation tolled the death knell for the museum.

Jorda has been working on the idea of a Frauenmuseum since 2014 when she set up the Baden Frauenzimmer to highlight the eminent women that hail from Baden. Given the size of the town, the list is impressive, including such illustrious names as Marianne Hainisch, Jakob Lena Knebl, and Marlene Streeruwitz. Baden has been the birthplace of many critically acclaimed feminist writers and so seemed a logical move to celebrate their achievements with a dedicated contemporary museum and study centre.

Despite having a number of influential residents in her camp, Jorda struggled to get the plans off the starting blocks and by 2020, she had resigned herself to the idea that it wasn’t going to happen, particularly since COVID-19 had now entered the equation. But in 2020, “There was suddenly a ray of hope,” she tells me. “I learned that there was a political decision in Baden for a coalition agreement between the [conservative] ruling party (ÖVP, the Austrian People’s Party) and the Green Party to put forward a proposal for a modern form of women’s museum.” The agreement was predicated on this being something fresh, contemporary, inter-sectional and definitely not “a mausoleum filled with dusty archives.” Jorda was delighted that the coalition commissioned Felicitas Thun-Hohenstein (art historian and curator) and Andrea Graser (architect), along with the curatorial collective section.a (Katharina Boesch, Christine Haupt-Stummer, and Ina Sattlegger), to produce the feasibility study. She finally thought that her vision might be realised.

The scoping team made their vision very clear; the ZKF – Zentrum für Kultur und feminisitische Forschung (Centre for Culture and Feminist Research) would be:

– A radically new style of institution that brought together art and research as an urgent response to developments in society that were demanding new solutions (and we should not forget the prevailing uncertainties during this pre-vaccine phase of the pandemic);

– A democratic institution where art and business would have equal billing and act as a pivot for a local, global, and digital network;

– Fundamentally feminist to make strides towards closing the not inconsiderable gender gap that still exists;

– A transcultural institution for Baden that would act as an inter-generational navigation point for people from all backgrounds.

So far, so good…

Over the next two years, the authors facilitated five themed Denkräume (think tanks) to garner expert opinions in the following areas: (i) focus on Baden; (ii) digital and virtual; (iii) community participation; (iv) negotiation and longevity; and (v) inclusion.

Jorda was invited to the first meeting along with some influential feminists, including Christiana Perschon (artist and filmmaker), Elisabeth von Samsonow (artist and philosopher) and Marlene Streeruwitz (feminist writer). Social distancing and masks were in place, but at least they were able to meet in person. The conclusions were that the centre needed to have a strong digital presence grounded in intersectional feminist discourse, the potential for international exchange and networking, online activities, and a living archive as well as appealing to a young audience.

In March 2023, the report was made public at a large “town hall” meeting. It was evident that much work had been undertaken to produce a robust feasibility study. As well as the feedback from the think tanks, the team had identified and scoped out suitable premises and conducted a comparative study with other organisations, before concluding that establishing the museum and research centre would have many benefits for Baden and beyond for current and future generations. The meeting, moderated by the mayor Stefan Szirucsek (ÖVP), who appeared to be completely on board with the project (hopefully liberated by being married to the niece of the renowned feminist writer Marlene Streeruwitz).

After the seemingly positive meeting, everything went suspiciously quiet, and it was evident that discussions were taking place behind closed doors. Eventually, Jorda met with the mayor in September 2023 and was told that there would be no Frauenmuseum in Baden. The inner circle of party members, known as “The Club,” had vetoed the project and had no intention of realising the concept. Such meetings are powerful weapons in Austria’s political arsenal—held behind closed doors and no public access to the minutes. The excuse for rejection was a somewhat nebulous response about the town needing a new library.

But, of course, if this was the real reason, it begs the question as to why this was not considered earlier. Moreover, why would the town invest in a feasibility study if it had no intention of realising the project? Naturally, the decision has led to much speculation within feminist circles. As Jorda says: “The authorities don’t think a women’s project is worth the money,” before adding that we should all read Was Männer Kosten: Der hohe Preise des Patriarchats, (What Men Really Cost: The high price of the patriarchy) -which would put the cost of the museum into perspective.

I asked her what the reaction of the project team had been, given its powerful line-up. “They just couldn’t believe it,” she replied. “Given everyone had appeared to be so enthusiastic about the project, they were surprised and devastated when they heard the news.”

But Jorda wasn’t prepared to just accept this rejection and she requested a meeting with the Governess of Lower Austria (Johanna Mikl-Leitner), which was refused. Jorda was initially flabbergasted by this rejection, since Mikl-Leitner had been one of the earliest supporters of the project, but she soon realised that perhaps Mikl-Leitner’s new alliance with the right-wing FPÖ could be behind the decision. Mikl-Leitner suggested Jorda meet with Herman Dikowitsch—the cultural minister responsible for all the museums in Lower Austria, of which there are a staggering 750, amongst which are some big names, such as Landesgalerie Niederösterreich in Krems and Carnuntum’s Römerstadt, as well as museums dedicated to bicycles, ships, motorbikes and railways, not to mention those dedicated to individual men, including Haydn, Hermann Nitsch, Adolf Frohner, Egon Schiele and the Arnulf Rainer Museum in Baden. Once again, the women are notable by their absence, which is all the more reason, according to Jorda, to push ahead with Baden’s Frauenmuseum.

Thun-Hohenstein and Jorda had a meeting with Dikowitsch, who Jorda knows well, through her late husband’s career as the principal Arts & Culture journalist for the weekly newspaper NÖN (Niederösterrich Nachrichten) in Lower Austria. Dikowitsch was sympathetic but insisted that his hands were tied as the decision-making process had never left Baden, meaning that it was a matter for the local authorities.

I asked Jorda whether the political situation—particularly with elections looming in the autumn—had contributed to the rejection of the proposal. She agrees whole-heartedly and explains something of the background. Mikl-Leitner had been “the social conscience of Lower Austria” when she was first elected, but after entering a coalition agreement with the FPÖ, these politics didn’t align with the party’s right-wing ideology. Jorda noticed subtle changes in the political discourse, such as the cessation of all gendered language and denying non-binary and non-gender conformers a legitimate status. Even more disturbing is the return to politics of Udo Landbauer, who was elected in 2023 as the Deputy State Governor of Lower Austria. A self-declared “right-wing extremist politician,” Landbauer is renowned for his xenophobic opinions. He had previously stepped back from politics after the Liederbuch Affäre and the revelation that he was a member of a fraternity, and its leader for two years, that had a song-book based on the Nazi ideology of anti-Semitism and racism.

Adding to this right-wing political landscape is a new local party—Wir Badener—that stands for “the concerns of the people of Baden.” Given that many of its members were previously linked with the FPÖ is perhaps indicative that these “concerns” will go well beyond the speed limits and parking problems highlighted on their website. Sadly, Jorda is resigned to the idea that the Frauenmuseum is now just a pipe dream. Pre-election, none of the candidates are going to support something that has divided the town, and, post-election, it’s likely that the right-wing will increase its hold and revert to a Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church) ideology for the role of women in society.

I ask Jorda what was next for the Frauenmuseum. She looks desolate and says, “I honestly don’t know.” She has been part of many subsequent discussions with educators and pioneers of emancipation, but the political landscape has created insurmountable hurdles that the women believe they simply cannot overcome. I really feel for her. She has devoted so much time and energy to this quest, and if someone as dedicated as Beate Jorda can’t get this much-needed institution off the drawing-board and into reality, the women of Lower Austria are facing a bleak future.

Maybe it’s time for a feminist artistic intervention…

Dr Del Barrett is the Founder and Chair of Hundred Heroines, a contemporary UK-based institution dedicated to showcasing the achievements of women in photography. Hundred Heroines challenges the traditional “white cube” gallery model, prioritising accessibility and public engagement with world-class photography. Del holds a PhD in Linguistics from King’s College (London), where her research interests centred around the misappropriation of language for political purposes, a discipline she brings into her curatorial practice. She has  completed  her MAS in Curating at the Zurich University of the Arts.