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R.John Rath: Motive Force in Austrian Studies
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2009
Extract
Volume XXXII of the Austrian History Yearbook is dedicated, fittingly, to John Rath, who founded this publication and, during its first quarter-century, was its publisher, editor, and copyreader—and did every-thing else except setting the type for its printing. As much as the Journal of Central European Affairs was the creation of S. Harrison Thomson, so was the Austrian History Yearbook the creation of John Rath. Although it was not intended to be a successor to the Journal of Central European Affairs, it was a happy coincidence that John inaugurated the Yearbook just as the Journal ceased publication, and scholars in the field were not bereft of a vehicle for presenting their work.
- Type
- In Tribute to R. John Rath
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © Center for Austrian Studies, University of Minnesota 2001
References
1 It is interesting to note that John Rath won his spurs in editing while he was associate editor of Thomson's Journal of Central European Affairs from 1947 to 1951, when he was associate professor of history at the University of Colorado.
2 Kraehe, Enno E, comments on papers given in session “Austrian Attitudes Toward German Unification,” Convention of the American Historical Association, Cincinnati, Ohio, 12 29, 1988.Google Scholar
3 Indeed, one could say that it began when John first traveled to Austria to do research in the archives there and became engaged in Austrian studies himself. The intensity of his experiences during the time of the Anschluss in the spring of 1938 must have played a role in reinforcing his interest in the area. He even became involved in some activities of resistance to the Nazis. For example, he tried (unfortunately without avail) to help Ernst Karl Winter escape to the East and helped some èmigrès spirit valuables out of Austria.
4 John affirmed later that the promise of support for a yearbook was decisive in convincing him to move; it most certainly was not the change of climate that lured him to Houston.
5 Charles Jelavich suggested, generously, that the success of the conference was largely the result of John's efforts, but it could not have been done without Jelavich's considerable efforts in Indiana, where the conference was held.
6 Comment of Paul Schroeder in a message of August 7, 2000.
7 It is unknown who else at the gathering took notice of Mrs. Johnson's remarks about the Yearbook, but there was a stellar society in attendance that evening: Hubert Humphrey, Chip Bohlen, Walt Rostow, Irving Stone, Patrick Nugent, Terry Sanford, and William Eaton, and Van Cliburn(also a fellow Texan) played for the company.
8 It was widely assumed that the grant of one million dollars from Austria, which brought the Center for Austrian Studies into being, constituted a sum ready for disbursement. In a remarkably short time the Center received a number of proposals for elaborate projects upon which the money could be spent–in conjunction with the proposers, of course. The grant was for an endowment, not a budget, and the Center had to live from the income alone and abide by the terms of the university's rules, which allowed a budget of 5.5 percent of the principal sum of the endowment. Therefore, the early years (about a decade) of the Center were lean ones. That was a disappointing circumstance with which suggesters of ambitious undertakings found it difficult to come to terms.