Moving Images of Habsburg´s Final War

This research projects aims to examine the filmic depiction of Austria-Hungary during the First World War on the basis of all available, relevant visual and written materials related to the subject matter and its context. On the one hand, documentation, interpretation and analysis build on previous regional and international research results, which owing to the topic`s historical relevance and explosiveness are rather limited. One the other hand a socioscientifically oriented media science off the purely aesthetically oriented, historiographical tracks and supported by archival footage as well as archival studies will be implemented. Such a discursively revalued film footage allows for a complete rethinking of the relation of the conceptual triad film-history-Austria. Within the well-investigated field of filmic propaganda, the First World War is of particular importance because of its reorientation in media use and complex source material situation. Austrian and related sources in particular permit an approach which regards and explores film as an autonomous form of media, which in turn makes it possible to discuss and exemplify memory. The cyclic dependency of consensus reality and politically exaggerated medialisation necessitates the consideration of both fictional and non-fictional material a fact fully taken into account by the project. With this first-ever opportunity to access the absolutely unique, heterogeneous collection of the Filmarchiv Austria the best partners and the most fertile questions can be brought together in a focused examination. The new typology, which is described in detail in the concept paper, not only establishes an innovative template of reflection for the material in general, but also allows to describe and explore particular aspects, such as the genuinely Austrian elements in the filmic discourse on the conflict. Apart from sources from the period of the conflict between 1914 and 1918, relevant film productions originating both nationally and internationally after 1918 shall also be addressed in accordance with a specified list of questions. The clear guidelines for this project envisage a fact- and source-oriented research method which deliberately aims to distance itself from a neo-positivist conception of the source material. The work to be undertaken in the course of this Vienna-based research project will be carried out in consultation with recognised international authorities and will both have continuing implications for a variety of disciplines and prove to be a trend-setter for European research, for instance in the area of smart specialisation.

No additional funding sources recorded.