The Botstiber Podcast

Exchanges between Austria and the United States didn't always happen under happy circumstances. During the darkest days of the Second World War, the U.S. Office of Strategic Services launched one of its most daring intelligence operations, Greenup, into Tyrol, a region then at the near geographic center of the Reich. In this episode, Peter Pirker discusses the mission, what it accomplished, as wel...

Historian, author, soldier, spy - Nick Reynolds has done it all. In this episode, the New York Times best-selling author discusses the role Austria has played in his life, shares his Habsburg family history, and highlights what he believes Americans and Austrians have in common and can learn from one another. Nick's Website Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy: Ernest Hemingway's Secret Adventures, 1935-1...

What does an Austria jurist have to do with the FBI? In the second episode of the A is for Austria podcast, Priv. Doz. Christian Bachhiesl, director of the Museum im Lavanthaus, answers this question and many more. We'll carefully examine the Austrian origins of criminology and criminal science, investigate the contributions of Hans Gross and others, as well as explore their lasting impact upon th...

Vampires? In Austria? For the first episode of the A is for Austria podcast, Dr. Peter Kreuter of the Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies in Regensburg, Germany treats us to a no-holds-barred discussion of the history of vampires, superstitions, and the uncanny in and around the Habsburg Monarchy. Join us - if you dare! https://leibniz-ios.de/en/ - the English version of Dr....

In this episode of If Passports Could Talk , we journey through five decades of cultural exchange and international education with Lonnie R. Johnson . Lonnie R. Johnson was born in 1952 and grew up in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. As a humanities major as St. John’s University in Minnesota, a small Benedictine men’s liberal arts college, he was encouraged by an Austrian profes...

How did hydropower shape Austria’s modern history? In our latest episode, we dive into Mountain Battery: The Alps, Water, and Power in the Fossil Fuel Age (2025) with its author, Marc Landry. From the collapse of the Habsburg Monarchy to the rise of National Socialism and post-WWII reconstruction under the Marshall Plan, the story of hydropower—often called "white coal"—intersects with key moments...

Join us as we travel to the festive, snowy alps and explore how locals and visitors alike ring in the New Year. In this video, Austrians and Americans share their personal memories and traditions—feasting on raclette or goulash, sipping sparkling wine, watching the annual broadcast of “Dinner for One,” and gathering outdoors to admire fireworks and enjoy a midnight waltz. Discover the heartfelt st...

In this episode, we are joined by Judith Eiblmayr, a distinguished Austrian architect and insightful writer on the history and evolution of architecture. Our conversation highlights the extraordinary life and legacy of Elizabeth Scheu-Close, a trailblazing Austrian-American architect. Born in 1912 Vienna, Elizabeth—often known as Lisl—was exposed to some of the most influential thinkers and creati...

In this episode of The Botstiber Podcast, host Luke Morgante sits down with Megan Brandow-Faller, a professor of history at the City University of New York - Kingsborough, to discuss her forthcoming book. "Child Creativity in the Visual Arts: From Secessionist Vienna to Postwar America," will trace the origins of Franz Cižek's ideas on child creativity and examines how these ideas migrated across...

In this special podcast episode presented by the Botstiber Institute, we hear stories of adventures from the life of Eduard Medinger. As a teenager in 1860s Austria, Eduard was full of eager anticipation to experience the world beyond his home in Central Europe. In part one of two, we are introduced to the young man and his bold plan to reach the distant shores of Yokohama, Japan beginning in the...

After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a newly independent Austria sought fresh business ventures to aid the reconstruction process and its battered economy. In this episode, guest Andrew Behrendt of the Missouri University of Science and Technology joins host Luke Morgante to discuss the emergence of tourism as a salve to Austria's financial woes, and why American tourists were so...

This reading comes from Chapter One of Deitrich W. Botstiber's 2007 autobiography, "Not On The Mayflower." Dietrich Botstiber was born in 1912 in Vienna, Austria, during the final years of the Habsburg monarchy when the country flourished with abundant natural resources and high culture. In his memoirs, Botstiber writes about his life in Austria during the first part of the twentieth century, and...

We're thrilled to bring you an engaging conversation between two esteemed guests: Lotte Bailyn and guest host, Gary Cohen. Lotte Bailyn, Professor Emerita at the MIT Sloan School of Management, is a trailblazer in the field of organizational behavior and the daughter of acclaimed Austrian social scientists Marie Jahoda and Paul Lazarsfeld. Her pioneering research on work-life integration and gende...

Raymond Jonas is a Botstiber grant recipient and the Jon Bridgman Endowed Professor in History at the University of Washington. In this episode, he discusses the rise and fall of Maximilian I and the Second Mexican Empire. A brief yet impactful period, the story of the Second Mexican Empire connects 19th century Mexico and the United States with European powers of the era and a motivated Habsburg...

Today's guest is Yale University graduate and University of Vienna doctoral student, Alexander McCargar! In this episode, he discusses early perceptions and portrayals of Native America in the Habsburg Empire and Austrian society, as well how these first impressions evolved into present-day understanding. McCargar offers a unique approach to historical analysis, blending his backgrounds in stage d...

Born in Bad Gastein, nestled in the middle of Austria, Gerald Lehner began a lifelong journey from the alpine peaks of Central Europe, to the high-altitude vistas of the Himalayas, the windswept terrains of Alaska, and countless other places around the world. As an engineer and teacher, Lehner contributed directly to the communities that welcomed him. As a journalist for major news publications li...

In this episode we are lucky to hear from recent Botstiber grantee and lecturer at the University of Graz, Duncan Bare. Bare's research has offered a new glimpse into the development of the United States' intelligence agencies, especially the OSS, SSU and CIG, in the context of their 1940s Austrian operations. Listen in to hear the stories of these organizations' early days, the normal people task...

Today's guest is renowned architect Christoph Kapeller. In this episode, he reflects on his journey from southeastern Austria along the border with Slovenia, to busy streets across the United States, and sunny days in the historic Egyptian city of Alexandria. If you enjoyed the episode and would like to hear more from Gerald Steinacher, you can find his work at the following links: Christoph Kapel...

The Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies presents, Christmas in Vienna . From warm meals in busy Christmas markets, to scary visits from Krampus, and gifts under the Tannenbaum, Austria has a wealth of cultural customs to offer throughout the month of December. In the first-ever Botstiber Christmas special, listen along as ten individuals from across Austria share with us their most c...

Christmastime evokes memories of distinct sights, sounds and smells. in Austria, few locations embody these memories more than the Christmas markets that spring-up across the country, starting in mid-November. In the following, part three of the Botstiber Institute’s “Christmas in Vienna,” ten Austrians share their experiences from the largest Christmas markets, bustling with visitors in cities li...

In this, the inaugural Botstiber Christmas special, ten individuals from across Austria share with us their experiences from the country's many Christmastime festivities. Join us, as their stories take us from bustling Christmas markets in Salzburg to cozy, alpine cottages visited by Saint Nicholas and the dreaded Krampus. Part two of Christmas in Vienna brings us to Christmas Eve and the 12 days...

Joining the episode from the University of Graz in southern Austria, Nina Kaiser discusses the important contributions made to criminology and evidence law by the Austrian jurist Hans Gross and his American contemporary, John Henry Wigmore. Supported by the Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies, Kaiser's groundbreaking research also analyzes the intellectual relationship shared by Gros...

In this, the inaugural Botstiber Christmas special, ten individuals from across Austria share with us their experiences from the country's many Christmastime festivities. Join us, as their stories take us from bustling Christmas markets in Salzburg to cozy, alpine cottages visited by Saint Nicholas and the dreaded Krampus. Part one of Christmas in Vienna brings us to December 5th and 6th, also kno...

In this episode, Austrian-American guest Gerald Steinacher takes us on a journey from the mountain peaks of Tyrol to the Great Plains of Nebraska. Along the way, Steinacher has contributed greatly to the field of Austrian-American studies. Currently the James A. Rawley Professor of History at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln , Steinacher has published multiple works on topics such as the Holoc...

Join host Luke Morgante for an engaging conversation with Viennese historian and author, Lilly Maier. In the episode, Lilly and Luke discuss the incredible life story of Arthur Kern, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust who, after being forced to separate from his family, escaped to the United States as a child. Arthur and Lilly's stories became interconnected in 2003 when he returned to his childho...