1936 On the Continent

and carefree people. Its position on the Danube made it formerly a trading town, and enriched its citizens. The citizeness of Linz is very well dressed in charming but peculiar costume, with beautiful gold cap, heavy coat and pretty corslet bodice. The people of Linz have acquired an international reputation for their culinary specialities, amongst which the Linzertorte alone make a journey there worth while. You get them nowhere so good as in the beautiful old village-like Danube town; only you must see that they are fresh, as they are not worth eating if more than a month old. If you want to get a bird’s-eye view of Upper Austria, the land of wood, meadow and hills through which the Danube winds,then go from Linz by the electric railway to the Pöstlingberg, the watch-tower of Austria. It is an inexpensive journey of a few minutes only. You can drink coffee there and eat Linzertorte, and in the summer you can also dance in the afternoon and evening.
    But the gaiety of Upper Austria, the deep calm and quiet happiness of the landscape, is seen at its best at the monastery of St. Florian and at Kefermarkt. This summer, festival plays are to be held, some of which will be staged at Linz and some at the old town of Steyr. The organisation which is producing them is called “Art and Culture in Brucknerland,” and the object is to honour the memory of Anton Bruckner, who was Regens Chori at the monastery of St. Florian. By way of leading up to the Salzburg Festival an extraordinarily full programme has been arranged, which from July 18th to 22nd will form a stimulating overture to the Salzburg festivities. The lovely unique Baroque monastery of St. Florian is a sight which no visitor to Austria should miss; so also with the altar at Kefermarkt which was saved from destruction with great difficulty.
Salzburg—Festival Town
    It has been stated, not incorrectly, that Salzburg is like Mozart’s romantic opera “Don Giovanni,” that the streets and squares with their mountains and churches, their façades and their civic halls, might be a magic scene, especially in the evening when the lights give a mystic effect and the decorative stage is peopled with the fantastic shapes of the opera. Certainly the performances of “Everyman” in the Domplatz are wonderfully impressive, and the serenades in the Residenzhof, where Mozart concerts are held by candle light, bring to life the ghosts of old times. Though this magic is not only to be felt at festival time, from July 29th to August 31st, it is ever present, and especially when the famous organ music, the “Steir” from the Veste Hohensalzburg, breaks like a choir over the town, or the musical filigree of the bells marks the passage of time.
    Perhaps the greatness of the town of Salzburg and its true “festal” character are best evidenced by the fact that though it is a busy and versatile city, it never seemsto lose this characteristic. In its hotels luxury is combined with excellent taste, in the cafés intellectuality often sits next to joviality. In the modern luxury hotels, in the pompous and imposing Europe, which is near the railway, the wealthy of many countries and languages meet. At the Oesterreichische Hof, the second grand hotel of Salzburg, prominent artists stay, unless they are renting a private villa like Toscanini and many others, or intend to settle in the Salzburg country like Max Reinhardt, and buy a property, a castle, or a villa. At Festival time many celebrities are to be seen in the lobbies and famous restaurant of the Oesterreichische Hof, such as Richard Tauber, Max Reinhardt, or Bruno Walter. But there is also the Bristol, which lies in a beautiful position on the Salzach and provides every comfort and is not expensive; then there is the Bitter, and many others. Naturally at Festival time it is not always very easy to get a room. I should advise you therefore to go to the private accommodation bureau at the station, which is open the whole day and where they will give you advice and recommend rooms gratis.
Salzburg: Restaurant, Dress and Beer
    One of the best places to eat at is the Traube, where you will find most of the artistic world of Vienna assembled: perhaps Paula Wessely with her husband Attila Hörbiger, the State Opera singers, and the Burgtheater players from old Reimers to the youngest member. Then the theatrical academies also come to Salzburg, and celebrities walk the streets in green-faced jackets and Salzburg hats. In order,