Austrian campaign aims to save writer Stefan Zweig’s Salzburg villa after Porsche tunnel row
Summary
A group of Austrian cultural figures and institutions are trying to buy the villa once owned by writer Stefan Zweig after its current owner, Wolfgang Porsche, put it up for sale. The villa has historical and cultural importance, and there is public concern over Porsche’s plan to build a private tunnel for his cars, which sparked protests.Key Facts
- The villa was home to Stefan Zweig, an Austrian Jewish writer, until 1934 when he was forced to leave due to the Austro-fascist regime.
- The villa, called Villa Europa, was a cultural meeting place for famous artists and writers like James Joyce and Thomas Mann.
- Wolfgang Porsche bought the villa in 2020 for €8.4 million and has listed it for sale at €12.7 million after renovations.
- Porsche’s plan to build a 500-meter private tunnel for his car collection caused public protests.
- Thousands of people, including artists and writers, signed a petition urging the government to buy the villa to preserve its cultural significance.
- The University of Salzburg offered to act as a temporary owner, seeing it as a moral duty to keep the villa as a place of memory for Zweig.
- The university is in talks with the federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research for approval of the purchase.
- The villa can only be reached by climbing over 100 steps up the hill, making it inaccessible to cars.
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