ABS News Dezember 2025

Editorial: Merry Christmas, what else?
Presidential Message: St Andrews Old Course is calling!
Remembering November 2025
December Events
Vice President's Corner: It's crunchtime for Europe on Ukraine
The Last Page

Dear Members and Friends of the ABS,Merry Christmas!

What else could one possibly write about at this time of year?
Yet there are subtle differences between Christmas in Austria and Christmas in Great Britain.

In Austria, Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve (24 December) – a day the British often use for last-minute shopping – while presents are traditionally opened on Christmas Day (25 December). Even the bringers of gifts differ: in Austria it is the Christkind, whereas in the UK it is Father Christmas.

26 December is Stefanitag in Austria and St Stephen’s Day in Britain, though in the UK it is far better known as Boxing Day. But why “Boxing Day”?

No, it is not a tribute to the noble art of pugilism. The term refers to the boxes traditionally given to employees and staff on 26 December – one day after the family had received their gifts. A small but telling reminder of older social distinctions.

And what else fits this time of year? Perhaps Happy New Year – which we celebrate only a week later.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you.
We look forward to seeing you in 2026.

Wolfgang M. Buchta
ABS Secretary General

PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE

St Andrews Old Course is calling!

I have been playing golf for years – with varying degrees of success, but always with great enjoyment. My current handicap of 15 is good enough to obtain playing permission on golf courses anywhere in the world.

For years I have been trying to secure a tee time in Scotland on the St Andrews Old Course, the cradle of the sport. So far, however, without success. I have been there several times and have walked the full 18-hole course, but I have never yet had the chance to play it.

Now, however, a new contact has emerged, and therefore I am trying to put this plan into action for 2026. Perhaps there are golf enthusiasts among our members who would like to join. The requirement, however, is a handicap of 25 or better. If interested, I would ask you to send a short email to kurt.tiroch@oebrg.at during December. Then, in January, I will make a fresh attempt.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed!

REMEMBERING NOVEMBER 2025

November featured two events — two stimulating talks at “our” Café Ministerium.

Event No. 1: Imagine – Vom zerbrochenen Glas zur entfesselten Vorstellungskraft

Neurologist Dr Klaus-Dieter Kieslinger delivered a lecture on the Macht innerer Bilder, and the President broke the glass.

CLICK HERE for the event report (from the President himself!) and photos.

Event No.2: Shadows of the Past, Warnings for the Future

Once again at Café Ministerium, our board member Ambassador Colin Munro CMG gave a talk entitled Anniversaries for Peace, addressing peacekeeping – an area in which he has been closely involved for many years.

CLICK HERE for the event report and photos.

The quietest time of the year

December – “the quietest time of the year”, as we all know – will see no fewer than four ABS events!

2 December – 6:30 p.m.

Die dunklen Machenschaften des Daniel Defoe
House of Scotland, Seilergasse 12, 1010 Wien
Invitation already sent

10 December – 7 p.m.

Benefizkonzert zugunsten HILFSTÖNE mit Clemens Unterreiner
Lutherischen Stadtkirche, Dorotheergasse 18, 1010 Wien
for corporate and board members only

11 December– 6 p.m.

Lebensweisheiten with Dr Erika Padan Freeman
Café Ministerium, Georg-Coch-Platz 4, 1010 Wien
Invitation already sent

19 December– 6 p.m.

ABS Christmas Celebration
Sala Terrena, Ferdinandihof, Wehrgasse 30, 1050 Wien
Invitation to follow

VICE PRESIDENT'S CORNER

It's crunchtime for Europe on Ukraine

Europe seems to be making headway with President Trump on Ukraine for now. But how far can you get with diplomacy when you are still developing the defense capabilities need to back it up? And when the societies you represent, might not even be interested in building those capabilities?

On average, fewer than one-third of EU citizens say that they are willing to fight for their country in a war. It's 23 percent in Germany and only about 17 percent in Austria. On the one hand, Putin has recently claimed that he never had any intention to attack any European, or for that matter a NATO country, but in 2021 he had said that on Ukraine - so his credibility is extremely low. On the other hand I can only warn gainst indulging in "self-fulfilling prophesies" about an imminent, or middle-term danger that we will have to defend ourselves against a Russian aggression.

European efforts for self-defense however, have been contentious. European economic growth has been slow for some time, so governments have had to face down political pressure to spend more money on defense instead of pensions or other domestic priorities.

Ukraine has expressed frustration that Europe's diplomatic support had often come without enough military power backing it. European rhetoric on the war has been high-minded throughout - and Zelensky has counted on that steadiness. We'll see soon enough what that counts for at the bargaining table. Last word: I had advocated already a long time ago that Europe lacks a credible and realistic own peace-plan in order to be regarded by the US, Russia and Ukraine as a "player" and not a "bystander". Now, at last, this insight seems to bear fruit and is being shared by the Austrian Foreign Minister as well.

Let's see: I am personally rather pessimistic. Putin is not interested in a negotiated settlement at all and Trump's foreign policy again comes close to a disaster.