|
|
|
|
- Editorial: Summer of 1926
- Presidential Message: Words of Wisdom
- Remembering July
-
- Vice President's Corner: The Iran Ceasefire Was Doomed to Fail
-
|
Prince George's Birth Chart
|
- The Last Page
|
|
|
|
|
EDITORIAL
|
|
Dear Members and Friends of the ABS,
|
August is traditionally the ABS's holiday month – no events, no board meetings, no activities whatsoever?
|
Well, dear members, you are at least receiving this newsletter, which offers a look back at our events in July and a preview of what is coming – you guessed it – in September. And then things really get going again.
|
One hundred years ago, the summer of 1926 in Great Britain was eventful, both in sport and politics. The first British Grand Prix was held at Brooklands, where Robert Sénéchal and Louis Wagner won in a Delage. American swimmer Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel, crossing from France to England. Politically, the General Strike was the major event of the year. Although the strike itself ended in May, the miners' dispute continued. On 18 August, the Miners' Federation of Great Britain began negotiations with the Government, and it would take until the end of the year for the situation to settle fully.
|
If August is also when you are travelling to Britain, here are two recommendations. There is no need to swim the English Channel: the ferry connections are quite convenient. And although Brooklands has not hosted races for many years, it has a fantastic museum that is well worth a visit.
|
Have a good trip, and see you all again in September.
|
Wolfgang M. Buchta
ABS Secretary General
|
|
|
|
|
|
PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE
|
|
The summer holiday period may offer a welcome opportunity to pause for a moment and reflect on a few words of wisdom. I quoted many such sayings in my latest book, Leading with Power – The Strength of the Mature Generation. ("Führen mit Macht - Die Power der reifen Generation")
|
One of my favourites, said to have originated with a medieval monk, is particularly thought-provoking:
|
“God grant us the COURAGE to change the things we can, the SERENITY to accept the things we cannot, and, above all, the WISDOM to know the difference.”
|
For many years, I have tried, whenever possible, to live by this maxim, and it has served me well. I can warmly recommend it to others.
|
At the ABS, we often embark on difficult and demanding undertakings, even when they require a considerable commitment of time, energy and money. Yet we always consider carefully whether the effort is worthwhile. Fighting windmills rarely leads to success—at least not without a disproportionate amount of effort. When something cannot be changed, or can be changed only at unreasonable cost, we try to accept it with serenity. This is not always easy, but it is often the wisest course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
July 2026 brought us two events for ABS members, following Vienna's hottest day on record – 40°C – at the end of June:
|
|
|
|
Event No. 1 : The 16th ABS Heurigen at Buschenschank Wolff
|
A Square with a Smile: Wine, Wit and Sixteen at Wolff...
|
Click here for the event report and photos
|
|
|
|
|
Event No. 2: Prince George's Birthday Party
|
For the fourteenth time, we celebrated the birthday of a prince.
|
Click here for the event report and photos:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer has been a time of rest and relaxation – but now the ABS is back, with three events in September.
|
|
|
|
Lecture by Professor Felbermayr
|
|
Human Rights Space (formerly the Musiksalon), Diplomatic Academy of Vienna
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wine Tasting at Vienna Spirits, Food & Beverage Handels-GmbH
|
Board and Corporate Members will be treated to an excellent wine and spirits tasting at Schönbrunn Palace.
|
|
Time and invitation to follow.
|
|
|
|
The ABS will be represented at the Vienna Wine Hiking Day.
|
|
Time, details and invitation to follow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
VICE PRESIDENT'S CORNER
|
|
The Iran Ceasefire Was Doomed to Fail
|
Why Transactionalism Will Not Deliver Peace in the Middle East
|
The memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran in June has fallen apart. The agreement was intended to halt the fighting, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and create a 60-day window for further negotiations. Instead, Iran and the United States have resumed launching missiles and drones at one another, while commercial shipping through the Strait has again been brought to a halt.
|
The memorandum's failure should come as no surprise.
|
There is nothing inherently wrong with a limited diplomatic agreement, such as a ceasefire or a hostage exchange. But such discrete deals can achieve only so much. They tend to fail when they are used as a substitute for the more difficult processes needed to address the root causes of conflict, including institution-building and difficult political compromise.
|
Unless a ceasefire is followed by sustained diplomacy, it risks becoming merely a pause that the warring parties use to prepare for the next round. Moreover, Trump and his emissaries ignored practically every established rule of successful diplomacy and negotiation.
|
The dangers of transactionalism are especially pronounced in the Middle East, where conflicts are deeply interconnected and pressure in one arena creates instability in another. When underlying disputes remain unresolved, they can erupt and cascade across the region. At the heart of the problem is a security dilemma in which each side responds to its own vulnerability in ways that make the other side feel threatened.
|
A lasting political agreement may appear overly ambitious, given that the United States and Iran have failed even to end hostilities or safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Paradoxically, however, a broader agreement may be easier to secure. A narrow bargain asks all parties to surrender leverage without addressing what drives them to war in the first place, whereas a broader framework can address the underlying security concerns of all parties simultaneously, creating incentives that narrower arrangements lack.
|
Without a wider peace process, however, the region may enter a state of near-permanent conflict – a condition that no country can afford.
|
|
by former Ambassador Alexander Christiani
|
|
|
|
|
|
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
|
|
Prince George Alexander Louis of Wales – His Birth Chart
|
22 July 2013, 4.24 p.m., St Mary's Hospital, London
|
His grandmother, Princess Diana, 'the Queen of Hearts', was, like Prince George – the future 'King of Hearts' – born under the sign of Cancer.
|
What characterises those born under the sign of Cancer? FEELINGS: a tsunami of emotions directed towards parents, children, romantic partners, friends, pets, their homeland and traditions... They are empathetic, helpful – and highly sensitive. Even a small incident can hurt or offend them deeply, resulting in a dark and prolonged silence.
|
In Prince George's horoscope, not only the Sun but also Jupiter, Mars and Mercury are in Cancer. These powerful feelings are 'ideal' for a future king, as they emphasise love of country and people, as well as respect for tradition.
|
The Moon in Capricorn strengthens his willpower, realism, materialism and intellect. He will have to manage many conflicts between emotion and reason, and the dreamer in him will repeatedly be brought back down to earth.
|
Pluto and the Moon in Capricorn occupy the financial house of his birth chart; the Sun, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury are in Cancer in the eighth house, which governs inheritance. He will be the guardian of his inheritance – both tradition and material possessions – like Alberich, guardian of the Nibelung treasure.
|
His Ascendant and Saturn are in the strong-willed and passionate sign of Scorpio; nothing escapes him. He sees through people and does not give up until he has explored everything, understood every detail and grasped it completely. Jealousy and possessiveness may also play a role in his relationships.
|
'Look before you leap.' Venus is in Virgo in his birth chart, suggesting that his wife will have to be perfect in every respect and that reason will play a significant role in his choice.
|
The coming year will be one of change and challenge. Like his father, Prince William, Prince George will attend Eton College, starting this autumn. The transition from living at home to boarding school – even though Windsor Castle is visible from Eton – will demand a great deal of strength from him. This significant change is reflected in his horoscope by a challenging aspect between transiting Saturn, currently in Aries, and Uranus in Aries in the family house of his birth chart. Uranus signifies independence, while Saturn sets boundaries.
|
However, Prince George has already learnt to accept what is necessary and to shape his life with his future responsibilities in mind. The Moon and Pluto in Capricorn in his birth chart help him not only to accept these boundaries but ultimately to understand them. Nevertheless, the emotionally driven prince does not always find it easy to resolve the conflict between feeling and reason.
|
The change of school will naturally also affect his friendships. Saturn in Scorpio in his birth chart indicates that friendships are very important to him: he is entirely devoted to his friends and expects the same loyalty from them. He not only struggles with disappointment but finds it almost impossible to forgive. He also has difficulty coping with change. This year, transiting Pluto forms a challenging aspect to Saturn in his birth chart. The change will affect him deeply and, given his high standards, he may not find it easy to make new friends immediately.
|
Eton offers 28 subjects, including nine classical and modern languages, as well as general subjects such as history and geography, together with theology, art, economics and politics.
|
Although much is expected of him – not only at school but also by his parents – he is ambitious, gets to the bottom of things and has excellent organisational skills (Scorpio Ascendant, Moon and Pluto in Capricorn). He will follow his path successfully.
|
By Eva Vaskovich-Fidelsberger
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
Account name: Österreichisch-Britische Gesellschaft | Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG | IBAN: AT422011184479592100 | BIC: GIBAATWWXXX
|
Für den Inhalt verantwortlich: Wolfgang M. Buchta
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
