Theresianum
Encyclopedia
This article is about the Theresian Academy in Vienna. For other uses of Theresianum, see Theresianum (disambiguation)
.
Theresianum (Theresian Academy, Öffentliche Stiftung der Theresianischen Akademie in Wien) is a private boarding school governed by the laws for public schools in Vienna
, which was founded by Maria Theresa of Austria
in 1746.
in 1683, a bigger and more glamorous New Favorita was rebuilt over the following decades. Three Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire - Leopold I
, Joseph I
and Charles VI
- resided in the castle. When in 1740 Emperor Charles VI
died in New Favorita, his eldest daughter Maria Theresa
decided not to enter the building again.
sold the castle to the Jesuits
for 30,000 guilders in order to transform it into an educational institution, preparing talented young men for civil service. As stipulated in two founding letters, the newly established “imperial academy” under the auspices of Maria Theresa
was based on the principles of strict selection, highest pedagogic and scientific standards and instruction in “modern” foreign languages.
In 1773, after Maria Theresa’s
son Joseph II
had dissolved the religious order of the Society of Jesus
, Theresianum was temporarily closed. More than 20 years later, in 1797, Emperor Francis II
re-opened Theresianum under the direction of the Piarists
. He also completed the building’s present-day neo-classical façade and built ancillary facilities including a swim school. After the 1848 revolution
in different parts of Europe, Franz’
successor, Franz Joseph I of Austria
, decided to open admission to “sons of the bourgeoisie” and to put the school under public regulation.
In 1883, the Consular Academy, the world’s oldest school of international relations (founded by Maria Theresa
as Oriental Academy in 1754 and later renamed), was relocated to New Favorita. It was housed in a separate wing of the building until 1905, when it was moved again to a house in Boltzmanngasse, which houses the U.S. embassy
today.
By the end of World War I
, most of the school’s properties in Austria
, Hungary
and other parts of the Habsburg monarchy were sold. In 1938, after the “Anschluss
” to Nazi Germany
, Theresianum was transformed into a National Political Institute of Education
. During World War II
, the school was so heavily destroyed that it could only be re-opened following extensive renovation work in 1957.
, as well as European ministers and senior public officials.
At Theresianum, co-education was introduced at the end of the 1980s and beginning of the 1990s – the first female instructors started teaching in 1988, while the first female students were admitted one year later, in 1989; in 1993, the first headmistress was appointed.
founding letters, Theresianum today strives to educate students to become “self-confident Austrians as well as Europeans with a global outlook.” By embracing the principles of tolerance and humanity, the school endeavors to prepare its graduates to take on “responsible roles in society.” Theresianum’s principles include academic excellence, social responsibility and international achievement.
, instruction in Hungarian was mandatory, while learning English
, French
, Italian
, Polish
, Bohemian, Slovenian
, Serbo-Croatian
and Romanian
was optional. Today, the school’s curriculum requires students to learn three spoken foreign languages (English
, French
and Russian
) as well as Latin
. Optional coursework includes Spanish
, Italian
, Portuguese
, Hungarian
, Polish
, Japanese
and Chinese
; native-speaking instructors help teach these classes. Language exchange programs are offered to students in the 4th and 7th grades (U.S. equivalent grades 8 and 11); additional courses are regularly organized in preparation for language competitions. International students from age 15 to 18 can apply for three, five or 10-month study programs at Theresianum; as of 2009, students from 27 different countries attended the school. Theresianum sustains a network of 18 international partner schools, including:
Based on the Theresianum Enrichment Model (THEM), students are offered a set of extra-curricular activities that complement mandatory coursework. These classes include special rhetoric and presentation seminars, community service, cultural and business projects, as well as tailored career advice services. Moreover, Theresianum participates in bi-annually organized Model European Parliament sessions that prepare students for leadership roles in the European Union
.
By 1910, a wealth of physical education classes, including swimming, dancing, riding and fencing was offered to students to supplement their academic curriculum. Today, Theresianum offers weekly sports courses across 15 disciplines, organizes three dedicated sports weeks (in the 2nd, 3rd and 5th grade, U.S. equivalent grades 6,7 and 9) and operates a school-owned ski club; 20 musical instruments are taught at the school.
(U.S. equivalent grades 5 through 12); as of 2010, 815 students attended 33 classes (i.e., 24.7 students per class) and were taught by 130 instructors (i.e., 6.3 students per instructor).
In order to develop well-rounded pupils, Theresianum requires students to attend individual or group study sessions in the afternoons with their instructors. School days typically end between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., depending on the student's age. Grades 1 to 4 (U.S. equivalent grades 5 to 8) have a 5-day school week, while grades 5 to 8 (U.S. equivalent grades 9 to 12) also attend lectures on Saturday mornings. 100 students were also enrolled in Theresianum’s full-boarding option as of 2007.
Moreover, Theresianum plans on opening a new elementary school and/or kindergarten in fall 2011. Academic curricula are currently being developed, with a special emphasis on full-day service, language courses taught by native speakers, advanced-level coursework for talented students, sports and extra-curricular activities.
Theresianum (disambiguation)
Theresianum is used for several institutions:*The Theresianum or Theresian Academy, a private boarding school governed by the laws for public schools in Vienna.*A high school in Eisenstadt....
.
Theresianum (Theresian Academy, Öffentliche Stiftung der Theresianischen Akademie in Wien) is a private boarding school governed by the laws for public schools in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, which was founded by Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
in 1746.
History
1. Early History (1614-1746)
In 1614, the Habsburgs purchased Angerfeldhof, a farmstead located just outside Vienna, and renovated it; Favorita, as the Habsburgs would call the re-modeled farmstead, became their imperial summer residence and a well-known venue for performances in the second half of the 17th century. Though the residence was burned down in the course of the Battle of ViennaBattle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
in 1683, a bigger and more glamorous New Favorita was rebuilt over the following decades. Three Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire - Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
, Joseph I
Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph I , Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, King of the Romans was the elder son of Emperor Leopold I and his third wife, Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg....
and Charles VI
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
- resided in the castle. When in 1740 Emperor Charles VI
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
died in New Favorita, his eldest daughter Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
decided not to enter the building again.
2. Founding and Sustaining Theresianum (1746-1957)
In 1746, Maria TheresaMaria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
sold the castle to the Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
for 30,000 guilders in order to transform it into an educational institution, preparing talented young men for civil service. As stipulated in two founding letters, the newly established “imperial academy” under the auspices of Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
was based on the principles of strict selection, highest pedagogic and scientific standards and instruction in “modern” foreign languages.
In 1773, after Maria Theresa’s
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
son Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
had dissolved the religious order of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, Theresianum was temporarily closed. More than 20 years later, in 1797, Emperor Francis II
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolved the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz...
re-opened Theresianum under the direction of the Piarists
Piarists
The Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools or, in short, Piarists , is the name of the oldest Catholic educational order also known as the Scolopi, Escolapios or Poor Clerics of the Mother of God...
. He also completed the building’s present-day neo-classical façade and built ancillary facilities including a swim school. After the 1848 revolution
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
in different parts of Europe, Franz’
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolved the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz...
successor, Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
, decided to open admission to “sons of the bourgeoisie” and to put the school under public regulation.
In 1883, the Consular Academy, the world’s oldest school of international relations (founded by Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
as Oriental Academy in 1754 and later renamed), was relocated to New Favorita. It was housed in a separate wing of the building until 1905, when it was moved again to a house in Boltzmanngasse, which houses the U.S. embassy
Embassy of the United States in Vienna
The United States Embassy in Vienna is the main United States diplomatic mission to Austria. The embassy building is located at Boltzmanngasse 16, Alsergrund, Vienna....
today.
By the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, most of the school’s properties in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and other parts of the Habsburg monarchy were sold. In 1938, after the “Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
” to Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, Theresianum was transformed into a National Political Institute of Education
National Political Institutes of Education
National Political Institutes of Education were secondary boarding schools in Nazi Germany. They were founded as "community education sites" after the National Socialist seizure of power in 1933.-Overview:...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the school was so heavily destroyed that it could only be re-opened following extensive renovation work in 1957.
3. Recent History (1964-2000s)
In 1964, the Diplomatic Academy was re-opened as a successor of the Consular Academy in New Favorita. Its graduates include former U.N. Secretary General and Austrian president Kurt WaldheimKurt Waldheim
Kurt Josef Waldheim was an Austrian diplomat and politician. Waldheim was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981, and the ninth President of Austria, from 1986 to 1992...
, as well as European ministers and senior public officials.
At Theresianum, co-education was introduced at the end of the 1980s and beginning of the 1990s – the first female instructors started teaching in 1988, while the first female students were admitted one year later, in 1989; in 1993, the first headmistress was appointed.
1. Philosophy
Based on Maria Theresa’sMaria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
founding letters, Theresianum today strives to educate students to become “self-confident Austrians as well as Europeans with a global outlook.” By embracing the principles of tolerance and humanity, the school endeavors to prepare its graduates to take on “responsible roles in society.” Theresianum’s principles include academic excellence, social responsibility and international achievement.
2. International Focus
Before World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, instruction in Hungarian was mandatory, while learning English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, Bohemian, Slovenian
Slovenian language
Slovene or Slovenian is a South Slavic language spoken by approximately 2.5 million speakers worldwide, the majority of whom live in Slovenia. It is the first language of about 1.85 million people and is one of the 23 official and working languages of the European Union...
, Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...
and Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
was optional. Today, the school’s curriculum requires students to learn three spoken foreign languages (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
) as well as Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. Optional coursework includes Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
, Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
and Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
; native-speaking instructors help teach these classes. Language exchange programs are offered to students in the 4th and 7th grades (U.S. equivalent grades 8 and 11); additional courses are regularly organized in preparation for language competitions. International students from age 15 to 18 can apply for three, five or 10-month study programs at Theresianum; as of 2009, students from 27 different countries attended the school. Theresianum sustains a network of 18 international partner schools, including:
- Belvedere CollegeBelvedere CollegeBelvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. It is also known as St. Francis Xavier's College....
, Ireland - Casterton School for Girls, England
- Colégio Campo de Flores, Portugal
- Collége Joffre, France
- Ecole Alsacienne, France
- Episcopal High SchoolEpiscopal High School (Alexandria, Virginia)Episcopal High School , founded in 1839, is a private boarding school located in Alexandria, Virginia. The Holy Hill's campus houses 435 students from 30 states, the District of Columbia and 17 different countries...
, USA - Gymnasium Ottobrunn, Germany
- Gymnázium Jána Papánka, Slovakia
- Lancaster Royal Grammar SchoolLancaster Royal Grammar SchoolLancaster Royal Grammar School is a voluntary aided, selective grammar school for boys in Lancaster, England. The school has been awarded specialist Technology College and Language College status. Old boys belong to The Old Lancastrians...
, England - Lycée Sainte Agnès, France
- Musashi Junior & Senior High SchoolMusashi Junior & Senior High Schoolis a distinguished privately owned school based in Nerima, Tokyo.It was founded in 1922 as Musashi High School, one of the first two schools using the old seven year system, taking students up to the equivalent of the first two years of university in the current system. It became the prototype for...
, Japan - Rugby SchoolRugby SchoolRugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, England - Tamagawa School, Japan
3. Extra-Curricular Activities
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
By 1910, a wealth of physical education classes, including swimming, dancing, riding and fencing was offered to students to supplement their academic curriculum. Today, Theresianum offers weekly sports courses across 15 disciplines, organizes three dedicated sports weeks (in the 2nd, 3rd and 5th grade, U.S. equivalent grades 6,7 and 9) and operates a school-owned ski club; 20 musical instruments are taught at the school.
4. Boarding School Model
Theresianum operates as a GymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
(U.S. equivalent grades 5 through 12); as of 2010, 815 students attended 33 classes (i.e., 24.7 students per class) and were taught by 130 instructors (i.e., 6.3 students per instructor).
In order to develop well-rounded pupils, Theresianum requires students to attend individual or group study sessions in the afternoons with their instructors. School days typically end between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., depending on the student's age. Grades 1 to 4 (U.S. equivalent grades 5 to 8) have a 5-day school week, while grades 5 to 8 (U.S. equivalent grades 9 to 12) also attend lectures on Saturday mornings. 100 students were also enrolled in Theresianum’s full-boarding option as of 2007.
5. Facilities
Throughout its history, Theresianum has retained parts of its historic park in the center of Vienna (approx. 50,000 m2), and properties in Süßenbrunn and Strechau, outside the city. The school’s sport facilities include an indoor swimming pool, two beach volleyball courts, tennis, soccer and basketball courts, and indoor gyms. All classrooms are equipped with state-of-the-art digital media equipment andscience laboratories are used for biology, physics chemistry classes. The school’s historic rooms (library, etc.) can be used for special events.Outlook
A steering committee consisting of the school’s headmaster, elected parent and student representatives, and project groups continuously monitor quality standards of existing classes and propose new academic or extra-curricular initiatives. Currently, projects such as a new IT learning platform, an extended business and life science curriculum and initiatives with the European Union are being evaluated.Moreover, Theresianum plans on opening a new elementary school and/or kindergarten in fall 2011. Academic curricula are currently being developed, with a special emphasis on full-day service, language courses taught by native speakers, advanced-level coursework for talented students, sports and extra-curricular activities.
Notable alumni
Often referred to as one of Austria’s finest schools, Theresianum has shaped over 260 years of Austrian and European history; its graduates include Nobel Prize winners, political leaders, as well as writers and thinkers across a wide array of disciplines:- Francis II Xaver of Salm-Reifferscheid-KrautheimSalm-Reifferscheid-KrautheimSalm-Reifferscheid-Krautheim was a German statelet, which was created as a succession of Salm-Reifferscheid-Bedbur in 1803. It was raised to a Principality in 1804, and was mediatised to the Austrian Empire and the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1806....
, cardinal and organizer of first successful exhibition on GroßglocknerGroßglocknerThe Grossglockner is, at 3,798 m above sea level, Austria's highest mountain and the highest mountain in the Alps east of the Brenner Pass... - Ferenc SzéchényiFerenc SzéchényiCount Ferenc Széchényi was the founder of the Hungarian National Library and National Museum in Budapest. The library is named after him the National Széchényi Library. He was the father of István Széchenyi.- References :...
, founder of the Hungarian National Library - Joseph Radetzky von RadetzJoseph Radetzky von RadetzJohann Josef Wenzel Graf Radetzky von Radetz was a Czech nobleman and Austrian general, immortalised by Johann Strauss I's Radetzky March...
, Austrian Field Marshal - Josip JelačićJosip JelacicCount Josip Jelačić of Bužim was the Ban of Croatia between 23 March 1848 and 19 May 1859...
, Croatian Ban and Austrian Field Marshal - Tivadar PuskásTivadar PuskásTivadar Puskás was a Hungarian inventor, telephone pioneer, and inventor of the telephone exchange He was also the founder of Telefon Hírmondó.-Biography:...
, Hungarian inventor - Karl LuegerKarl LuegerKarl Lueger was an Austrian politician and mayor of Vienna. The populist and anti-Semitic politics of his Christian Social Party are sometimes viewed as a model for Hitler's Nazism.- Career :...
, mayor of Vienna - Olivier Marquis de Bacquehem, Austrian Minister of Commerce
- Wilhelm Carl Gustav von Doderer, Austrian architect
- Alfonso XII of SpainAlfonso XII of SpainAlfonso XII was king of Spain, reigning from 1874 to 1885, after a coup d'état restored the monarchy and ended the ephemeral First Spanish Republic.-Early life and paternity:Alfonso was the son of Queen Isabella II of Spain, and...
, King of Spain - Konstantin Jireček, Czech diplomat
- Peter AltenbergPeter AltenbergPeter Altenberg was a writer and poet from Vienna, Austria. He was key to the genesis of early modernism in the city.-Biography:...
, Austrian writer - Wlodimir LedóchowskiWlodimir LedochowskiWlodimir Ledóchowski, S.J. was the 26th Superior-General of the Society of Jesus.He was born on the family estate, Sitzenthal, in Loosdorf, near St. Pölten , the son of Count Antoni Halka Ledóchowski...
, General of the Jesuits - István BethlenIstván BethlenCount István Bethlen de Bethlen was a Hungarian aristocrat and statesman and served as Prime Minister from 1921 to 1931....
, Hungarian Prime Minister - Clemens von PirquetClemens von PirquetClemens Peter Freiherr von Pirquet was an Austrian scientist and pediatrician best known for his contributions to the fields of bacteriology and immunology....
, Austrian scientist - Kazimierz TwardowskiKazimierz TwardowskiKazimierz Jerzy Skrzypna-Twardowski was a Polish philosopher and logician.-Life:Twardowski's family belonged to the Ogończyk coat-of-arms.Twardowski studied philosophy in Vienna with Franz Brentano and Robert Zimmermann...
, Polish philosopher - Franz Nopcsa von Felső-SzilvásFranz Nopcsa von Felso-SzilvásBaron Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás was a Hungarian-born aristocrat, adventurer, scholar, and paleontologist...
, Hungarian paleontologist - Friedrich HasenöhrlFriedrich HasenöhrlFriedrich Hasenöhrl , was an Austro-Hungarian physicist.-Life:Friedrich Hasenöhrl was born in Vienna, Austria in 1874. His father was a lawyer and his mother belonged to a prominent aristocratic family...
, Austrian physician - Fritz von Herzmanovsky-Orlando, Austrian author
- Joseph SchumpeterJoseph SchumpeterJoseph Alois Schumpeter was an Austrian-Hungarian-American economist and political scientist. He popularized the term "creative destruction" in economics.-Life:...
, Austrian economist - Count Richard Nikolaus von Coudenhove-Kalergi, founder of the International Paneuropean UnionInternational Paneuropean UnionThe International Paneuropean Union claims to be the oldest European unification movement and is also referred to as the Paneuropean Movement and the Pan-Europa Movement...
- Egon BrunswikEgon BrunswikEgon Brunswik was a psychologist who made contributions to functionalism and the history of psychology.-Early life and career:...
, Austro-American psychologist - Max PerutzMax PerutzMax Ferdinand Perutz, OM, CH, CBE, FRS was an Austrian-born British molecular biologist, who shared the 1962 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with John Kendrew, for their studies of the structures of hemoglobin and globular proteins...
, Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry - Hans HassHans HassHans Hass is a diving pioneer known mainly for his documentaries about sharks, the energon theory, and his commitment, later in life, to the protection of the environment. He was born in Vienna, Austria.-Early years:...
, pioneer of aquatic research - Peter ZinnerPeter ZinnerPeter Zinner was an Austrian-born American filmmaker who worked as a film editor, sound editor, and producer...
, Academy Award winner - Werner Fasslabend, Austrian Minister of Defense
- Hans Winkler, Austrian Ambassador and Secretary of State
- Christoph WaltzChristoph WaltzChristoph Waltz is an Austrian-German actor. He received international acclaim for his portrayal of SS-Standartenführer Hans Landa in the 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the BAFTA, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and...
, Academy Award winner - Ernst H. Gombrich, Austrian Art Historian who was the most important of the 20th century