The "Fußach affair"

When a ship christening enraged the region

Around 20,000 people demonstrated in Fußach on November 21, 1964(Bild: Vorarlberger Landesbibliothek/Spang)

In November 60 years ago, the so-called "Fußach Affair" caused a stir in Vorarlberg. Opinions are still divided today on how the events of that time were received.

Basically, it was a trivial matter: the state-owned company ÖBB had a new ship built for Lake Constance - and incidentally also paid for it. And, as we all know, such a proud ship needs to be christened - and that's where things came to a head: while the state argued for the name "Vorarlberg", the responsible Federal Transport Minister Otto Probst (SPÖ) had other things in mind: he decided to christen the boat "Karl Renner" in honor of a great Social Democrat. The fact that he stubbornly ignored the supposed will of the people of Vorarlberg was anything but well received in the region. Spurred on by a campaign in the "Vorarlberger Nachrichten" newspaper, politicians, civil servants and sections of the population mobilized against this "arbitrary act". The situation escalated on November 21, the day the ship was christened: in the run-up to the ceremony, the "VN" had really stirred people up, and on the day of the ceremony the front page read: "Minister Probst snubs and provokes the whole of Vorarlberg. The 'Vorarlberger Nachrichten', the largest newspaper in the state, is therefore calling on the population to take part in a demonstration today to mark the christening ceremony in Fußach at 11 am."

The "Vorarlberg" is still sailing on Lake Constance today.(Bild: Vorarlberger Landesbibliothek/Spang)

The protest was also quite creative.(Bild: Vorarlberger Landesbibliothek/Spang)

Around 20,000 people responded to the call. The protest was not peaceful; the guests of honor from Vienna were sometimes pelted with eggs, tomatoes and rotten fruit. Probst decided not to travel to Fußach due to the heated atmosphere and the baptism was subsequently canceled.

The outcome of the story is well known: In the end, Probst had to christen the ship in the Korneuburg shipyard with the name "Vorarlberg". A case brought against those responsible at the "Vorarlberger Nachrichten" for incitement was dropped almost a year later. Opinions on the reception of the "Fußach Affair" are still divided today. While some people stylize the case as a monument to Vorarlberg identity, others have a more sober view of the events. After all, the Fußach affair was basically one thing above all: a lesson in how politics can be made with resentment.