While she was still alive

City Buys Jelinek Art Collection for 600,000 Euros!

Elfriede Jelinek is considered one of the most influential voices in contemporary literature on the international stage. The city is now securing her literary archive.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Fotokerschi.at, AFP/Joe Klamar)

Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Elfriede Jelinek is now donating part of her life’s work to the City of Vienna. The city is digging deep into its pockets for this: a hefty sum of 600,000 euros is set to be paid for what is known as a “partial bequest.” But why now—in the midst of budget cuts? The FPÖ is speaking out against it.

It is a significant piece of Austrian literary history: Elfriede Jelinek’s partial estate. That is, documents and works that a person donates to an archive or library while still alive. The city has now decided to purchase this collection for more than half a million euros. However, the purchase comes at a time of financial strain.

“Unmistakably Viennese”: In 2023, Jelinek was officially named an honorary citizen of the City of Vienna. Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) and City Councilor for Culture Veronika Kaup-Hasler presented her with the award.(Bild: PID/Christian Jobst)

City Rejects Criticism
The city speaks of a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” and a world-class cultural heritage. In response to an inquiry from “Krone,” the responsible department, MA 9 (Vienna Library in City Hall), stated: “Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek is Austria’s most significant contemporary literary figure; her work is read, performed, and discussed worldwide. The acquisition of her literary archive represents a major opportunity for the City of Vienna—where Jelinek lives and writes—to preserve this significant cultural heritage. The estimated purchase price of 600,000 euros is in line with comparable acquisitions of significant writers’ collections in Austria.”  

 The purchase offers no benefit whatsoever to the people of Vienna and is a pure waste of money.

FPÖ-Wien Gemeinderat Lukas Brucker

Bild: Alois Endl

The Freedom Party (FPÖ) has leveled fierce criticism at the purchase. “While the city is broke, the red-pink city government wants to transfer 600,000 euros to Elfriede Jelinek,” rants FPÖ Vienna cultural spokesperson Lukas Brucker. Given the current need for austerity measures, this expensive purchase is incomprehensible. The relevant culture committee is set to meet on Tuesday afternoon, when the purchase is to be officially approved. The FPÖ intends to vote against it.

Incidentally, the “Jelinek estate” consists of manuscripts and typescripts, correspondence, personal documents, and collections assembled by the author herself. But how did they arrive at the hefty sum of 600,000 euros?

According to the city, the price was set based on two appraisals. For purchase prices of 70,000 euros or more, an external appraisal by an independent expert is required in addition to an internal appraisal.  

Elfriede Jelinek’s partial estate is to be made publicly accessible at the Vienna Library in City Hall after it has been processed.(Bild: Christian Jobst / PID)

The city plans to disclose the exact number of individual documents contained therein only if the purchase goes through. In any case, high costs for storage are not expected. Transportation will be organized internally by the city administration; according to the city, the subsequent archiving, processing, and cataloging fall under the Vienna Library’s ongoing core operations. And then the public will also benefit from this 600,000-euro treasure: Once processed, the collection is to be made accessible. 

By way of comparison: In 2022, the Austrian National Library paid as much as 2.1 million euros for Thomas Bernhard’s estate. However, the Bernhard collection was said to be significantly more extensive and comprehensive, including, among other things, all of his works, extensive correspondence, and unpublished material.