Hainburg was once the easternmost point in Austria, a border town with Slovakia, the gateway to an “alien” world behind the Iron Curtain. Today, Austria has moved from being the easternmost part of Europe to the centre of the continent, and this gate, the Wienertor built in 1290 is now a worthy symbol of a new united Europe.

However, this monument was in dire need of restoration and funds were lacking, a novel project was launched where the 10 new acceding States to the EU were invited by Hainburg to feature works of art by some of their most prominent artists on the scaffolding structure which shelters the restoration works in course.

The Wienertor was built during the reign of King Ottokar of Bohemia between 1265 and 1270. During his reign there was the initial idea to form a league of small European countries.

The Wienertor, which was a present to Ottokar’s favourite town, has suffered more recently since the East borders were opened than in the 700 years before.

It is the eye of a needle on one of the most important west-east connections in central Europe, namely the federal road B9, a very frequented road – between Vienna and Bratislava.

If Ottokar II had not been defeated by the German Emperor, the Habsburg Rudolf I, in the battle of Dürnkrut in 1278, Europe might not look like it is today.

The marriage of Ottokar to Margarethe of Babenberg (1252) brought Ottokar great parts of the Babenberg empire, which formed the central part of Austria and this was also the main reason for disputes with the – at that time unknown – Habsburgs.

Ottokar’s ambitions of obtaining the German Emperor’s Crown were nullified by many small states and their electors.

To prevent a dispute with Rudolf I, Ottokar II agreed to renounce his claim on these parts of the empire with one exception – Hainburg he wanted to keep. In the end he lost his life in a battle fighting for to keep Hainburg.

Ottokar’s vision of a league of small European states collapsed for the time being….

Vienna International Airport was approached by the Hainburg authorities to finance the Malta month owing to its significant interests in Malta International Airport. This contact initiated a long process of preparation to organise the event which only last night marked yet another important connection between Malta in the centre of the Mediterranean – a bridge between north and south, and Austria in the centre of Europe, a bridge between west and east.

Malta International Airport saw this appeal as being in line with its policy of supporting the Maltese community through the main features intrinsically connected to society – culture, the environment and sport.

The event took place in the Galerie Am Hauptplatz in Hainburg just opposite the historic Wienertor. Austrian dignitaries from Vienna travelled to the border town to mingle with their counterparts from Hainburg and the Maltese delegation led by the chairman and CEO of Malta International Airport, Michael Hoeferer and Peter Bolech respectively, as well as the Ambassador of Malta for Austria Walter Balzan.

The two works of art by Luciano Micallef and Daniel Cilia, Reflections of Europe and Faces of Neolithic Europe will dominate the scene and the town throughout this month.