Famous Austrians XIV: Erwin Schrödinger

Erwin Schrödinger is generally considered the father of quantum mechanics, and the man behind the famous "Schrödinger's cat" theory in quantum physics.

Born in Vienna in 1887, Schrödinger was a gifted mathematics student and devoured the works of Schopnehauer. He earned his doctorate in 1914 (receiving the highest honors possible) and later that year worked as a commissioned officer in World War I. After the war, he had several professorships at leading European universities before winding up at the University of Zurich.

In 1935, he worked on his Schrödinger's cat experiment with Einstein, and won the Nobel prize. Due to an unorthodox lifestyle (living with his wife and mistress and expecting the university to fund what no doubt had been labeled as - at the least - licentious), he found it easy to find - yet difficult to keep - a professorial position. He accepted visiting positions, from Berlin to Graz to Oxford.

Because of his known anti-Nazi position, after the Anschluss in 1939, he could no longer life and work in Germany (Austria) and found himself in Dublin at the Institute for Advanced Studies.

For those of you unfamiliar with the quantum theory of physics, it is fascinating, though a little freaky. Basically, everything you know about physics can be thrown out the window when applying quantum theory because there are more than the three dimensions we know exists. Scientists are unsure of the number of dimensions that do exist, but current estimates are up to eleven - ELEVEN! That's so awesome, it's almost hard to believe!

Because of Schrödinger, much of the current research done in the quantum realm is in Vienna, though there is also plenty of research being done throughout the rest of the world, including in Paris and many parts of the United States. For more information, PBS has a good explanation - plus, the related (but different) string theory.

MAK it Yourself

In my quest to get the most out of Vienna, a couple of weeks ago, Jake and I decided to brave the Museum für angewandete Kunst, or, the Museum of Applied Arts. It's free on Saturdays, 90% of its appeal. Not that I don't like furniture. It's a necessary part of life! I am not too keen on calling it art, though.

The Viennese seem to be perpetually atwitter about applied arts, however: just think of the hundreds of antiques stores that dot the city! And don't get me wrong, there were plenty of cool things in the museum.

Here are some pictures: 

Do-up of Rococo room

Persian rugs and imperial family:

Habsburgs

 

Porcelain figurines: 

Coffee pot:

Stained glass windows: 

Blown glass and cut glass dishware: 

Do-up of industrial kitchen:

Batik wallpaper: 

Furnace or samovar (What are these called?):

Ingenious recycling plan that uses dead people as pigeon feed and fertilizer (ultimately doing away with cemeteries and landfills, but keeping the distinctly loveable Wiener Schmäh):

Cake decorator, like used at Aida and other Viennese bakeries:

...and right behind the cake display is the dead-body-recycling display:

yum?

A "wool" coat made out of human hair: 

and shoes!!

Gustav Kilmt museum exhibit #3092 in Vienna -- his other mural sketches:

And finally, a view of the building:

 Like 85% of the public buildings in Vienna (including university buildings, public toilets, spas, museums, theaters, and pre-war carnival pavilions), the MAK is an extraordinarily beautiful building. I guess it goes to show, time and again, that Vienna is a city that was built for an emperor! No skimping on the marbled columns, hand-painted ceilings, or mosaic glass windows. After all, what emperor in his right mind would have a budget?

Bohemian Rhapsody

Rhapsodic, perhaps not, but enjoyable to say the least! After Hungary, the family went to Prague for a few days, to get a feel for the city. Here is the Old Town Square (most famous, I believe):

Hard Rock Cafe

 

 Though Budapest was decidedly Mom's favorite city, Prague was Dad's. He mentioned how much he loved the old buildings and the grime that made it all more "real". Well, cool. I can't help but agree, though I may have put it differently.

We enjoyed ourselves, though it was rainier than in Budapest or Vienna. We had one good day, one rainy day (when we went to see Prague Castle) and it was quite a bit colder - though, Prague is rather farther north than Budapest.  

We watched the Astronomical Clock, as everyone who visits Prague does. It's so beautiful and amazingly accurate, to miss it would be sacrilege, really, to the code of the traveler.
























We did most of the touristy things - the Jewish quarter, Prague castle, lots of walking; we did not make it to the Kafka museum before it closed, sadly, but it was not a total bust: we drank plenty of beer!

Old Town Hall

One of the places we went to was a pub devoted to Vlad the Impaler. I know, I know! You're thinking, "What?!?! That's worse than those vampire nuts!" Well, it was Mom's suggestion, and right across from our guesthouse, so we figured, why not? It was an unexpected good time.

not the vampire bar, just the absinth museum

The bar was not actually open for business, but the door was unlocked, and the owner and his friends were smoking pot and playing X-box games when we came in. We really were just going to head right back out and find a different place down the road, but the owner insisted we sit down and make ourselves comfortable. He didn't know a lot of English, but he knew enough. He ran out to the store (or maybe even to his own apartment) and brought us back bottles of beer.

How could we refuse him when he went to all that trouble? The walls were all in red, and there were framed posters of Vlad, plus some medieval reproductions on the walls and other posters of vampires (none from Twilight) which made me think of some of my sister's goth-obsessed friends from high school. But just vaguely.

Another crazy interlude was a transvestite strip club we happened upon while looking for a restroom and/or a place to have dinner. I wanted to go to the Rilke cafe (named after the poet), but it was too expensive - or so everyone else said. Mom walked further down the street to this little hole-in-the-wall place, which turned out to be the transvestite strip club. It was only about 6 PM, and they were not really open for business. I think the bouncer tried to convince Mom it was not a family place (thus discouraging her) in Czech, but she couldn't understand him. Turns out, the pole in the middle of a stage, off the dining room, was proof enough - no explanation necessary.

I rented an apartment again for us, since it's so much cheaper than a hotel. In Europe, you can't have more than two adults in a hotel room without having to pay a tax (or pay for another room), but if you stay in a "guesthouse" you can circumvent that and pay less - so we did. This one in Prague was unfortunately grungier than the one in Budapest (and for some reason run by Pakistanis) but it was comfortable enough...and they had cats! 

We saw two, both of which came into our apartment because of the rain. We couldn't get rid of them! And they looked just like our cats - one was black and one was a tiger cat - a boy and girl. I named the boy Clemens (male derivative of Clementine, or Tina for short) and the other one Julia II (for our black cat Julia). Julia II is expecting kittens, and we're pretty sure we know who the father is...

Sam and Clemens

Julia II

Here are some more pictures of the Charles Bridge, the Jewish quarter, and Prague Castle, including the King Solomon's restaurant (which I thought was distasteful, but Mom thought was funny):

Golem?

Mom, Dad and Sam leave for home today. I'm leaving Austria myself soon. Wondering at the moment if I can get in everything I need to, since today is Corpus Christi, and (like all Catholic holidays in Austria) nothing is open. I'm obliged to put off everything to tomorrow before I go to the airport. Einfach ist das Leben nicht!