The Trakl Memorial Place
(Salzburg, Waagplatz 1a)

In the brochure being displayed on site (April, 2004), the curator Dr. Hans Weichselbaum writes:

The homeowner's resolution in the year 1970 to use the house not for commercial purposes but for cultural was based on the condition that the first floor could be furnished as a memorial place for Georg Trakl, who was born here on February 3, 1887. The county of Salzburg rented two floors and the ground floor rooms to accommodate here a set of cultural organizations and handed over the memorial place in 1973 to the care of the Salzburg Cultural Union. With the opening, the last surviving sister of Georg Trakl, Mrs. Maria Geipel, was present. The 90-year-old died in the same year. The beautiful furniture in the today's memorial place originates from her bequest; they are a remnant of the Trakl family estate.

Since that time in regular guided tours many in-country and foreign visitors could receive a modest insight into the origin of the poet and thereby a suggestion as to the occupation with his work. With this Georg Trakl was finally publicly recognized at the place of his birth and childhood, and in fact understood as a reference to his poetic achievement, not as commercial marketing. In the small museum a portion of the not very extensive documentary material was exhibited: photos of the family members, certificates of the poet, handwritings, typescripts, the self-portrait, a portrait-bust and more. In addition, an archive was created of the primary and secondary literature, translations, Trakl-texts set to music, and graphical works about him which is available to the lovers of Trakl's lyric poetry and for scientific activity. The assets within both areas are constantly expanded. The most important augmentation was the acquisition of the bequeaths of Erhard Buschbeck, from which tracts are constantly issued.

In each case on the day of death and birth one or more meetings are carried out, which clarify the scientific and artistic analysis of Trakl's work and its effect. In 1977 a set of Trakl experts convened a Symposium, which has provided the inspiration for similar meetings in other European countries. Since that time, four further symposiums have taken place in the Trakl house.
On the 100th birthday in February 1987, the Salzburg Cultural Union was induced to extend and thoroughly renovate the Georg Trakl research and memorial place. Meanwhile for this purpose the county of Salzburg, owner of the house, l eft to them all of the first floor rooms to be used in the following ways: as commemorative rooms in which the remaining still available furnishings of Mrs. Geipel and a sound picture show as a hopefully helpful introduction could be housed; as archive and research rooms, and as a small library with contemporary literature from Salzburg.
In the same year, the International Trakl Forum was founded with support by the town and county of Salzburg within the scope of the Salzburg Cultural Union, that accompanies and supports all activities for the promotion of the work of Georg Trakl and produces a connection with contemporary literature and other areas of art. It is open for personalities and experts who are interested in the intermediation and spreading of the work of Georg Trakl.

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