Paradeisergasse

Yes, I would like to say something about Paradeisergasse. When I was in secondary school — not in Klagenfurt, but in Treibach-Althofen — once a year you could submit an application to Klagenfurt for a merit scholarship. The Regional School Board was based in Paradeisergasse and I always wondered why the street was called that. “Paradeiser” means tomato, and a “tomato street” sounded rather strange to me. But “Paradeis” could also mean “paradise” … perhaps the name came from that? At the time, of course, I didn’t know.

By now, you have probably found out, Lieselore: the name comes from the burgrave Augustin Paradeiser, who lived in the castle and was an important citizen of Klagenfurt and a representative of the Provincial Estates in the sixteenth century. He represented the administration and made sure that everything in the city functioned properly and that the citizens remained under control. The castle alongside which Paradeisergasse runs was the seat of the burgraves and has a long history: it was originally built as a school for the young citizens of Klagenfurt — naturally only boys at the time — who studied there. There is also an account from the beginning of the seventeenth century stating that there was even an astronomical observatory in the heart of the city. Today the building houses the Museum of Modern Art Carinthia, and therefore an important cultural institution. But unfortunately, in its 500-year history, it has also gone through dark periods: during National Socialism, between 1938 and 1945, it was the headquarters of the secret state police, the Gestapo, and terrible crimes were committed in the courtyard. Today, all this is part of history and we must confront it. And I would say that tomatoes have little to do with any of this.

Even though they are very good.

Yes, and since Augustin Paradeiser was an important citizen of Klagenfurt, his family coat of arms was naturally displayed in the Great Hall of Coats of Arms, where — if I remember correctly — there are over 600 coats of arms, one of which is dedicated to the Paradeiser family. And perhaps it can still be seen there today.