Going and Not Coming Back: The reports of contemporary Austrian immigrants to Switzerland (1959–1972)

Switzerland was an important country of immigration for Austrians in the 20th century. Based on the biographical narratives and accounts of five Austrian men and women who moved to Switzerland between 1959 and 1972, this article focuses on three factors: the circumstances leading to this permanent move, integration into the host society, and transculturality. In the cases discussed here, individual circumstances were sufficiently heterogeneous to argue that the decision to move was not exclusively driven by economic considerations. Integration in the host society is analyzed in terms of narratives about the naturalization process, the right of foreigners to vote, and various experiences of discrimination. Factors that helped in the integration process included language, family, and career. Finally, actors in transcultural spaces can feel they belong to several cultures at once. In addition to cultivating social contacts, the continued connectedness of these eyewitnesses to Austrian culture is expressed in their ongoing interest in political and socialissues, as well as in Austrian cuisine.