Vienna mourns the death of Eduard Harant: a bridge builder of cultures has died

Vienna mourns the death of Eduard Harant: a bridge builder of cultures has died

The Austrian media entrepreneur and publishing director Eduard Harant died on July 16, 2025 at the age of 95. Vienna's mayor Michael Ludwig was deeply saddened by the loss of this important bridge builder between nations and cultures. Harant's life's work and his tireless commitment to intercultural dialogue have left a lasting impression.

Eduard Harant was born on May 19, 1930 in Vienna and grew up bilingual as the son of Bohemian parents. He began his career in the media and publishing business, where he became director of the Carl Gerold's Sohn publishing house, the oldest publishing house in Austria. At the end of the 1980s he founded Compress Verlagsgesellschaft, which served as a publishing house and agency for foreign communications. Under his leadership, Compress operated eleven foreign offices in Central and Eastern Europe with around 30 employees who were responsible for cultural exchange and information dissemination between Austria and its neighboring countries.

Commitment to intercultural exchange

Harant actively campaigned for the democratic reorganization of Czechoslovakia. In 1989 he supported the Velvet Revolution and acted as a mediator during the transition to a democratic government. His commitment made a significant contribution to promoting cultural exchange between countries. This ambition was also expressed in his participation in the construction of the Karl Renner House in Untertannowitz, which opened in 2005 and promotes exchange between Austria and the Czech Republic.

Another project close to Harant's heart was supporting the bilingual Komenský High School in Vienna, where a marble plaque on the school building was dedicated in his honor. He was also a co-founder of the Austrian-Czech Society in 1994 and was made an honorary member in 2018. This society plays a significant role in intercultural dialogue and has supported many of its initiatives.

Recognition and awards

The international community recognized Harant's exceptional achievements with several awards. These include the T. G. Masaryk Order of the Czech Republic, the Centrope Prize and the Golden Town Hall Man. Václav Klaus, the former President of the Czech Republic, described Harant as his country's best envoy to Austria.

Mayor Michael Ludwig expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved and emphasized: “Thank you Eduard – Děkujeme, Eduarde!” These words reflect gratitude for Harant's life's work, which serves as an inspiration and guide in intercultural dialogue for many. The last celebration in honor of his 95th birthday recently took place in the Schweizerhaus and is a testament to the appreciation he has experienced throughout his life.

Eduard Harant's life and his commitment will be remembered as a significant contribution to international cooperation and intercultural exchange. His legacy lives on in the relationships between nations that he promoted through his work.