!!!Geographie

Geography, the science of the human environment and the interrelations 
between the environment and society. The environment is in this 
context seen as the landscape formed by Nature (natural landscape) or 
as the product of human action (man-made or cultural landscape). 
Geography describes unique spatial structures and analyses the 
regularity of interactions. It sees itself as an empirical integrative 
science which deals with aspects of both the natural and social 
sciences.

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Austrian scholars have made remarkable contributions to the 
geographical exploration of Earth. Geography has been a discipline of 
research and teaching at Austrian universities since the middle of the 
19th century. The first Chair of Physical Geography was established at 
the University of Vienna in 1851; Graz followed in 1867, Innsbruck in 
1880. A second chair (Cultural Geography) was established in Vienna in 
1885. The Geographic Cabinet founded in 1853 became the Department of 
Geography in 1885, which incorporated both these Chairs. The 
"Geographische Gesellschaft in Wien" (now " Oesterreichische 
 Geographische Gesellschaft"), was founded in 1856. One of its 
objectives has been the organisation and financing of exploratory 
expeditions (particularly before 1918). At present there are Chairs of 
Geography at the universities of Vienna, Graz. Innsbruck, Salzburg and 
Klagenfurt.

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One chapter of physical geography that has received particular 
attention in Austria is geomorphology. International recognition has 
been gained in the field of classical Alpine morphology by the work of 
J.  Soelch, H.  Spreitzer, A.  Leidlmair, T. Pippan and E. Seefeldner. 
In the field of Quaternary morphology the work of L. Weinberger, H. 
Kohl, Hans  Fischer, Julius  Fink, K. Wiche, H.  Bobek, H. Spreitzer, 
E.  Lichtenberger, H.  Kinzl, H.  Paschinger, H.  Heuberger, F.  Fliri 
and G. Patzelt deserves particular attention. Other focal points of 
scientific research have been glaciology (H. Kinzl, H. Paschinger, H. 
Heuberger and H. Slupetzky), the study of loess deposits (esp. A. 
Penck, G.  Goetzinger and J. Fink) and Witterungsklimatologie 
(roughly, "synoptic climatology") (F. Fliri, H. Wakonigg).

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Leading representatives of cultural geography and regional geography 
have been A. Supan and N.  Krebs as well as the holders of chairs of 
geography at Vienna University, E. Oberhummer, H.  Hassinger, H. Bobek 
and E. Lichtenberger. International recognition has also been gained 
in the fields of social geography (H. Bobek), urban geography (E. 
Lichtenberger), population geography (H. Kinzl) and agricultural 
geography (E.  Arnberger, F. Fliri, A. Leidlmair).

!Literature
E. Lichtenberger, Forschungsrichtungen der Geographie. Das 
oesterreichische Beispiel 1945-1975, in: Mitteilungen der 
Oesterreichischen Geographischen Gesellschaft 117, Vienna 1975.


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