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The iron curtain slicing through the territories of the former Habsburg empire formed the decisive challenge for the charismatic Austrian diplomat Bernhard Stillfried, who has died aged 86. As a far-sighted proponent of the soft power of cultural politics, he used his base at the foreign ministry in Vienna to establish Austrian libraries and cultural institutes in cities such as Chernitvtsi, in Ukraine, and Sarajevo, paving the way for their reintegration into the European family.
published date:Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:07:36 GMT