Born in 1943 - during our birth, World War II raged around us. Foreign uniforms were part of our childhood's everyday life, even in peacetime. We delighted in care packages, learned about black market trading, and went hoarding. We were twelve years old when Leopold Figl presented the state treaty to a cheering crowd on the balcony of Schloss Belvedere. In our youth, we experienced the economic miracle and were fascinated by everything that came to us from across the big pond: Coca-Cola, chewing gum, cinema, jeans, petticoats, and rock 'n' roll.