Austrian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Austria is a landlocked country in central Europe, with the Alps covering much of its land and Vienna, one of Europe's great cultural capitals, on the Danube. German is the official language. Austrians in Birmingham include academics, professionals, students and families.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 35 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Austrian.

Working for Birmingham

Austrian residents work in research, engineering, music, healthcare, business and education, and Austrian academics teach at the city's universities. Austria's strong engineering and manufacturing sectors mean many Austrians bring technical skills that suit Birmingham.

Every community that has settled in Birmingham has helped to shape it. Newcomers have filled gaps in the workforce, opened shops and restaurants, and raised children who have gone on to become the city's doctors, teachers, engineers and entrepreneurs. The Austrian community is part of that tradition of hard work and ambition, and of the city's own motto: Forward.

Culture and community life

Vienna's music, from Mozart and Haydn to Strauss waltzes, is loved worldwide, and Birmingham's own concert halls often perform it. Christmas markets, schnitzel, apple strudel and Sachertorte are Austrian gifts to the world, and Viennese coffee house culture is recognised by UNESCO. Austrian families bring their Advent traditions with them, from wreaths and calendars to baking vanilla crescent biscuits, and many enjoy Birmingham's own Christmas market for a taste of home.

For anyone who wants to learn more, the best introduction is the simplest one: say hello. Birmingham's communities are at their best when they meet, share food and learn from one another, and the Austrian community is a warm part of that everyday exchange.