Accociation of Austrian Armenian Studies (ÖASG)
The ÖASG was founded on February 16, 1998.
The purpose of the association is to promote Armenian studies in Austria, primarily through lectures (which are mostly open to the public) and the organization (or co-organization) of academic symposiums. This aims to foster a deeper understanding of Armenian history, culture, art, religion, and society, considering neighboring cultures (notably Byzantine and Georgian). Occasionally, academic works may also be published.
From its foundation until 2010, Archbishop Hon. Prof. Dr. Mesrob K. Krikorian served as chairman, thereafter, remaining as deputy chairman until his passing in 2017. From 2010 to 2023, the co-founder of the association, Prof. Dr. Werner Seibt, acted as chairman, and has been elected honorary president afterwards.
Currently, 5-6 academic lectures are offered annually (mostly in cooperation with the Institute of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at the University of Vienna, in its lecture hall), presented in either German or English. In collaboration with this university institute and the (then) Commission for Byzantine Studies of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, two major international symposiums were organized: in 1999, "The Christianization of the Caucasus - The Christianization of Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, Albania)" and in 2005, "The Emergence of Caucasian Alphabets as a Cultural-Historical Phenomenon - The Creation of the Caucasian Alphabets as Phenomenon of Cultural History", the proceedings of which were published by the Austrian Academy of Sciences Press. In 2008, Ch. Stavrakos, A.-K. Wassiliou, and M.K. Krikorian published the volume "Hypermachos, Festschrift for Werner Seibt on his 65th Birthday" (commissioned by Harrassowitz Publishers) through the ÖASG.
The current board is composed as follows:
President: Prof. Dr. Lioba THEIS
Deputy President: PDoz. Dr. Johannes PREISER-KAPELLER
Secretary: PDoz. Dr. Johannes PREISER-KAPELLER
Deputy Secretary: Dr. Benedetta CONTIN
Treasurer: Dr. Ekaterini MITSIOU
Deputy Treasurer: Prof. Dr. Ernst GAMILLSCHEG
Advisory Board Members: Univ.Doz. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jasmine DUM-TRAGUT; Fr. Vahan Sarkis HOVAGIMIAN; Patriarchal Delegate Bishop Tiran PETROSYAN; Prof. Dr. Claudia RAPP; Prof. Dr. Werner SEIBT; Prof. Mag. Dr. Alexandra-Kyriaki WASSILIOU-SEIBT
Auditors: Mag. Su Sultan AKÜLKER MA; Dr. Wolfgang LANZ
Honorary President: Prof. Dr. Werner SEIBT
Honorary Members: His Holiness the Catholicos and Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians, His Eminence Archbishop emeritus of Vienna Christoph Cardinal Schönborn. The respective abbot of the Vienna Mechitharists has observer status.
http://oeaw.academia.edu/OEASG
https://de-de.facebook.com/Oesterreich.Armenien
Membership contributions: Regular members with email access €20,--, others reachable only by postal mail €25,--, students €10,--, supporting members €150,--. Fortunately, most members contribute more than the required amount. Anyone wishing to become a new member is invited to contact the secretary (johannes.preiser-kapeller@oeaw.ac.at).