Thomas Assinger Takes Over as Director of the Georg Trakl Research and Memorial Center
The Salzburg Cultural Association is pleased to welcome literary scholar and literary educator Thomas Assinger, a dedicated individual, to its team.
In March 2026, he will assume the directorship of the Georg Trakl Research and Memorial Center and, at the same time, the management of the International Trakl Forum. He thus succeeds Hans Weichselbaum, who has held this position since the memorial center was founded in 1973.
His responsibilities include overseeing the museum in Georg Trakl’s birthplace on Waagplatz, with its collections on the poet’s life, work, and influence; managing the in-house specialized library and the Georg Trakl Archive; and organizing the Trakl Forum’s program of academic and literary events.
Thomas Assinger is the new director of the Georg Trakl Research and Memorial Center
© SKV / ebihara photography
One of his first projects is also a matter close to Thomas Assinger’s heart: the redesign of the literary outreach and educational programs for young people and school classes. The goal is to work with young people, literary educators, and museum educators to develop contemporary formats and innovative materials for museum visits and literary workshops at the memorial. The project “Exhibiting Literature?”, developed in collaboration with the Bundesgymnasium Salzburg-Nonntal, focuses centrally on the cultural participation of students and was awarded a grant by the Federal Ministry of Education as part of the Culture Connected initiative.
With an eye toward the Trakl anniversary year in 2027, Thomas Assinger is planning not only to participate in an international conference marking the anniversary in February but also to organize a special exhibition at the museum, which is intended to offer contemporary artistic perspectives on the work of the Salzburg poet.
He is particularly interested in exploring translations and the global literary reception of the Salzburg poet. This fall, the Georg Trakl Translation Forum will launch a new series of events designed to address these aspects and draw attention to the often behind-the-scenes yet immensely fascinating creative work of translators.
Thomas Assinger looks forward to an open dialogue about Georg Trakl and the memorial’s future activities. Questions, suggestions, and personal conversations are always welcome.
Thomas Assinger (born in 1989 in Villach) studied German, Romance, and Slavic languages and literature in Vienna and Konstanz and subsequently served as a research assistant in modern German literature at the Universities of Vienna and Salzburg. In addition to his academic work, he is actively involved in literary outreach with great enthusiasm.
The attached press photos can be used free of charge in connection with the program of the Salzburg Cultural Association and against naming the photo credit.
