There is also mourning in the Catholic Church for the musician Willi Resetarits, alias “Ostbahn-Kurti”, who died unexpectedly on Sunday. With Resetarits, “Burgenland, the ethnic group of Burgenland-Croats and all of Austria are losing a voice that not only gave incomparable melodies, but also the disadvantaged and disenfranchised in our society,” he said Eisenstadt Bishop Ägidius J. Zsifkovics in his obituary on Monday “deeply affected”. In addition to the artistic merits of Resetarits, he particularly appreciated his humane and humanitarian commitment. The Caritas representatives Michael Landau and Klaus Schwertner also expressed grief.
“In his multifaceted musical career, Resetarits has always used his success for social and socio-political projects,” Zsifkovics recalled. “He didn’t remain, which would have been a lot, the musician with socio-political messages, but had a very concrete effect through his many social initiatives such as the Vienna Integrationshaus.” The bishop from Eisenstadt, who himself belonged to the Croatian minority, always saw in the deceased – as he said – a “figurehead of a special virtue in Burgenland and especially in Burgenland-Croatia” – namely a willingness to help. It is precisely his humble origins that has kept Resetarits a big heart for all those who don’t have it easy in life, says Zsifkovics, who also has his roots in Stinatz: “The ‘big caps’, as Ostbahn-Kurti would have put it, never have him impressed.” And he “actually did what the Pope recommends to all Christians: to leave your comfort zone and get your hands dirty!”
“Leaves a painful void”
Caritas President Landau and Caritas Vienna Director Schwertner commented on Facebook on Sunday about Willi Resetarits. His sudden accidental death “leaves a painful void and is a bitter loss,” Landau wrote. The intertwining of artistic and social commitment encouraged and inspired many people to help others. Resetarits have “contributed a great deal to peaceful and respectful coexistence in our country,” bowed the Caritas boss to a “bridge builder.”
Klaus Schwertner wrote “Oh no. Kurtl is no more” and remembered “countless and unforgettable” concerts by Resetarits that he witnessed. How tirelessly the deceased fought for human rights and humanity throughout his life “is and remains exemplary. He was a real fighter for humanity”.
Willi Resetarits was born in Stinatz on December 21, 1948 as the son of Burgenland-Croatian parents and grew up speaking Croatian like his siblings. The trained sports and English teacher was soon drawn to the stage, but the later fictional character “Dr. Kurt Ostbahn” never quite shed its folk-educational character. He first became a member of the band “Schmetterlinge”, which became known beyond Austria’s borders with their political oratorio “Proleten Passion” (1976). In October 2021, Resetarits released the album “Elapetsch” with his band “Stubnblues” and dealt with death in a musical way.
Willi Resetarits was also a co-founder of SOS Mitmensch, appeared against xenophobia at the “Lichtermeer” in 1993, campaigned for asylum in need and was an obstetrician at the Vienna Integrationshaus. On Saturday evening he opened the Viennese Refugee Ball.
Willi Resetarits has received many awards for his diverse musical work and also for his work as a human rights activist, including the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art (2013), the Amadeus Austrian Music Award for Lifetime Achievement (2017 and the Golden Medal for Services to the Country Vienna (2019).
Source: Kathpress