The Danube and the wetland around the city of Vienna have attracted rowers from the start. In 1863 first rowing club "Lia" was founded - in what was then still the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Hapsburg Empire. Soon others followed suit: clubs were started in Linz, Bregenz and many Alpine lakes. With the end of World War I women were finally admitted. In 1918 the Viennese rowing club "Donaubund" was the first one in Austria to accept female rowers. In the 20ies rowing races attracted huge crowds. During World War II the Nazis immediately engrossed all rowing and sporting clubs with their ideology. Many Viennese Jewish rowers had to flee Austria or were murdered; Other Austrian rowers were drafted to the army. A few years into the war all rowing activities stopped. Today rowing is enjoyed all over Austria. It is has a small, but very active and tightly-knit rowing community. Men still outnumber women in all Austrian rowing clubs. Many high schools have special rowing programs, and most clubs are open to experienced foreign rowers, who want to row somewhere else. Donations for the club are always appreciated. There are the calm waters of the Alte Donau near Vienna, the torrential Danube, where rowing downstream is easy- coming back might not be... and the placid lakes of Carinthia, Salzburg and Vorarlberg- so explore Austria and its rowing culture.