The splendor is gone, the monarchy is gone, even the Prater, Hitler and Haider are gone, no more Felix Austria, no world empire, nothing. In the Natural History Museum, death looks macabrely through all the glass panes of the old display cases, the glass eyes of the dead animals glow. The Viennese are experts in preservation and specialists in appearance. They are hugging taxidermists. And death can look more lively and powerful here than life itself. Franz Joseph, Maria Theresia, Sisi - they all still live here, and the ghosts from Heldenplatz also cheer and scream. The dead walk among us, and they are very lively.