One of the key goals of this COST Action is the publication of the compendium Print Culture and Public Spheres in Central Europe (1500–1800)—and the project is now gaining real momentum. At present, 67 authors from 21 countries and 11 disciplines are involved, making the compendium a genuinely international and interdisciplinary collaboration.
An important milestone on this path was the recent hybrid conceptual retreat in Vienna from February 17–19, 2026.34 contributors took part in person, while additional colleagues joined online, allowing as many members as possible to participate in the discussions and planning.
The retreat was not only productive in formal terms; it also created the kind of collegial atmosphere that large collaborative projects need. Coffee breaks, shared lunches and dinners, and a visit to a traditional Viennese Heurigen opened up space for informal conversations, new connections, and deeper exchange across chapter teams.
At the heart of the retreat were four plenary sessions, which helped move the project forward in concrete ways. Together, participants:
- agreed on clear guidelines for writing the chapters,
- identified and prioritised open questions,
- finalised the table of contents,
- coordinated the writing, peer-review, and feedback phases, and
- confirmed the overall timeline and milestones.
With these discussions completed, the compendium now rests on a strong shared foundation. The next step is to move from abstracts to full chapters—bringing the project steadily closer to its completion at the end of the COST Action in 2028.
All fotos by Mona Garloff & Marion Romberg