  From the point of view of an uncompromising field theorist quantum gravity is
beset with serious technical and, above all, conceptual problems with regard
especially to the meaning of genuine "physical" observables. This situation is
not really improved by the appearance of recent attempts to reformulate gravity
within some novel framework.However, the original aim, a background-independent
quantum theory of gravity, can be achieved in a particular area, namely 2d
dilaton quantum gravity without any assumptions beyond standard quantum field
theory. Some important by-products of the research of the "Vienna School"
include the introduction of the concept of Poisson-Sigma models, a verification
of the "virtual Black Hole" and the extensions to N = (1,1) and N = (2,2)
2d-supergravity, for which complete solutions of some old problems have been
possible which are relevant for superstring theory
