Three years ago, the great project „Our communities in the olden days“ started in the LEADER region Weinviertel Ost, supervised by DI Christine Filipp: Because a lot of historical knowledge in the form of photos is often hidden in drawers and cupboards in private households and thus lost forever the LEADER Region Weinviertel-Ost called for the digitization of the old photos and film material. The aim of the project was to create awareness of the history of the community and the region among the population and thus strengthen the connection to home. Around 45 communities were won over for this project. In just three years, the more than 200 volunteer Topothequers managed to secure and process more than 100,000 images and videos. The crowning glory of the three-year project was the closing party on April 26, 2022 in Poysdorf‘s Reichensteinhof, which was attended by 130 Topothequers. Managing director of the LEADER region DI Christine Filipp hosted the evening, which was also attended by LAbg Melanie Erasim and host Mayor Thomas Grießl. As speakers, Mag. Wolfgang Galler – he accompanied the project as a historian, Topotheque founder Alexander Schatek, Elisabeth Loinig from the Lower Austrian State Archive and LEADER chairman Mayor Kurt Jantschitsch reported many exciting facts about the project and the history of the eastern Weinviertel. The LEADER project has now come to an end, but the Topotheques are being taken over and continued by the municipalities.
Happy about what has been achieved and a big thank you to all the Topothequers who set up the Topotheques in the Weinviertel. LAbg. Melanie Erasim, Historian Mag. Dr. Galler, Management LEADER Region Weinviertel-Ost DI Christine Filipp, Alexander Schatek, Stv. Dir. State Archive of Lower Austria Mag. Elisabeth Loinig, Chairman LEADER Mayor Kurt Jantschitsch © Bianca Christenheit