The Obere Haupststrasse with still unpaved road. © Franz Feucht

A / Bgld: Sieggraben: Topotheque online

On February 3rd, the Topotheque of the community of Sieggraben was presented to the public in a packed event hall by Topothequer Elisabeth Feucht and Alexander Schatek. Mayor Andreas Gradwohl, who opened the Topotheque, sees the Topotheque as an opportunity to make the extensive collection of Franz Feucht, who has been working as a community photographer for decades, digitally accessible. Elisabeth Feucht can use her father‘s photos as the basis for the Sieggraben Topotheque – entirely in his spirit. Further documents that will come from private hands can be used as new sources of knowledge for an updated chronicle to be written in the future. Historically valuable photos have already been brought by guests of the opening event. These include pictures from the inside of courtyards, which are private jewels due to their location and document everyday events as well as buildings, most of which have already disappeared. Construction sites of the first single-family houses from the 1960s are unique items that were only kept in the respective family and are therefore particularly noteworthy. The streets of that time are no longer recognizable with today‘s vegetation and expansion. Some of these holdings will become visible in the Topotheque in the near future. Specific insights into the official history are possible with a proof of employment from 1947, a property tax notice from 1948, a wage tax card from 1940, an electricity bill from 1950 and the parish news from 1966. The loud reaction to a class photo from the 1960s showed that the memories of many were still present in the hall: the long-time teacher was seen in an unusual outfit, namely a pullover. That wouldn‘t be unusual, but all the children at that time only remembered their teacher as wearing a suit.