In the Upper Austrian Hausruckviertel, in the Eferding district, you can now travel virtually through the past of the village of Fraham. The Fraham Topotheque is now online as part of the Eferdinger Land LEADER region project and starts with the oldest exhibit that can answer the question of what wealthy people used to be able to live on in old age. It is a register from the 18th century that regulates the income that an old farmer receives in retirement. In addition to the natural resources for everyday life, the promised cabbage and flax fields probably served as an opportunity to earn money. The detailed examination of photos and their surroundings often leads to strange discoveries that open the door to assumptions, but also to new perspectives: The Sallaberger family, photographed in 1887, was either photographed by a traveling photographer from Langenlois in Lower Austria or was there with the three children as a guest. The photographer‘s address shows that people traveled widely back then. Was the photographer or the family traveling? Does the environment provide evidence of a photo studio or was the picture taken at home with your own carpet as backdrop? What at first glance looks like a curved piece of studio furniture is, upon closer inspection, the boy‘s hat that he is holding in his hand. And the three children who are apparently the same age? Were they triplets – the facial features would suggest so – or children of relatives or in-laws in a blended family? Such examples are intended to point out that photos or texts can often only show the surface of reality, but that much lies hidden in deeper layers and can stimulate research. All entries about the mill “Wiesmühle” can clearly illustrate the historical picture of an individual object and they provide an inviting framework for new evidence on the topic. Click through the pictures of the sawmill, the documentation from Raffelding Airport and use Josef Minihuber‘s photos to explain to young people what a „gas station attendant“ once was. Finally, a safety note: Please do not burn yourself on a hot stove when you choose a cup of apricot jam at the Leeb department store in winter. By the way, the new enamel mugs can be found at the top left of the shelf.
PS: about our cover photo: If ou are interested in old doors you should visit the museum in Bad Hall: https://www.ooemuseen.at/museum/155-museum-forum-hall-handwerk-heimat-haustueren/paragraphs:8677:4541:bild