A wonderful example of the intergenerational function of a community topotheque is that of the municipality of Niederhollabrunn in Lower Austria. The voluntary work of Elli Wollinger and her colleagues is a link in the social fabric of the community.
In cooperation with the ‘Healthy Community’ initiative, Topotheque afternoons with senior citizens took place in April and May this year, which were met with great enthusiasm and brought to light further information, pictures and even an audio file from 1985. As a result, historical treasures of everyday history were once again digitally saved.
Such treasures can also inspire the next generation! Elli Wollinger made the history of the village tangible with the help of the Topotheque by navigating through the Topotheque with the pupils of Year 3 at Niederfellabrunn primary school on 3 June 2025. Almost a whole hour full of attention, questions and surprises. The children found their access to historical topics through their personal proximity, as they were able to discover their own parents and grandparents in their youth. Even the teacher had to admit that she didn’t know some aspects of the town’s past.
This enthusiasm among young and old shows once again how valuable the Topotheque can be as a bridge between past and present – especially when it is presented in a lively and engaging way, as it was here. And who knows, perhaps the foundations have already been laid for the next generation of enthusiastic topothecarians!
niederhollabrunn.topothek.at
