That afternoon, the Topotheque team led by Franz Schmidt presented the Topotheque Tulln and its underlying concept to interested visitors. Using last year’s photo exhibition as an example, the difference between the short-term visibility of selected photos and their permanent availability in a digital archive such as the Topotheque was impressively demonstrated. Using search examples, the group then delved into the ‘depths’ of the Tulln Topotheque. A treat for motorbike fans: the search results under ‘sidecar machine’. A glimpse into the very “recent” past reveals the transformation of Minoritenplatz, found in the “Construction” folder under “Unsealing”. A historical document that should be of interest to the younger generation, who cannot possibly know what the square looked like before.
The phrase “What happens today is history tomorrow” highlighted the importance not only of ‘old’ but also of more recent memorabilia. The photos on display sparked lively discussions among those present about the images’ content and their associated memories. And so, that afternoon, some went home inspired to search for pictures for the Topotheque in their own neighbourhoods.