Waldviertel, The | History of a border region # 2023

Today, the Waldviertel is a quiet, largely rural region that is a popular retreat for many city dwellers. The textile industry in particular can look back on a long and in some cases extremely successful history, which can be traced back to the former K.& K. purveyor to the court - Backhausen. 

The cultural scientist and director Martin Vogg explores the question of how people in the 20th century were able to make a living in the Waldviertel, apart from agriculture. He not only reports on the numerous textile companies and weaving mills, but also on the watch manufacturers in Karlstein, the miners in the lignite mines, among other things, or the button producers in Hardegg. He also explores the question of why some companies have settled in the Waldviertel, in some cases far away from public transport connections, what role they played in the Nazi era, and what ultimately led to the economic decline of many companies at the end of the 20th century. 

In this context, Vogg also sheds light on the role of the "Iron Curtain" for the region and how this border to the "Eastern Bloc" directly affected some companies and their employees. Ultimately, the film takes us into the present and uses selected examples to show how companies in the 21st century can be successful even in remote areas of the Waldviertel.