Change in Kapfenberg

24 hours as mayor: “You’re never private”

The new mayor of Kapfenberg Matthäus Bachernegg (left) and his predecessor Fritz Kratzer

(Bild: Traby Jakob/Jakob Traby)

Upheaval in the working-class town of Kapfenberg: Matthäus Bachernegg (49) replaces Fritz Kratzer (69) as mayor. In the "Krone" interview, they explain why the SPÖ Kapfenberg doesn't see entrepreneurs as enemies, why you're never private as head of the town and where you get your verbal licks.

"Krone": Mr. Kratzer, how are you feeling after your first week out of office?
Fritz Kratzer: I feel like I'm still on vacation and not retired. I don't know how long that will last. 

Please describe the office of Mayor of Kapfenberg in a few sentences!
Kratzer: As mayor, you are an anchor for the people. When a situation seems hopeless, you are often the last person they go to. On the other hand, it is important to move a city forward. You have to be persistent and use your network.

Is there a day off as mayor?
Kratzer: No, you are mayor 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You're often approached gently on the street: "I know, you're private now anyway...". I've always replied: "I'm never private."

During the "Krone" interview in Kapfenberg town hall

(Bild: Stadtgemeinde Kapfenberg)

How has corona changed the way people interact with politics?
Kratzer: In the first wave, people often needed guidance. Later, a huge divide opened up in society, for example on the topics of testing and vaccination. There was a feeling that everyone was beating each other over the head. You couldn't visit grandchildren in other districts or a dying mother in a nursing home, which was dramatic for people. At the time, I agreed with the Kapfenberg police chief that we wouldn't punish anyone, we would just draw attention to things. I was primarily guided by what my feelings told me.

Mr. Bachernegg, how did you get into politics?
Matthäus Bachernegg: Nine years ago, I was sitting on the couch in front of the TV, annoyed by the result of an election in Vienna because HC Strache had won so much. I decided to become politically active and volunteered to join the SPÖ the next day because it best reflected my values. I was always interested in politics, but I wasn't politically active before that. It was never my plan to become a city councillor or even mayor.
Kratzer: I "pushed" that on him (laughs).
Bachernegg: When I was asked if I wanted to become a city councillor, I talked about it with my wife over a bottle of wine. When it came to the mayor's office, she said: "It doesn't matter now anyway.

It was never the plan to become a councillor or even mayor.

Matthäus Bacherngg

Bild: Traby Jakob/Jakob Traby

Where do you see the big tasks for the next few years?
Bachernegg: We are a very successful city and I want to continue on this path. There are many small wheels that can be turned to become even better - I'm a perfectionist. There will be no prestige projects. The budget situation is a major challenge for municipalities, even an extremely financially strong town like Kapfenberg has to turn over every euro two or three times.

Mr Kratzer, in an interview with Krone in 2017, you praised the cooperation with the mayors of the region. Is that still the case?
Kratzer: It still is. Especially now, when budgets are getting tight, we have moved even closer together. Everyone has the same concerns. We are not competitors.
Bachernegg: But I think we need to work together even more. We are a very strong region from Mürzzuschlag to Trofaiach and a good counterweight to the greater Graz area in Styria. However, there is still some parochial thinking.

Kapfenberg still suffers from the old, gray industrial image.

(Bild: TVB Hochsteiermark/Nicole Seiser)

We also talked about the region's old industrial image in 2017. Has that changed to this day?
Kratzer: Well, we still have to counteract the image of an industrial town with smoke coming out of the chimneys. That is perhaps a generational issue.
Bachernegg: We need more self-confidence. We can be proud of being a working-class city, with many global market leaders who are here because of the best employees. At my printing company, I had customers from Vienna who expected gray industrial buildings and were then surprised at how green and beautiful the city is.

The FH Joanneum is moving towards the city center for the first time next year. What do you expect from this?
 Bachernegg: You can revitalize a city centre with young people - it's currently incredibly difficult with gastronomy and retail. The UAS will be a bridgehead between Europaplatz and Hauptplatz. We are hoping for even more degree courses, and we have secured a plot of land for expansion.

If the plant had moved away, we would have lost the future. We don't live from tourism, we live from being the Böhler city.

Fritz Kratzer

Bild: Traby Jakob/Jakob Traby

How can we assess the significance of the new Voestalpine stainless steel plant?
Kratzer: The decision was a safeguard for Generation. The service life is set at 70 years. If it had been built somewhere else, for example in China, it would have been fatal for Europe. If the plant had moved, we would have lost the future. We don't live from tourism, we live from being the Böhler city. If you build a housing estate here, you immediately have a citizens' movement against it. If you build a stainless steel plant, everyone in Kapfenberg knows that we need it.

Facts

• With more than 22,000 inhabitants, Kapfenberg is the third largest town in Styria after Graz and Leoben. It is characterized by strong industrial companies such as Voestalpine (Böhler) and Pankl, and average wages in the region are high.
• Fritz Kratzer replaced Manfred Wegscheider as mayor of Kapfenberg in 2017. He is now handing over to Matthäus Bachernegg one year before the municipal elections.
• In total, there has been a change of mayor in 71 Styrian municipalities in the 2020 legislative period. In Fohnsdorf, two local leaders have even stepped down.

Mr. Bachernegg, you were a successful entrepreneur. This background is rather unusual for an SPÖ mayor.
 Bachernegg: For us in the SPÖ Kapfenberg, the entrepreneur is not an enemy.
Kratzer: You can't just distribute money, you also have to collect it. There were often requests in our parliamentary group that ran into the hundreds of thousands of euros. I then asked: "And where do we make savings?"

As an SPÖ politician, how are you looking ahead to the national and regional elections in the fall?
 Bachernegg: We have to achieve a turnaround. The result of the European elections disappointed me, so we don't need to sugarcoat anything. We have to work hard and present solutions. I am very confident about the regional elections.

Facing decisive elections: Anton Lang (left) in Styria, Anton Babler at national level

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Anton Lang has called for the SPÖ to sharpen its focus on the migration issue. Do you agree?
 Bachernegg: A certain amount of immigration is needed due to demographic developments. However, the newcomers must integrate and accept our society - but they must also be given opportunities and work. I think you have to listen carefully to the population and not overburden them.
Kratzer: People from 17 nations are employed in the nursing home. If it weren't for them, who would look after our old people? You have to help those migrants who need help. Anyone who doesn't behave like a guest has lost their right to be a guest. We also have to talk about the Convention on Human Rights. We had a problem in Kapfenberg with a Chechen criminal who couldn't be deported after imprisonment. He was on the loose. That's a catastrophe, people don't understand that.

Is the issue of inflation still very much on people's minds?
Bachernegg: Yes, there was a lady here just now whose apartment has become much more expensive. She only has a small pension. That presents people with huge challenges. That's the special thing about local politics: we don't sit somewhere upstairs, we go out to the people. We get a verbal "slap on the wrist" on the main square (directly in front of the town hall) if you've done something stupid. But you also hear the positive things. Maybe the big politicians should switch to city politics.
Kratzer: But not for too long, they'll mess everything up (laughs).

Mr. Kratzer, to conclude: Will you remain a political person?
Kratzer: Yes, but I will stay away from big political committees. The new mayor knows my telephone number, he can call me at any time. But I won't be talking at him from behind.