The only resident

83-year-old has remained loyal to the station all her life

Gertrud Kinz saw many trains arriving and departing from her window in the Freistadt station building.(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

Gertrud Kinz has lived in the Freistadt station building since 1969. Moving away was never an option for the 82-year-old. Even now, there is no question of moving, even though she is the only resident in the building. A few years ago, five families still lived in the large house. 

The recently founded "Pro Summerauerbahn" initiative is very popular in the Mühlviertel. Politicians, the Chamber of Commerce and also private individuals support the demand for a double-track extension of the line from Linz to Summerau. Gertrud Kinz has also joined the alliance. The 82-year-old has a lifelong connection with the Summerauerbahn. As a child and teenager, she regularly traveled to Linz and back with the old train sets and the steam locomotive.

Gertrud Kinz moved into the station building in 1969.(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

Together with her husband Hans, she moved into an 85 square meter apartment with a living room, bedroom and children's room in the Freistadt station building in 1969. "My husband worked for ÖBB and that's why he got the apartment. Unfortunately, he died in 1996," says the Lasberg native.

Manuela Eibensteiner also lived in the station building, but moved away years ago.(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

Up to five families have lived in the station building. Among them was the Freistadt artist Manuela Eibensteiner, whose parents ran the now closed station restaurant. Now only Kinz still lives in the yellow, multi-storey building. She is not thinking of moving away. "Unless they throw me out," smiles the still fit senior citizen, who effortlessly walks up and down the stairs to the second floor of her apartment. She used to often walk to the city center, four kilometers away. "We never had a car. If we wanted to go further away, we took the train."

Memories of the opening of the border
She also has fond memories of the opening of the border with the Czech Republic and the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. "So many people suddenly came to us. Most of them had very little money. But they were all so friendly!"