50 years for Salzburg

Mission: “Take care of my Salzburg!”

The Krauthügel hill in Salzburg's Nonntal valley was also spared from excavators thanks to the Krone initiative.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Andreas Tröster)

The "Salzburg Krone" celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Long-time editor-in-chief Hans Peter Hasenöhrl looks back on moving stories. Part 5 of the series, 2014-2024: Rescue for Mur and the global landscape. Green politician threatens "Krone" boss with "doomsday judgment".

WORLD MIRACLE 
It is only 220 meters as the crow flies between the "Krone" editorial office and Red Bull Hangar 7. Immersing yourself in the world of Dietrich Mateschitz has an invigorating effect. There was a personality who had an unearthly view of things, full of optimism and ideas, who turned fantasies into reality, for example with Felix Baumgartner's jump from space. In the elliptical H 7 structure, each disk has a different geometry. A wonder of the world without structural problems.

ROSTSCHÜSSEL 
But let's descend into the depths of the city. Rust is diabolical and is caused by the oxidation of oxygen and water. Synonyms for it are rotting. Decay. Decomposition. This chemical process occasionally plays a significant role in local politics in Salzburg. 7,700 rusty screws in the ceiling of the new Paracelsus indoor swimming pool in Mirabell Gardens are turning the expensive prestige project into a problem building in danger of collapse. The "Krone" reveals the plight of the trolleybuses: even vehicles from the vintage car museum have to be brought in to replace the rusting, unroadworthy examples. Many drivers send pictures of their broken-down tin pans to the editorial team.

REPLACEMENT 
The abstruse plan to dry out the Mur near Ramingstein for a power plant in the mountain is born. Prominent supporters of the "Krone" stand demonstratively at the water's edge: environmental icon Prof. Dr. Eberhard Stüber and TV star Sepp Forcher. With success: the Mur flows undamaged But the desire is great. An entrepreneur wants to erect huge wind turbines in the Lungau Biosphere Reserve and is also running as a Green candidate in the national elections. But all the mayors and the Alpine Association are against the steel monsters.

Josef Holzer, Sepp Forcher and Eberhard Stüber (from left) on the Mur in Lungau. They successfully campaigned against the construction of a power plant.

(Bild: Weber Wolfgang/WOLFGANG WEBER)

DESIRE 
An email arrives from Heinrich Schellhorn, the vice president of the province. So crazy that we check the sender to be on the safe side. Indeed: Schellhorn announces to the "Krone" boss that, as a believer, he will have to answer to a higher authority, the "Last Judgement" in the afterlife, for reporting on the wind turbines and will have to do penance in purgatory. But even on earth, the irascible top politician meets his fate: after appalling abuses have occurred in the Lehen retirement home and Schellhorn, as the person responsible, has negated written warnings, his Greens dismiss him.

CHANGE 
The long-planned generational change takes place at the "Salzburg Krone": Hans Peter Hasenöhrl leaves the editorial office on the 4th floor after 32 years on the fire department's turntable ladder. The new man is a real "Krone" man: Claus Pándi, a "noble feather", tough as nails, international experience in the foreign affairs department, head of the Austria Chronicle, feared by all parties as head of domestic politics, a professional on TV and on all social media platforms, which are becoming increasingly important. The new man begins with a business reception at the "Sacher", attended by the Chancellor, the head of the Austrian Trade Union Federation and top entrepreneurs.

WORLD LANDSCAPE 
One day, Pándi cycles out into the countryside and stops at Krauthügel in Nonntal: the boss gazes enthusiastically at the world landscape, the small ponds, the alpine canal and the animals in the tall grass. Is a huge construction site for the extension of the Mönchsberg garage to be built here and destroy everything? Pándi decides: The "Krone" is against the extension. The referendum proves his line right: a massive majority votes no. Mayor Harald Preuner scuppers the project that very evening.

CONFUSED 
New employees uncover new incompatibilities: ÖVP state parliament president Brigitta Pallauf wants to succeed the iconic Helga Rabl-Stadler as Festival President, but her husband works in the law firm that represents the Festival company legally in return for a well-funded fee. Wilfried Haslauer rotates at the stand after the "Krone" lead story and calls a crisis meeting at the Chiemseehof. Pallauf is impossible as president-the second in line will be: Kristina Hammer, international manager.

CONFUSED 
"Krone" editors uncover more affairs: For example, at the housing association GSWB, which is mean to its tenants in moldy dwellings, useful to the directors. It calls itself a non-profit organization. Before an inspection by the inspection office, the director (a member of the CV, of course) makes hundreds of complaints disappear into mail folders at the touch of a button.

GLOCK PLAY 
When Wilfried Haslauer senior once spoke about his beloved Salzburg, his voice sounded like a smoky carillon. Everyone knows this one historic sentence, which is something of a legacy of the popular provincial governor: "Take care of my Salzburg!" Today, on the occasion of the "50 years of Salzburg Krone" anniversary, these words have a special meaning. They are our mission.

PROMISE 
Many positive things have been achieved by courageous editors in cooperation with many readers over the years. But the greed for profit seems insatiable. Land consumption is spreading unchecked like a cancer in valuable landscapes. Chalet villages are growing like crazy, and compliant mayors are even having roads laid to build them. Those buyers who can afford a second home costing millions are given a Porsche as a bonus. All this is happening at a time of housing shortages and rising prices, as inner cities and town centers are literally drying up. If the rigid, cumbersome politics are failing on many fronts, an independent, non-partisan and incorruptible "Krone" is needed more than ever to stand up for the people of this wonderful Salzburg seven days a week. And will continue to do so.

As it has done for 50 years.