41 years as mayor

“It has never been as difficult financially as it is now”

Lukas Vogl and Robert Hammer got to know each other on Monday

(Bild: Scheriau Erwin)

On Sunday, citizens from 284 Styrian municipalities will elect a new representative. With 41 years of experience, Robert Hammer from Unterlamm is the longest-serving candidate. The 70-year-old met his youngest colleague, Lukas Vogl from Krottendorf-Gaisfeld, with the "Krone".

When Lukas Vogl was born, Robert Hammer had already been mayor for eleven years. Yesterday, six days before the Styrian local council elections, the two shook hands for the first time as colleagues at the headquarters of the Styrian People's Party: Hammer, with 41 years of service, is the longest-serving local leader in the whole of Austria, Vogl, with one year of service, the youngest in Styria. "I think that's wonderful," says Hammer and laughs in the direction of his young colleague. "He has the best chance of becoming the long-serving mayor one day!"

From district telephone to fiber optic network
When Robert Hammer took office in 1985, he was 30 years old and Unterlamm was an agricultural community on the border with Burgenland. "At that time, the telephone networks were just being expanded for neighborhood connections. Everything had to be done: Water pipes, waste collection, access roads to farms. I remember a pregnant woman having to be taken to the road in the tipper body of a tractor, where the ambulance picked her up."

In his time as mayor, Hammer has experienced six provincial governors. "During a consultation with Governor Krainer, I once had to wait until half past two in the morning before I could make my wishes for the municipality known." A lot has changed in 41 years. Instead of stables, farmers eventually built guesthouses, and with the thermal spa guests came the economic upturn. "Fiber optic expansion is coming soon, that's a big concern of mine," says Hammer, who wears an Apple Watch and invites young people to the "Burger" master party on the Friday before the election.

"Community is my second love"
One thing, he emphasizes repeatedly, has not changed: "The community is my second love alongside my wife." Even if there are difficult moments. "When you're sent by the police to tell a mother that her son has had an accident - that's difficult."

What advice does he give his young colleague? You have to like people. "And treat everyone equally, don't exclude anyone, not even because of a different political opinion."

Lukas Vogl doesn't hesitate for a moment when asked if he could imagine himself in his job for 41 years: "Absolutely!" The 28-year-old has been in the job for a year. "Yes, you can no longer go to Billa undisturbed, you meet and know a lot of people. The phone also rings on Saturday mornings. But if you put your heart and soul into it, it's not work."

"People come up to you crying"
The first test came with a flood in July, when the municipality was declared a disaster area. "People come up to you crying, their houses are full of water and mud. But the cohesion was great." In his first election on Sunday, Vogl wants to defend the nine seats held by the ÖVP. Over the next five years, flood protection and a crèche are to be built and the secondary school will be renovated.

For Hammer in Unterlamm, the recently closed local supermarket is the problem child. Financially, the next five years will not be easy. "It's never been as difficult as it is now in 41 years." Vogl knows that too. Nevertheless, the two mayors never want to forget one thing: "Listening is the most important thing."