Danube-Networkers
Fishing at the "Iron Curtain"
Text: Veronika Schnablegger, Gerti Zupanich
Pictures: Christoph Pöltl
Who would know more about the Danube and its environment and the social life around it than people who spent their whole life ashore of this river? So we were looking for people like fishermen. Soon we realized that fishing is an extendering profession and had changed into a hobbysport. We were interested in the background of this change.
We chose Hainburg on the Danube for our second interview with a fisherman. This town is near the ancient Iron Curtain. Rivers are not always bonding areas, sometimes they are frontiers like the Danube near Hainburg.
We hoped to find answers in former times and for the alteration of fishing in our interview with Mr. Brenner (84 years old) and his experiences.
Interview with Ing. Brenner, Hainburg, 13th July 2009
Mr.Brenner was a very long time the chairman of the "Hainburger Association for Fishing".
We met him in the restaurant "Goldener Anker" near the Danube, his parents' house. The mosquitos were pleased about the fresh Viennese blood.
Mr. Brenner:
Where is your list with questions?
Veronika and Gerti described our "Danube-Networkers-Project". We explained to him that we only wanted talking about ancient times in Hainburg like the time of the Iron Curtain or when the town was occupied by the Russian army.
Mr. Brenner:
"The border to Slovakia was in the middle of the river, where the March and the Danube flow together. Patrol boats controlled this section in times of the Iron Curtain. For the inhabitants of Hainburg are these things not so interesting than for tourists. School -classes stood on the top of the mountain looking to Slovakia."
Veronika and Gerti:
" ... what kind of problems were there during the Russian occupation?..."
Mr.Brenner:
"In this house - my parents' house - we had only Russian commander officers and a female doctor. My father started learning the Russian language immediately and was soon able to translate. We had no problems with our occupants because they were officers. We were supplied with food by them because the Russians were hunters and we had enough game animals. Fishing with hand granates was usually done by the soldiers. It was easier!
Veronika and Gerti.
".., and after the occupation... ? What about fishing ...?"
Mr.Brenner:
" Oh yes, the fishing-association is my life-work! I did so much for this club.
There was a back water of the Danube. It became more and more a wasteyard. They wanted to fill it up with earth and to use it for new buildings. We started the "Project-Wörth-Arm". You can find all about this action in my ring-binder. I had good relations to the politicians and was able to push the project. Yet, the "Wörtharm" has clean water, and now you can find a lot of fish in it.
After that time they started the "Nature - Park of the Danube". Limitations for fishermen were established. Fishing as a profession is now gone because there are only few fish in the river. I support the anglers by myself. They are fishing only for their hobby, they don't make the river empty and take care for the fish stock."
We asked Mr. Brenner about the flooding water which nearly every year tried to reach shores and houses in Hainburg. Then we went over the street to the new shore-promenade which is frequented by bikers and walkers. Above us - on viaducts - the train is passing with a loud thunderous noise.
Mr.Brenner:
"This railroad was built in 1884/1885. Between the columns of the viaduct we put thick doors, so that the flooding-water couldn't reach streets and houses in town. The highest water-label was in 2002 with 9,54 meters."
"Yes, the times had changed. There are only few fish in the river. This is due to many circumstances. Fishermen are not the reason. We threw all small fish back into the river. We had done a lot of things for the evironment of the Danube."
