More than 70 years ago, Josefine Jocher, Reinhold Attwenger’s grandmother, leased the “Seeaustuben” on Lake Offensee from the Austrian Federal Forests (ÖBf). Right next door, in 1955, the landlady built today’s snack station, which was operated as a fully-fledged inn for a long time.
Later, daughter Ernestine Attwenger took over the inn in this idyllic spot at the foot of the Dead Mountains. “Erna”, as everyone called her, passed the year 1994 on to her son Reinhold Attwenger. Together with his partner Gabriele Hainzl, he worked for the well-being of guests at Lake Offensee for 18 years. “The Seeau was part of our lives,” he says. “Being able to work in such a place makes one grateful and humbled. At the same time, the nature conservation requirements are also challenging. We mastered this balancing act quite well and can look back on a wonderful time. “
Gabriele Hainzl and Reinhold Attwenger are now putting the fortunes of the Seeau in younger hands: their daughter Christina Hainzl and her partner Thomas Hemetsberger are the new innkeepers at Lake Offensee. They are now the fourth generation to run the Seeau snack bar. And actually it was just a jump from the mountain to the valley for the two of them: Thomas and Christina previously managed the Rinnerhütte for 17 years.
“We are happy and grateful to be able to take over the Seeau from our parents,” says Christina Hainzl. “In the first few days we noticed that the work in the valley is easier than on the mountain. Now we want the snack station in the spirit of our parents, and above all with consideration for the nature reserve.”
Mayor Sabine Promberger (SPÖ) and Deputy Mayor Martin Derfler (SPÖ) witnessed the official handover at Offensee and thanked the outgoing innkeepers for their 18-year commitment. Christina Hainzl and Thomas Hemetsberger gave the local politicians their best wishes.
Source: Nachrichten
