Hollabrunn after the flood: challenges and hope for disabled help

Hollabrunn after the flood: challenges and hope for disabled help

Hollabrunn, Österreich - A devastating flood caused great damage around Hollabrunn on August 16, 2024. After a violent thunderstorm, the Rutzenbach, usually a small stream, stepped over the bank and transformed the ground floor of the disabled help into a ruin under water. Sonja Dürrensteiner, the head of the facility, reports 70 centimeters of water level on the ground floor, which resulted in complete destruction of almost all devices and facilities. The renovation costs so far add up to 250,000 euros, but the total damage could amount to up to one million euros. The company must currently be continued on the upper floor, which is a major challenge for the clients and supervisors, as the head explains.

additional challenges and progress

six months after the flood, the reconstruction still does not run as desired. Currently, more than a dozen dehumidification devices are in use, while new floor coverings are waiting for themselves. Nevertheless, there are bright spots: a new elevator that is essential for immobile clients will be installed shortly. "We have moved very closely together, but we try to cope with our everyday life as much as possible," says Dürrensteiner and emphasizes the importance of the community in this difficult time. Klientin Zoe Reiter expresses concern about the limited space, describes the situation as a "catastrophe", while the anticipation returns to normality.

Another fascinating find has seen the light of the public: a small silver amulet, discovered in 2018 in an old Roman grave near Frankfurt, contains the oldest Christian inscription north of the Alps. Using the latest CT scanning technology, researchers were able to read the content of a tiny, rolled-up foil scroll that was in the amulet. The inscription, dated the 3rd century, turns out to be an important relic of early Christian history, which explicitly addresses Jesus Christ and Christian beliefs. "His belief was apparently so important that he took the amulet to the grave," reports a scientist and illuminates contemporary risk for Christians further north, where the practice of faith was often dangerous.

The decryption of the inscription is a significant breakthrough for research, since it raises the understanding of Christian monotheism in the West to a new level, according to experts. This amulet finding was found under a man who died in the 230s to 270s, which underlines his relevance in the history of Christianity. These remarkable discovery and the necessary repairs in Hollabrunn reflect on the ongoing striving to preserve hope and community despite adverse circumstances.

ORF reported and Smithsonian Magazine reported .