Brucknerhaus Linz

Message from an 11-year-old for the time capsule

An unusual job: Linz Mayor Klaus Luger and LIVA CEO René Esterbauer knocked a time capsule out of the concrete pillar of the Brucknerhaus. The message from 1969 - when the foundation stone was laid - was unfortunately not very exciting. Instead, a touching appeal for the future was walled in.

Mayor Klaus Luger put on work gloves, but immediately confessed to having two left hands when it came to craftsmanship. That's why LIVA boss René Esterbauer, equipped with safety goggles, hammer and chisel, flexed his muscles. He knocked the time capsule out of a concrete pillar in the middle of the Brucknerhaus in Linz with four targeted hammer blows.

The tension rose as the copper scroll was opened - and then immediately sank again.

A glimpse into the past
Inside was a roll of parchment with a dry-as-dust text on the genesis of the concert hall on the Danube - from the political decision to lay the foundation stone on May 16, 1969 to the opening in 1974. "Back then, people didn't know that the Brucknerhaus would be a stage for the biggest international stars," consoles Esterbauer. Now, however, the aim is to fill the time capsule in a more exciting way.

Appeal to the people of today and tomorrow
In recent weeks, LIVA has asked young Upper Austrians to formulate suggestions for messages to the generations of the future. "Our choice fell on a sentence by 11-year-old Marie from Attnang-Puchheim, which we liked best," said Luger and Esterbauer. The girl sends "peace, love, happiness, because that's what you need for life" into the future. This speaks from the heart, especially to the younger generation.

Secret message for posterity
Luger also slipped a mysterious black velvet bag with hidden contents into the capsule: "What we leave behind for posterity remains our official secret," he smiled. The time capsule will not be opened again for another 50 years, in 2074.