Shortly before retirement

Workshop of the last Graz belt maker burns down

Manfred Dix is the last belt maker and electroplater in Graz.(Bild: ORF Steiermark, BF Graz)

There was a fire in Färbergasse in Graz on Friday afternoon. The scene of the incident: Manfred Dix's traditional belt-making workshop. Not only did the 84-year-old's decades of work go up in flames, but an old craft also disappeared from Styria.

One little spark - and he saw his decades of work go up in flames: Manfred Dix is the last belt maker and electroplater in Graz; he wanted to retire this year. But flames put an end to his trade earlier than he wanted on Friday afternoon.