Remembering heroes

Memorial for comrades who died in action

A new memorial at the main cemetery commemorates deceased commanders and comrades in action.(Bild: Andreas Gall)

A memorial for firefighters has been erected at the main cemetery in St. Pölten. It not only commemorates the former commanders of the city fire department, but also those who lost their lives during operations.

Just a few steps away from the entrance, a very special memorial has been erected at the main cemetery in St. Pölten. It not only commemorates the previous commanders of the St. Pölten City Fire Brigade, such as founding commander Eduard Schwammel, but also all those comrades who lost their lives during firefighting operations in St. Pölten.

Tragic accidents
These include Franz Pillwein, who was killed in a fire in Wasserburg in 1934, and Theodor Mayer, who died in 1944 as a result of smoke inhalation, as well as Rudolf Gschwendtenwein and Franz Hayden, who lost their lives in a devastating gas explosion during a cellar fire in Eybnerstraße. Also immortalized on the plaque are Alfred Zöchling, who was killed in a tragic accident on the freeway in 1986, and Thomas Eigner, who suffered a similarly tragic fate almost exactly one year later.

Didi Fahrafellner, the provincial fire service commander, and a small team were personally responsible for the design and creation of the memorial. When selecting materials and contractors, special attention was paid to a special connection to the region.