"Krone" readers help

Local supplier in need: “The flood has broken us”

"Krone" on site: Erich and Sabine Pfiel simply don't know what to do. Their son is supposed to continue running the farm, but now they are facing complete ruin.(Bild: Imre Antal)

For 30 years, the Pfiel family supplied an entire community in Lower Austria with regional delicacies, but last year's flood destroyed everything. Without help from donors, the final end is imminent!

A gray-brown, raging torrent rolled through the entire Tullnerfeld (Lower Austria) during the devastating rainfall in mid-September 2024. Remediation work is still ongoing and some of those affected can no longer return to their homes. While some spent the holidays with relatives, others are now finally faced with the shambles of their existence.

Streams overflowed their banks and the business was flooded
In Judenau, for example, the Great and Little Tulln and the sewer merged into a raging torrent during the flood and flooded numerous properties. The hardest hit was probably the last small local supplier in the village. For 30 years, the farm store of the Pfiel farming family was the first port of call for chopped snacks, Sunday roasts and delicacies for Christmas, New Year's Eve and other holidays.

Since the floods, however, all wheels have come to a standstill: "The floods have taken almost everything from us. The local authority is pulling out all the stops to get us back on our feet, but the damage is in the hundreds of thousands of euros," explains senior boss Erich Pfiel during the "Krone" site inspection.

Sandbags were used to fight the flood last September. Incidentally, the Pfiel family provided the land for the long-planned flood protection, but it was never built.(Bild: Imre Antal)

Still life of destruction: all the equipment for the necessary meat processing has been destroyed, damage: 350,000 euros.(Bild: Imre Antal)

The farm store was busy every day. Now customers and local suppliers in Judenau are weeping bitter tears. Help is urgently needed, every euro counts.(Bild: Imre Antal)

Customers devastated, nothing left from aid payments
The farm store, meat processing rooms and wine tavern are devastated, the equipment is broken and the investment loans are gnawing away at their wallets and nerves. In addition, around 50,000 euros in turnover from Christmas sales have been lost. "Many customers are standing outside the door with tears in their eyes. We would like to reopen, but we don't know where to start. Our strength is running out," says boss Sabine.

After a few necessary repairs, there was de facto nothing left of the aid payments from the state. The long wait for the hardship fund leads to sleepless nights. There is really only hope on paper.

The "Krone" will provide financial support to the hard-hit family as part of the "Krone readers help" flood relief campaign. If you would also like to help, please donate to: "Krone readers help Lower Austria", IBAN AT07 5300 0034 5592 4447 under the reference "Pfiel family".