Successor wanted

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Christian Wehrschütz currently heads the ORF offices in Belgrade and Kiev.(Bild: ORF)

As previously reported, war reporter Christian Wehrschütz will finally lay down his bulletproof vest and hard hat at the end of 2026 and retire. ORF is already looking for a successor. In the "Krone" newspaper, he explains the details of his departure - and makes a promise.

A job advertisement is looking for a new head of the correspondent's office in Belgrade. The application deadline is October 8. The planned starting date is July 2026. The position is advertised for two years. According to reports, Christian Wehrschütz intends to manage the Kyiv office until the end of 2026. In a telephone conversation with "Krone", he specified: "The facts: I won't hand over my Balkan office until June 30, 2026 and I'll stay in Ukraine until October 31, 2026."

And until then? He will hardly be taking it easy: "The end is near - but not quite yet. There's still time for a joint report with 'Krone' on location."

The tasks of the successor in Belgrade include "responsibility for multimedia ORF reporting with a focus on Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and individual Southern Balkan states as assigned" and also the "planning and realization of contributions for radio, TV, online/social media - at his own suggestion as well as on request and in coordination with ORF News/foreign department".

What Wehrschütz is planning after ORF
But the 63-year-old Styrian won't be taking a break from the conflicts in the world once he retires. He revealed this back in the summer in an interview with "Krone": "The Balkans will not close when I retire. I will be working on documentaries, writing books. Giving readings and, above all, enjoying time with my wife and family."