Interview extracts from the film

Thresl on Heimat

I could never be without mountains.
You get used to the mountains all your life.
Everyday day I look out at the Steinerne Meer.
That's beautiful.



Every day I look up at the
Schwalbenwand and the Sausteige.
What would it be like to never see a mountain.
I couldn't stand the city, one building after another.
Heavens!

Thresl on her marriage and coming to Harhamhof farmstead in 1938

Mother said: "I shouldn't marry into here,
because I would only have work to do."
And she was right.



I had been cooking for 2 months,
and then they said, they don't like my food.
Then I stopped cooking. I didn't cook anymore.
And Hans built me a kitchen.
I didn't go in to the kitchen of my in-laws here anymore.
I was angry.
I refused to speak,
as if I was deaf-mute.
When they shouted at me,
I didn't say a word.
Then my husband's father said: "How could
you marry into here and not bring a dowry?"
Because the fools had so much debt.
What were they thinking?



And Hans, my husband,
mobilised on the 13th of january.
And he filled the woodshed up with wood,
so there would be enough.
But my husband's siblings locked the shed,
so that I had no wood.
I didn't like it much here.

Hans on the loss of his father

Dad had a haemorrhage, ended up in hospital and
died shortly thereafter.
That was in August 1958.



Yes, that Papa was no more,
that was very hard for me.
Then we were on our own with the inn and the farming.
We just told ourselves, we had to keep going.
People started talking: "They won't be able
to manage long at Harham farmstead,
they won't make it anyway."

Maresi on the loss of her father

I couldn't believe that he wouldn't return.
It was just terrible, so it was.
You had to look at the facts and thought:
"It is a catastrophe, that the person you like so much
won't come back."



It went on. We worked.
Everybody worked.
And I was often busy driving the tractor.
Everywhere help was needed, I helped.

Thresl on the loss of her husband

It's difficult if you don't have a husband anymore.
I had to pay back debts and had to work hard.
There was no time for enjoyment.



My husband is dead all these 53 years,
and I haven't heard from him since.
He didn't come back.
Nobody comes back.
The story ends.
Nothing happens.
Nothing happens anymore.
It all comes to an end.

Hans on the willpower of his mother

Mama is doing better than Moidei was at that age, she's better.
So if she gets that old, or even older, then she'll live to be 105.
Even I won't survive her.



You have to hand it to her, but it's not right for the business.
When two generations are locked out, there's hell to pay.
No?

Maresi on the willpower of her mother

As long as Mami is around, it's good, there's more quiet here.
And she can do what she feels like.
And she would never go into a home anyway.



She's a fighter.
She doesn't give up.
She moves around.
She keeps moving as long as she can.

Thresl on being old

It's all not so easy.
The way it goes.
When you're old,
you're not worth much anymore.
Only some people are nice.



And my friends are all dead already.

- So would you rather die?

Well it's still fine,
because I can still manage.
But if I can't manage anymore,
I'd rather die.
But for now I can still manage.

- What happens when you die?

Then you get peace and quiet.
When you're dead,
you've got peace and quiet.