The Graz “Woche”, recently renamed “MeinBezirk” and the favourite newspaper of the people of Graz, is celebrating its birthday. To mark the 50th anniversary, we look back at the beginnings of the medium.
GRAZ. It was 1974 when the couples Piringer and Mucha launched the free magazine “Graz Aktiv” – the “original mother” of “Woche Graz” and today’s medium “MeinBezirk.
“Graz Active” was still published as a monthly newspaper, only at the beginning of the 1990s did the then owner, Styria, decide to turn it into a weekly newspaper.
Hans Breitegger first week editor-in-chief
It was a truly pioneering time for a medium that was struggling with the bad image of free newspapers. Graz, however, was a pioneer in this area, and with the “Grazer”, then in the hands of Rudi Hinterleitner and editor-in-chief Klaus Schweighofer, an exciting match developed over the years, which also made the two media indispensable in the Mur metropolis.
At that time, the “Woche” featured many well-known names that are still known today. The first editor-in-chief was the well-known Styrian crime reporter Hans Breitegger, Under his leadership, editors such as Jürgen Rupprecht, Roland Gölles, Claudia Taucher, Harald Klöckl and many more earned their first spurs in journalism. Another man from the very beginning, still active for MeinBezirk today: Master photographer George KonstantinovThe team was supported by many guest authors, including Christian Weniger, Andreas Lieb and Bernd Melichar.
Next step: Week on Sunday
The next major development step followed in 1999: Under the leadership of Katharina Kocher-Lichem Journalists such as Verena Schleich, Andreas Kreminger, Thomas Plauder and Jonny Stühlinger joined in turn. The project really took off under Managing Director Reinhold Gmeinbauerwho together with editor-in-chief Bernd Chibici moved the week to Sunday: A concept that was a complete success and made the “Woche” the number one in Graz.
In the following years, the “Woche” was a pool for journalistic quality from Graz. Names like Heri Hahn, Mario LuggerBeate Mosing (formerly Schirmbacher), Alexandra Reischl (formerly Neumayer), Sandra Sulzer, Christine Seisenbacher, Dieter Demmelmair, Christina Dow, Klaus Krainer, Nick Gruber, Katharina Pecnik (formerly Prügger), Lissi Stoimaier (formerly Steiner), Gerald Richter and many, many more shaped the medium during these years – and with it life in this city. Photographically accompanied again by Jorj Konstantinov – reinforced by the parade photographers Martin Wiesner and Oliver Wolf. Back then in the editorial department, unforgettable and died far too early: Hannes “Steel” Stengg.
The path to Regional Media Austria
The next major development steps followed in 2009 and 2010: First, the Steiermark Woche was joined forces with editions in all Styrian districts, and then in 2010, with concentrated Styrian power, it joined the Austria-wide network of Regionalmedien Austria.
However, the journalistic talent pool remained at least as strong. Editors like Marcus StoimaierChristoph Hofer, Christoph Sammer, Max Daublebsky, Martina Maros-Goller, Lisa Pötler, Stefan Haller, Heike Jantschner, Anna Marie Riemer and Andrea Stanitznig, to name just a few, have made their way with and at the “Woche”. And the management team has also included Gerhard GoldbrichHelmut Schoba, Andreas Rast, Waltraud Gotthard, Tina Schifko and Jürgen Rothdeutsch well-known names in the domestic media scene.
Strong into the next decade
All this has taken the week into 2024 and towards the new brand “MyDistrict” Much has changed in these years, but one thing remains the same: we want to continue to have our finger on the pulse of this city, delivering the best news for the people of Graz – office manager Philip Fürstaller and his editorial team with Christoph Lamprecht, Markus Kropac, Antonia Unterholzer and Andreas Strick are the guarantors of this.
Looking back over the decades:
Of letter bombs, political talents and party time
The 80s – decade with Chernobyl, fall of the Berlin Wall and Draken
Looking back at the 1970s in Graz
