It is no secret that the Retz Vintage Festival has supra-regional appeal; Not even for a 36-year-old from Vorarlberg who visited it on September 24th this year. After 15 spritzes plus, he was overcome by such a love of his homeland for his federal state that brought him to the Hollabrunn district court; whereby not physical. So the man suddenly remembered that it was a long way from Vorarlberg to Hollabrunn, whereupon judge Erhard Neubauer arranged a video conference for the day of the trial.
He was accused of trying to steal five kilos of Bregenzerwald mountain cheese from Anton Honsig’s stand. The action was probably more due to alcohol consumption than a viable attempt at theft. When the 36-year-old saw the cheese, he was so ecstatic that he had to show this – apparently special – cheese to his friends at the party, which is why he took it with him. The 36-year-old was able to understand in the video hearing that this action “looks stupid from the outside,” as Neubauer put it.
“The cheese has to be good if a Vorarlberger wants to steal it”
Since you have to move from the courtroom to the room intended for legal interns for technical innovations such as a video link, the hearing certainly had a family feel. By the way, the man didn’t get very far with the cheese because the police were sufficiently present at Retz’s main square. The alleged victim, Anton Honsig, who was not harmed by the Vorarlberg man’s patriotism, took a sporting approach to the trial: “The cheese has to be good if a Vorarlberg man wants to steal it.”
The previously blameless man got away with diversion in the form of a probationary period of two years and 250 euros in flat-rate court costs, which he immediately acknowledged with “Money is coming immediately”. The judge’s recommendation for the end if he were to attend the grape harvest festival again next year: “Just drink, don’t complain.” Neubauer’s suggestion to bring the cheese with him next time was followed by the final punch line: You have a few kilos in the car anyway had there.
