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Josef Antretter

last name:

Antretter

first name:

Josef

born:

1924

affiliation:

NordtirolerIn

last change:

Mon Jan 29 09:09:21 UTC 2024

place of work

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worker

place of residence

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biography

Born in Kirchbichl in 1924, grew up without his mother, who died a few weeks after his birth. His father married a widow, who brought two more children into the marriage. When Josef was three years old, relatives of his biological mother took him to Brandenberg, where he remained for the rest of his life. After finishing elementary school, he was supposed to become a cobbler, but he was drawn to the forest to do woodwork. In order to become a skilled worker, he had to continue his education as prescribed after the Anschluss. He was drafted in 1944 and was taken prisoner after being wounded. With hard-earned money, he builds a house before thinking about starting a family. Adolf began working in the forest at a time when chainsaws had not yet been invented and gives an impressive account of the transformation of forestry work, which is famous in the Brandenberg valley with his logging business. Josef Antretter was interviewed by Dr. Gerd Auer, who described the history of the "Lebens- und Arbeitsweise der Brandenberger 'Holzknechte' Ein historisch-volkskundlicher Abriß" in the Österreichischen Zeitschrift für Volkskunde Neue Serie Band XXXVIII Gesamtserie 87 page 285ff. The article can be read online https://www.volkskundemuseum.at/publikationen/publikation?publikation_id=1524345942577#3

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