Braunschlag, Slumming, and a Big Dose of Nostalgia: Why the Misfortunes of Others Are Suddenly Making Us Happy
You know the feeling? That moment when you're strolling through Vienna city centre in the evening, passing all the trendy spots, and it suddenly hits you: Actually, things really were better back in the day? No wonder everyone's talking about Braunschlag right now. Not just because the folks in this fictional backwater near the Czech border have genuine problems – like a supposed million-euro find or a bishop tearing around on a motorbike – but because this place suddenly seems to be everywhere.
In a recent episode of a popular Austrian late-night show, the one that reliably delivers a dose of dark humour every Tuesday evening, the topic was, of course, omnipresent. The two hosts didn't mince their words, as usual, and zeroed in on what's been occupying all our minds: this strange fascination with "slumming." Back in the day, you might have taken a trip out to Braunschlag at the weekend to gawk at how the "country folk" live. These days, you're doing the same thing, only you don't have to drive all the way to the Waldviertel anymore – just switching on the telly does the trick.
The Return of Working-Class Poetry
It's become something of an art form: local television has had an incredible run in recent years when it comes to portraying the supposedly "simple" life. But make no mistake, it's not taking the piss. It's a love letter. When the telly covers the Oscars – and a certain Moschen recently gave us a stark reminder on a current affairs show about what a tight race it was this year – we're only half as interested as we are in what Braunschlag's characters will be kitting themselves out in for their next dirndl or lederhosen.
Last week, a brilliant little commentary piece was doing the rounds in a Viennese city magazine, riffing on the old chestnut "things were better in the old days." And that's precisely the point: Braunschlag isn't a place. Braunschlag is a state of mind. It's the longing for a time when the world still felt manageable. A time when the biggest scandal was the neighbour not building his garden fence straight, rather than the next global crisis.
So, What's This "Slumming" Business Really About?
The term slumming originally comes from Victorian England. Back then, wealthy toffs would pop down to the poor neighbourhoods for a bit of amusement and a frisson of fear. Nowadays, we're all at it, just far more subtly. And in a far more Austrian way. It boils down to this:
- The Aesthetics of Decay: Shabby facades, overgrown gardens – we now find this "authentic" and "rustic."
- Being Strangely Fascinated by Our Own Reflection: We laugh at the dialects and quirky habits, but it's an affectionate laugh. It's our own mirror image, distorted, but recognisable.
- The Hunt for Simplicity: In a complex world, life in a fictional Braunschlag seems refreshingly straightforward. Corruption, petty crime, and pub brawls – these are problems you can still wrap your head around and maybe even solve.
The discussions these series and documentaries spark are enormous. Suddenly, you're sitting at the local heuriger wine tavern, not debating pensions, but arguing about whether the portrayal of Braunschlag isn't just a tiny bit too clichéd. And that's precisely where the brilliance lies: By talking about "slumming" and how we look down on the provinces, we expose ourselves as the true provincials we sometimes are.
Whether it's Braunschlag, the neighbours-from-hell on various talk shows, or the latest documentary about life in the rural regions – the trend is clearly towards self-reflection. And that's no harm. Because if you can't see yourself in it, you're missing the point entirely. The main thing is we don't take ourselves too seriously over it. You've got to be able to have the craic.