Historian and technician preserve family memories for future generations
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Daniel Strassnig, a technician in Wolfsberg, Austria, has spent nearly 25 years rescuing and digitizing old film, photo, and audio media for individuals and now as a profession since 2019.
He repairs damaged tapes and transfers their contents to digital formats, ensuring family memories aren’t lost. Strassnig recounts saving childhood memories from VHS tapes a customer damaged while attempting self-digitization. These preserved recordings offer more than just personal recollections.
Historians value private films and recordings because they document daily life and societal norms of past eras. The kärnten museum in Austria and the Filmmuseum in Vienna have both collected and archived thousands of amateur films to document life over the decades. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognises the importance of preserving audiovisual heritage. UNESCO’s World Day for Audiovisual Heritage on October 27th draws attention to the need to protect these often-unique recordings.
Austria has been a member of UNESCO since 1948, and the organisation currently includes 194 member states.
