First his father died (58) on a farm in southern Styria, then his son and successor lay dead in bed at the age of only 27. Since then, the survivors have suffered endless grief and a mountain of debt. Fundraising campaigns are now aimed at alleviating the suffering of the farming family.
How much more can a family tolerate? Tragedy struck mercilessly for the first time at the Hollbauerhof in Southern Styria in May 2020, when the father of the family, farmer Johann, died at the age of only 58. His wife Maria and their three sons Martin, Stefan and Markus were left behind.
“Martin was the sunshine of the family”
The youngest brother, Martin – ‘a farmer with heart and soul’ and ‘a ray of sunshine’, as the family members all agree, took over the large pig farming, cattle breeding and ranching business when he was not even halfway through his career . 1920s. To position itself well for the future, it built new buildings, such as a stable building for the pigs, but also a manure store, a feeding room and a machine shed.
But even in August of this year, fate did not leave the besieged Hollbauerhof in its hands. The day before he was happily out with his loved ones, but at the age of 27, Martin lies lifeless in his bed. The young farmer can no longer be saved. Cause of death: a congenital, unfortunately unnoticed, aneurysm in the heart that may have burst suddenly.
What the family is left with are wonderful memories – and endless sadness. Together they try to continue working on the farm. Including a pile of loan debts as a result of the modernization. Mama Maria still has 700,000 euros outstanding, the bank demands 5,000 euros per month. The certainty: The farm including 18 hectares of fields and forest.
You can donate to the maintenance of the farm here
It would be “a catastrophe” to give up the farm, says Maria Holl on Servus TV. Now they hope for support to continue the activities after the blows of fate. If you would also like to help the family with a donation, you can do so here on the GoFundMe website or with any amount of money, no matter how small, directly to Maria Holl’s account under the IBAN: AT35 3817 0000 0201 6467.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
