Why These Three Left the Waldviertel—Then Chose to Return for Good

Three residents of the Waldviertel are sharing their stories to encourage more people to call the region home. Leopold Pigall, Barbara Calas-Reiberger, and Regina Sinhuber all left at some point but chose to return. Now, as ambassadors, they highlight what makes this corner of Lower Austria special.

The Waldviertel spans 163 towns and cities across four districts—Gmünd, Horn, Waidhofen an der Thaya, and Zwettl. For 15 years, the ambassador programme has worked to attract and retain residents, growing to around 860 members today.

Regina Sinhuber was raised in the Waldviertel but moved to Vienna as a child when her mother relocated. At 21, she came back and has stayed ever since. Now a long-standing ambassador, she values the strong community, the affordability of living there, and the local cultural scene. She even grows her own vegetables, enjoying the region's connection to nature.

Leopold Pigall also left for training—his in nursing—but returned after three decades away. He was drawn back by the quiet, the natural surroundings, and the close-knit neighbours. Like Sinhuber, he sees the Waldviertel as home.

Barbara Calas-Reiberger followed a similar path, leaving to study before returning as an architect. Her work focuses on reviving empty properties and repurposing existing buildings. As an ambassador, she aims to bring life back to villages that have lost residents over the years. Her goal is to help shape the region's future by making the most of what already exists.

The ambassador initiative began 15 years ago, run by the association Interkomm. It now has nearly 900 members, all working to show why the Waldviertel is worth staying in—or moving to.

The three ambassadors each found their own reasons to return to the Waldviertel. Their efforts, alongside hundreds of others, aim to keep the region vibrant and welcoming. With 163 municipalities and a long-running programme, the initiative continues to promote the area's strengths—community, affordability, and a slower pace of life.