Research: Patronage & Chats (The Schmid System)
"Kriegst eh alles, was du willst" – The digital protocols of power.
The securing of the mobile phone of former ÖBAG boss Thomas Schmid provided unprecedented insights into the inner workings of Austrian power politics. For our mockumentary, these chats are the "modern archive" that replaces the paper files of the 1930s.
The Thomas Schmid Chats
Through thousands of messages, the WKStA was able to reconstruct how important posts in the state-owned companies (ÖBAG, CASAG) and ministries were filled.
Famous Quotes:
- "Kriegst eh alles, was du willst": A promise of power that became a symbol of patronage (Postenschacher).
- "Beinschab-Tool": The system for manipulating polls and media.
- "Ich liebe meinen Kanzler": Testimony to the emotional and political dependence within the system.
Significance for "The Horten Mystery"
The Schmid chats are the "language of power" in our film. We contrast the polite, undercooled letters of Helmut Horten from the 1930s with the fast-paced, emoji-rich communication of the modern era.
- Meta-Level: The chats show that power today is no longer exercised behind closed doors, but via WhatsApp – and that the digital traces of this power are just as difficult to erase as the "Aryanized" contracts of the past.
Sources: Chat protocols published by the WKStA, investigative dossiers of the Ibiza Committee of Inquiry.