Therese’s Legacy Above the Clouds: A Queer Couple Reclaims the Austrian Countryside
Traveling on The Pink Road is often full of surprises, like when I met two artists dressed as copies of each other. What are the odds that they had just opened the first queer hotel in Austria? Of course I had to check it out. I am not kidding, it's as close to heaven as I have ever been. Everybody should go.
Text and photos © Gry Ellebjerg
The bare patches on the walls commemorate queer people unable to live openly in the past and symbolize those who still cannot today. The empty spaces convey the message: You are always with us.
TRAHÜTTEN Did I see double? Io Tondolo and Itshe Petz had the exact same long beards and were dressed identically. Like Gilbert & George. I met them in the former lesbian, now queer, bar Marea Alta in Vienna. They had just opened Austria's first queer hotel near Graz, hosting queer and lesbian events. Did I know about the upcoming Pride in their village? I canceled my trip to a heatwave-stricken Rome. The following week, I found myself above the clouds at Absteige Zur Bärtigen Therese. It felt like stepping onto a film set, perhaps because the house once belonged to Io's grandmother. They had retained many of her belongings, giving them new shapes, forms, and colors. I used my black and white Leica. Later, when I saw the photos, I couldn’t help thinking Hitchcock could join us any time.
The interior design is a work of art in itself. Besides the guest rooms, there is a library area with books about lesbian life everywhere. I can barely describe the sheer luxury of reading about Anne Lister while having my eggs and coffee in the morning. I have never experienced that in any hotel before. Let's put it that way. Upon arrival, I was completely stressed. I'd been on The Pink Road for two weeks, constantly meeting new people. My body ached; I could barely walk. On my first day, I crashed. From my bed, I looked out at the mountain valley, thinking: this is a world worth saving.
24 hours earlier I caught the train from Vienna to Graz, where I changed trains to Leibnitz Bahnhof. There, a pre-booked taxi was waiting. It drove through woods and corn fields. There was no sign of Pride anywhere. In fact, there was no sign of people at all. After a 20-minute drive, we finally arrived. As I left the taxi, I saw 60 people gathered behind the gay mayor’s house. Further down, I spotted Io and Itshe at a table drinking wine with other queens and kings. One of them was Christoph Skoff, a hairstylist and performer dressed in full makeup as his drag persona, Gloria Hole. Next to their table was a man in loafers and white trousers, telling his kids not to spill. After a few hours, it was over. We took a taxi back to the hotel. Around 11 p.m., Io, Itshe, and Christoph started setting up a photoshoot for an upcoming event. The movie set in my head was now complete.
Non-binary drag kings, Io Tondolo and Itshe Petz.
THE FOLLOWING INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE ON JUNE 25TH AT 11:10 A.M.
What's the story behind your names?
IO We use our mothers' maiden names as surnames to break the cycle of patriarchy. Itshe represents "it," "she," and "he," while Io is Jupiter's moon or "I" in Italian. Our names have no gender.
How would you describe yourselves?
IO We are an artist, business, and love couple who perform and host events. We identify as non-binary drag kings. For six years we've dressed alike as an artistic expression.
Why did you open the Absteige zur Bärtigen Therese?
IO We'd heard many queers in the city talk about experiences in the countryside: "It was a nightmare! We escaped the countryside as children because of the discrimination and hatred. We couldn't find a welcoming place there."
ITSHE Our goal was to reconnect queer people with nature.
IO The church preached that being queer is unnatural for centuries. We were portrayed as being outside of nature. This is of course false, as countless plant and animal species exhibit a wide range of understandings of gender. This diaspora of queer people from the countryside, coupled with discrimination, created a huge gap between nature and queer culture. Our goal is to invite queer people back to the countryside and help them rediscover that connection.
I was surprised to learn how much LGBTQ+ activity is happening here. Nearby is Weiberhof, a lesbian-run women's holiday farm; the Wertschach/Dvorče inn located in the Gailtal valley; and even the recent Pride celebration took place at the home of the mayor, who is openly gay. Were you aware of this when you moved here?
IO Yes, we are returning and revitalizing rural communities. You can say it's a queer comeback!
ITSHE We love it because it helps us connect with more queer people in the countryside, build community, and support each other.
Itshe Petz and Christoph Skoff, as his drag persona, Gloria Hole.
I was amazed that Pride was held at the mayor's house! It was also heartwarming to see so many villagers, not all of them LGBTQ+, showing their support.
IO Yes, they were supporting the cause and the mayor personally.
ITSHE We do the same here. We invite villagers to our art events, brunches, and barbecues. We're open to non-queer people and to having conversations about these issues. Initially, we thought we'd be queer-only, but we realized that creating a ghetto wasn't ideal.
IO When you're too hidden, people start imagining things. It's better to be in contact and talk about it.
ITSHE They do anyway, but open communication helps create an atmosphere where people can connect and overcome fears and prejudices.
IO We do prioritize our guests' desired dates. Sometimes we have events reserved for queer people or lesbians. In such cases, we may decline other requests. We had a request from a gay couple who wanted to come during a women-only weekend. We explained that it was exclusively for women. They understood.
You named the hotel "Absteige Zur Bärtigen Therese." Who is Therese?
ITSHE Therese is a fictional character with her own language, bearded and proud of it. A kind of invented ancestor for queer people. She represents all queers erased from history: those who disappeared, worked, died, and were imprisoned to pave the way for our freedom.
IO We also have the "Queer Wall of Fame," a constantly evolving artwork on the house's facade. We invite the community to nominate their queer heroes. We'll put their photos, names, and short biographies on the wall—honoring our ancestry and creating a protective shield around the house.
Can you tell me something about your regularly scheduled women-only events?
IO One of our best friends is a lesbian activist and DJ. She has been organizing 'Women's Cafe' parties for years; women-only events at various locations. We asked if she wanted to host weekends for lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and heterosexual women.
Why is it important to have women-only weekends?
ITSHE We spoke with lesbians who expressed a desire for women-only gatherings. It's our way of making lesbian life more visible and give them space to create their own environment.
IO We listened to a podcast by Manuela Kay (editor-in-chief of LMAG, a major German-speaking lesbian magazine). She highlighted the lack of exclusive spaces for lesbians and other women. Even though we're not the target group, we want to provide that. We're planning women's summer and winter weekends, as well as women's brunches and barbecues for day trips.
ITSHE People who live nearby can come for a day without staying overnight.
IO Currently, we're helping with cooking and breakfast, but in the future, we want to find a woman to take over that aspect so we can fully step back.
ITSHE We're open to other suggestions for lesbian-focused events.
Yesterday, you mentioned you are attracting many interesting people. Can you elaborate?
ITSHE We had a wonderful experience with a father whose 18-year-old son is trans. He wanted a safe space for his son. It was heartwarming to see parents actively seeking welcoming environments. We also hosted a cross-dresser who needed a safe space to express themselves outside of their usual life. We've also had queer people from the countryside who are closeted and wanted a place to relax and be themselves for a while before returning to their lives. This was something we hadn't initially considered.
IO We also had a fantastic lesbian couple arrive on a motorcycle.
How did you connect with them?
IO A journalist from Germany's second-largest newspaper wrote a piece about us and named it "The House of Fantasy". This couple read the article, saw the picture of the road, and realized it was a great place for bikers. They traveled six hours by motorcycle; we didn't even know they were coming.
Christoph Skoff, as his drag persona, Gloria Hole.
They didn't call ahead?
IO We knew they were coming, but not how they'd arrive. They appeared in front of the house in their leather gear.
ITSHE We were so happy!
IO It's a dream to have the entire parking lot full of motorcycles, "dykes on bikes."
I love how you designed the place. Can you tell me about your process?
ITSHE Io's grandmother left the house completely furnished. We wondered what to do with it all. Since we often recycle and reuse materials in our designs, we decided to see which pieces could be repurposed or repainted. We moved things around, spending time in different rooms to get a feel for the space.
IO We even slept in every room to see how the morning light fell and where best to place the beds. Bed placement is crucial; if the bed faces the door, it can disrupt sleep due to a subconscious flight instinct. We carefully considered this. We also used the old single beds, constructing new ones from the original materials. We used a collection of old TVs as nightstands. My grandmother had wallpaper in every room, a bit much, but beautiful in its own way. We tried to retain elements of the old style while incorporating a new aesthetic. We have plants in every room, which is unusual for a hotel. We believe plants improve air quality and humidity and they add life to the space.
Can you feel Io's grandmother's presence?
ITSHE I can, even though I never knew her. When Io and I arrived, sorting through her belongings was difficult; it felt like she was still living here. It was surreal — sheets and everything. The house had been rented out for twenty years, but it was as if she'd never left. It wasn't a negative energy, just … overwhelming. I boxed everything up and we decided what to keep.
IO You were very careful and respectful. I feel her spirit.
ITSHE I feel her support. She seems pleased that we're caring for her house, using it, repairing things, and bringing people here. She worked so hard for this house, her whole life. It would have been sad to see it go.
IO Maybe that's why it wasn't sold—her influence, perhaps. I'm sure she's happy we're here. She was a remarkable woman, a feminist in her own way. After my patriarchal policeman grandfather died, she ran a women-only space for thirty years, employing only women and organizing workshops for village women. Many were in unhappy marriages. She provided them with a space for freedom, connection, and sisterhood. She also hosted weekly women's gatherings for cards, drinks, and socializing. Even the strictest husbands couldn't object, as they often came for beers on other days. It was a safe space for women.
ITSHE : I think she was very proud of it. Hearing the story of how her husband forbade her from swimming and driving was heartbreaking. But after his death…
IO …the first thing she did was get her driver's license. The second was to take swimming lessons. From then until she died, she swam twice a year in the Atlantic Ocean.
Io Tondolo.
Christoph Skoff, as his drag persona, Gloria Hole.
