Thursday. 26.12.2024

The small Austrian of community of Fucking will get rid of the name that has attracted town-sign thieves in the past.

The local town council announced that the rural village in Upper Austria province will be called Fugging from 1 January.

Mayor Andrea Holzner confirmed the recent decision in an interview with broadcaster Oe24 on Thursday.

Fucking, a community of about 100, had been in the news in the past because its town signs were repeatedly stolen by people who are attracted by the name, which has no meaning in German but sounds explicit in English.

Not just a burden

Locals had been pushing for a name change for years.

The name has not just been a burden, however: Last year, activists enlisted the name of their village in the fight for climate protection. They placed placards above and below a town sign to make it read "Because our climate is - Fucking - important!"

No more Fucking in Austria, as village decides to change its name