CORCORAN: Vienna -- the very name conjures up centuries of high culture and imperial architecture. 00:17
Jurgen on motorbike And weaving through the traffic, you can occasionally catch a glimpse of “the men in black” -- keepers of one of this city’s age-old traditions. 00:25
Jurgen pulls up at apartment Their realm lies high above the streets in a Vienna few people ever see. 00:36
Music 00:42
Jurgen enters apartment building CORCORAN: When Jurgen Pikola shows up on the doorstep, he means business. 00:51
Jurgen is a rauchfangkehrer – or chimneysweep. His traditional kit making him instantly recognisable to all Viennese. 00:55
Jurgen on roof Four times a year he comes knocking – to inspect and clean the city’s fireplaces and chimneys – and by law the occupant is required to let him in. 01:06

Jurgen cleans chimneys JURGEN: If he refuses we can report him to the fire authorities, if he doesn’t let us do our work, 01:19
Jurgen And he will suffer the consequences. He has to let us in. 01:29
Jurgen on rooftop CORCORAN: Jurgen is proud of his craft. Apprenticed at the age of 14 – he’s been sweeping chimneys for nearly 20 years -- reaching the prestigious status of master. 01:37
There are still more than 500 chimneysweeps in Vienna. 01:50
And despite the ordinary pay and long hours of cleaning other people’s grime, there’s no place Jurgen would rather be. 01:54
JURGEN: I love the work, I like meeting people and I like being independent without a boss. 02:03
Jurgen There’s no one standing behind you. I can arrange my own schedule. 02:08
Jurgen cleans chimneys I have a lot of contact with the customers and I like being up in the air. I can’t imagine doing anything else. 02:14
Chimney shots Music 02:24
CORCORAN: The modern Viennese chimney is a no-nonsense stainless-steel affair – so there’s not much call for clambering down cavernous black holes. It’s all such a long way from more humble origins. 02:29

Jurgen cleaning chimneys JURGEN: We’ve had chimneysweeps for 475 years in Vienna. They originally came from Ital. That’s when they became symbols of good luck. In those times a chimney fire could cause the burning down of a whole suburb, 02:46
Jurgen so it was lucky to meet someone who could do that work for you. 03:05
Photos. Chimneysweeps with pigs Music 03:12
CORCORAN: This sense of luck has been cherished by generations of Viennese – who believed just the touch of his button or trusty pig would bring him good fortune. 03:18
The rauchfangkehrer was a romantic figure who occasionally, also got lucky with the ladies. 03:30
Jurgen at Nevena’s apartment But there’s more than just good luck involved in the craft. 03:47
The modern chimneysweep is a trained fire and safety inspector – conducting emissions tests to ensure people are burning only approved fuel. 03:51
For Nevena Blagojevic, Jurgen is a hero. He once saved her life while inspecting a faulty heater. 04:02
Nevena NEVENA: If he hadn’t come we would have all died. 24 hours later the whole thing would have gone up. 04:10
Nevena pours Jurgen schnapps CORCORAN: And with the gratitude comes the occasional occupational hazard – there’ll be no more rooftop work today after this house call. 04:26

Music 04:34
NEVENA: Good… Good. What can I say, he’s doing a good job, very, very conscientious. 04:38
Vienna Music 04:45
Jurgen walking on street CORCORAN: On the streets Jurgen doesn’t rate a second glance. He’s the very personification of Vienna. But there’s another great tradition here. Viennese love to complain – about anything really. 04:58
Two women on street And two formidable matrons – fortified by a session in a coffee shop – have the humble rauchfangkehrer in their sights. 05:11
WOMAN 1: They ask for extra money for emissions testing. I don’t want to complain too much but it’s quite terrible. 05:19
Music 05:29
Jurgen meets with architects CORCORAN: It doesn’t pay to complain too loudly -- especially if you’re a property developer. 05:37
Jurgen is joined by his comrade Manfred for a meeting with architects – who want to build 11 luxury units in this apartment building roof space. 05:43
No work can be undertaken – and no chimney altered or demolished without a detailed inspection by the chimneysweeps. 05:53
Jurgen and Manfred have power of veto over multi million dollar construction projects. 06:02

Architect Sophie SOPHIE: I need to know which chimneys are in use and which ones aren’t. 06:08
Possibly I can tear one down and get more space. 06:14
CORCORAN: So chimney sweeps are critical to the success of your project? 06:18
SOPHIE: Ya (laughter) Ya. 06:22
CORCORAN: So rule number one – always be nice to chimney sweeps? 06:25
SOPHIE: Ah, they’re symbols of good luck in Austria – but you already know that. Chimneysweeps are lucky – when you see one in the street you have to touch a button while you see him and that brings good luck. 06:28
CORCORAN: And hopefully for the architects this good luck will also bring a building approval. 06:44
Exterior of building/rooftops Music 06:49
Statue of chimneysweep CORCORAN: With their pre-dawn starts – the working day is over by early afternoon. 06:58
Jurgen and colleagues in restaurant Just in time to adjourn to the local for a lunch of beer and schnitzel with comrades, and a toast to good luck – and a fortunate life – as a Vienna chimney sweep. 07:02
Rooftops Music 07:13

Reporter: Mark CorcoranCamera: David Martin Research: Katinka Novotny Editor: Bryan Milliss 07:30