07/01/26 – Vienna-based Satel Film has started the new year with a ratings success: up to 898,000 viewers tuned in to watch the premiere of the new episode of “Die Toten von Salzburg – Die letzte Reise” on 6 January at 8:15 p.m. on ORF 2. An average of 881,000 viewers tuned in to watch new investigator Patricia Aulitzky solve the death of a tour guide in the Hallein salt mine on her first assignment alongside Michael Fitz, Fanny Krausz and Erwin Steinhauer. With a market share of 33 per cent, the episode set a new record in the history of the series. It was directed by Erhard Riedlsperger and produced by Heinrich Ambrosch (Satel Film).
Not only gold, frankincense and myrrh, but also top ratings for ORF on Epiphany. Up to 898,000 viewers watched Patricia Aulitzky’s first appearance as investigator ‘Lu’ Frey in ‘Die Toten von Salzburg’. An average of 881,000 viewers (33% market share) tuned in. This proved that the latest episode was also a sure odds winner. “We are particularly pleased that ‘Die Toten von Salzburg’ has once again attracted so many viewers with its twelfth episode and achieved a record market share. It shows that our mix of gripping crime drama, strong characters and the unique flair of Salzburg continues to strike a chord with audiences”, said Heinrich Ambrosch, producer and managing director of Satel Film.
Murder in Hallein
About the episode: The body of a tour guide is found in the Hallein salt mine. It is a proverbial borderline case: the upper half of the body is in Germany, the lower half in Austria. But this time, neither Salzburg nor Traunstein wants to take on the investigation. Mur (Michael Fitz) has won a cruise, Russmeyer (Fanny Krausz) is rehearsing for a musical role, and Seywald (Erwin Steinhauer) is attending a ‘Less stress in two weeks’ seminar with René (Michael Schönborn) to save their relationship. It is only when their new colleague from Salzburg, former investigator Ludovika ‘Lu’ Frey (Patricia Aulitzky) – who fled Salzburg in her twenties but has now returned to care for her mother, who has dementia – arrives early for work that things start to move forward.
In addition to the popular main cast of Nikolaus Barton, Helmut Bohatsch, Sebastian Edtbauer, Michael Schönborn and Natalie O’Hara, this time Dany Sigel, Edi Jäger, Julia Rosa Peer, Michael Fuith, Ronald Seboth, Jonathan Beck, Maximilian Modl, Nayana Heuer, Runa Schymanski, Max Ortner, Beate Constanze Pitronik, Alyssandra Singh, Hans Sandhu and Torsten Hermentin also appeared in front of the camera. The screenplay was written by Stefan Brunner. Erhard Riedlsperger took the director’s chair, while Kai Longolius was responsible for the spectacular images. Filming took place in April/May 2025, this time in Hallein and the salt mines in Bad Dürrnberg, the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Kapuzinerberg and Domplatz, and Café Bazar, among other locations.
Produced according to strict guidelines
Satel Film is a production company licensed (UW1481) by UZ 76, the Austrian eco-label for green producing. Therefore, ‘Die Toten von Salzburg’ is also produced according to these green guidelines. All areas of production, including materials for sets, scenery and props, costumes and make-up, technology, catering and accommodation, are checked for sustainability. The production company uses environmentally friendly green electricity, avoids the use of diesel generators and prefers to travel by train rather than by plane, provided the destination can be reached within five hours by rail.
‘Die Toten von Salzburg’ is a production of Satel Film in co-production with ORF and ZDF, funded by FISAplus, Film in Austria (ABA), Fernsehfonds Austria, the Province of Salzburg and the City of Salzburg.
Credit: Satel Film/ORF/Lisa Kutzelnig
