Tobias
Hochstöger
About
I am a Berlin-based political analyst and researcher specialising in Lusophone Africa and Brazil. My work examines the intersections of politics, resource governance, and postcolonial transformation. I contribute to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), reporting on political and economic developments in Angola and Mozambique.Alongside my analytical work, I have a decade of experience in documentary film production and investigative research. I have co-developed and researched two documentary films, Endphase (2021) and Mr. Spielmann and the Forest (2025), combining meticulous research with the craft of long-form storytelling. For two years, I worked as a broadcast editor for Arte’s feature format Re: European Stories, where I was responsible for developing, scripting, and directing documentary features on European socio-political issues.A recurring thread in my work is the exploration of contaminated places–landscapes marked by historical trauma, ecological collapse, or political violence. From forests hiding the traces of wartime massacres to rivers poisoned by industrial negligence, I’m interested in sites where silence and memory collide.I hold a BA in political science from the University of Vienna and an MSc in international politics from SOAS University London.Outside of work, I’m an avid cyclist, a certified freediver, and a passionate collector of Brazilian vinyl. I’m always curious about new perspectives, so feel free to reach out if you’re working on something exciting or simply want to exchange ideas.
Languages: GER/ENG/POR
Research & Analysis
I focus on governance, elections, and resource politics in the Lusophone world, with particular attention to Angola and Mozambique, examining how authoritarian resilience, resource governance, foreign influence, and democratic contestation shape their trajectories. At the core of my work is an interest in the ways elite power structures, extractive industries, and international actors intersect, with the aim of providing grounded, forward-looking insights for policymakers, researchers, and international stakeholders engaged with this dynamic yet complex region.
Filmography
Herr Spielmann und der Wald (AUT, 2025)
Hans Seebacher Filmproduktion, Co-Director & Writer
A poetic reflection on memory, violence, and landscape.In the spring of 1945, thousands died in an improvised concentration camp in a small forest near the Austrian village of Gunskirchen. Most of their bodies were never recovered. Today, the forest remains — silent, vast, and unresolved.The film follows Holocaust survivor Shaul Spielmann as he returns to the forest where he once fought to survive — a place that, like him, bears the weight of history.
Endphase (AUT, 2021)
Hans Seebacher Filmproduktion, Lead Researcher
Feature-length documentary exploring the little-known massacre of 228 Jewish-Hungarian forced laborers in the Austrian village of Hofamt Priel, carried out in the final days of the Second World War.Endphase traces the events of the night of May 2, 1945, when—just hours before the Nazi surrender—an entire group of women, children, and elderly men was executed. Despite postwar investigations, the identity of the perpetrators remains a mystery to this day.
Television
Regards: River without Fish – Can the Oder still be saved? (Arte/ZDF, 2022)
Kobalt Productions, Director & WriterInvestigation into one of Central Europe’s worst river disasters, tracing the deadly bloom of toxic gold algae and the political failure behind the mass fish die-off in the Oder.
Regards: My Dog is vegan – Meatless Pet Food (Arte/ZDF, 2022)
Kobalt Productions, Director & WriterThis feature examines the rise of vegan dog diets, questioning the ethics, science, and environmental ideals shaping how we feed our pets today.
Regards: Ghosthunters to the Rescue (Arte/ZDF, 2022)
Kobalt Productions, Director & WriterA feature about Europe’s post-pandemic ghost boom, exploring why belief in the paranormal is rising—and what it reveals about our collective psyche.
Kebab, spie e liberta (Rai News 24, 2021)
Co-Director & Writer
An investigation into the Turkish government's repressive apparatus against its opponents in Italy and Austria. Runner-up in the 10th edition of the Roberto Morrione Award for investigative journalism.
Contact
Email: contact[at]tobias.hochstoeger[dot]com
Bluesky: @thochstoeger
X: @thochstoeger
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/tobias-hochstoeger
For secure communication, I am available via Signal or encrypted Email.