It is a social highlight in Geretsried: Our newspaper spoke to fasting preacher Brother Barnabas, alias Ludwig Schmid, before the strong beer festival.
Geretsried - Earlier than usual in the year, namely on February 28 (and again a day later), this year Ludwig Schmid throws his monk's cowl over and will read the Levites as Brother Barnabas of local politics. There is a reason for the early date: mid-March is elected at the local level. This fact should also be at the heart of his speech during the Geretsried strong beer festival, which - as usual - will cause laughter in the audience and sour faces among the derbleckten. Editor Peter Borchers talked to the 42-year-old baker.
Mr. Schmid, what did you plan to do at the Starkbierfest?
In principle, I want to have fun first.
As the past has shown, not all listeners should have it during your speech.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to have fun, and the music, the people in the room, and the people in the speech will have fun too - at least most of the time (laughs).
Is your lecture ready?
No. I have just started to prepare a list of topics, that is to say, for each of the candidates who offer themselves to be exposed, and for each potential topic, to create an index card. However, they are not yet filled with content.
Who will be killed this year?
Can you tell us at least one of your “victims”?
Of course I won't. Only so much: The local elections will of course take up a large area with the Geretsried candidates for mayor, the city council groups as well as the district and district council aspirants. Taking the inter-municipal aspect into account, I will of course also address the elections in the area.
Do you write in stages or on the last minute?
Writing in stages doesn't work for me. The formulations always depend on the form of the day, and it varies. Then you have noticeable breaks in your speech. That's why I only write it in a seat two or three days beforehand. It takes about eight hours to get the rough version. That's why I take myself out of business for this time and sit somewhere where I have my peace. Then I brush over the text again, and then it stands.
Does anyone get to see the speech beforehand?
Does anyone actually get to see the speech before you take it to the desk?
No. I only show certain passages to friends or my wife, quasi as a test of how some gags arrive, or whether I have formulated them in an understandable way. But the complete run is actually only available on Friday evening.
This year you are the 15th brother Barnabas in front of an expectant beer tent audience. Are you still nervous?
Good question. I never was nervous, I think. I know most of the people in the hall, the topics are well known. I would rather call it tension because you do not know which gag arrives and which does not. It is interesting, by the way, what has been shown in this regard over the past 14 years: The gags that I thought were the biggest screamer when I was writing were often not very well received. Others that I didn't have on the screen went all the way in for it. And surprisingly, people react differently over the two days. But in principle it is a bit like in school: you are tense before the exam, but as soon as you start, this tension disappears and you are in the workflow.
So business as usual for you?
Not quite. In Geretsried we have groups with the Greens, the FDP and the Geretsried list that have not yet been represented in a mayoral election. In this respect, the audience is composed differently this time.
You are running for party membership on the list of free voters for the district council. Doesn't that make it difficult to take a critical look at your future colleagues?
I consciously only compete for the district council. As a candidate for the city council, I could no longer defend politics. I don't see any conflict of interest, but I am aware that some people will assume that this is a conflict. For this reason, I will pay more attention to balance this year than usual. Nevertheless, I promise: Whoever delivered the biggest screamer will also get the biggest screamer.
info
For the second day of the strong beer festival (Saturday, February 29, 7 p.m.) with the Gartenberger bunker wind music and the fasting sermon, there are only remaining tickets. More tickets are available for the event on Friday, February 28 (also 7 p.m.). You can get them for 7.99 euros each in the council rooms.