Corona throws the bill: Alpine festivals and farmers' markets fall into the water
Upper Isar Valley - A year ago it was raining when the community shepherd Peppi Hornsteiner returned with his sheep from the Sommeralm to Mittenwald.
That fitted into the already dreary picture, after all, a few weeks earlier, almost half the herd had been wiped out in a devastating landslide.
This time, too, the pasture comrades in the Upper Isar Valley are not very happy.
For the first time in ages, all cattle drives are more or less closed to the public.
"Everything is different this year," says Peter Reindl ("Huss"), chairman of the Mittenwald pasture cooperative.
“It's going to be a sad September,” says Christian Neuner, who headed the Mittenwald Goasserer for decades (1984 to 2019).
“But we have to adhere to the strict rules of the game.” With this, the “Hackl” naturally alludes to the hygiene requirements that the corona pandemic has been bringing with it for months.
For the upcoming weekend that means in concrete terms: Both the Mittenwald goats and the Wallgau cattle will be brought into the valley without an audience and handed over to their owners - there are also no alpine festivals and farmers' markets.
“And generally no awards either,” adds Neuner.
Internal events
In the past few years, September had literally developed into the golden autumn in the three Isar valley communities.
In Krün in particular, the cattle drive turned into a popular festival.
“But how should that work this year?” Asks Mayor Thomas Schwarzenberger (CSU).
“When the cattle drive, people stand shoulder to shoulder on the street.” Who from the organizing clubs could guarantee that they will keep the required Corona distance this time.
“That's why I don't see any possibility of making a light cattle drive.” Schwarzenberger assumes that the Krüner farmers will toast a successful mountain summer during an “internal event of the pasture cooperative”.
It shouldn't be any different in Wallgau and Mittenwald.
"We are of the opinion that it makes no sense to pull something through with a crowbar," explains Sabrina Blandau, the managing director of the Isartaler Tourismus-GmbH Alpenwelt Karwendel.
Especially since the developed September events are far too valuable to be whipped through with all violence.
“We have to be very careful with it,” says the tourism expert.
"Instead, we are relying on the autumn campaign." In other words: The season, which was brought around profitable May due to Corona, is to be extended - not least to compensate for the loss in sales due to the pandemic.
“September will be different.” This assessment by Blandau can therefore be agreed in different ways.
On Saturday, September 12th, significantly more Mittenwald mountain sheep will reach their hometown than after the disaster alpine summer 2019. Shepherd Peppi Hornsteiner estimates it could be around 400 animals.
His balance after his 28th mountain season: "I am satisfied."