The Grafrather archivist Christel Hiltmann has again designed an annual calendar for 2021: This time with photos of customs.
When do you see a guy looking at the window today?
And festively decorated harvest wagons are also very rare.
But other customs live on.
Grafrath - Christel Hiltmann's annual calendars are almost cult in the community.
Every year the archivist selects the most beautiful motifs from her huge pool of old postcards, old and new photos.
Churches and chapels, villas, taverns and the Amper were already the topic for a local annual calendar.
“I've decided on the customs for next year,” she says.
Animal welfare comes first
Old customs such as the ox race are discussed.
The archivist has a photo from 1952 in her collection that shows such a race on the meadow behind the Schmid-Wirt in Unteralting.
The event no longer exists, at least in Grafrath, also for animal welfare reasons.
Feelings sprout
The window where a boy waits for his beloved has also become rare.
Today this is only done for fun - very few young women still live with their parents, and the couples can show themselves in public without any prejudice.
The photo of the window adorns the page of the month of March, after all spring begins and feelings also sprout.
In April, an old photo of the game "Egg slice" follows, some also call it "Oarwoageln": With two wooden poles next to each other, a slope is created on which the cooked Easter eggs whiz down - the one whose egg rolls the furthest wins.
In May, clearly, the maypole will be erected, which is still a fixed date in the community's calendar of events.
This also applies to the solstice or St. John's fire in June, which is now organized by the fire brigade.
Nowadays, however, hardly any young people jump over the flames.
“Even in the summer and autumn months, it wasn't difficult for me to find customs and photos,” says Christel Hiltmann.
Because in 1952 the Heimat- und Trachtenverein, d'Ampertaler, was founded, since 1953 the popular Almfest has been attracting visitors to the Mesneralm every summer.
The herb consecration on the Assumption of Mary in August is of course still practiced, just like harvest customs in autumn - even if you can hardly see such beautifully decorated harvest wagons like the one in the photo, which was taken in the walls in 1925.
Four death boards
In October the archivist reminds of the custom of the death boards: four can be seen in Wildenroth above the Amperterrasse.
Then comes the end of the year: the Luzienhausschwimmen refers to the festival in honor of Saint Lucia on December 13th.
"The custom is said to go back to a flood disaster in 1785," reports Christel Hiltmann.
"Rector Franz Bergmann took up this custom as thanks for the receding of the floods in the Ampertal."
The photo of the blessing of the tinkered houses in the church moved to the November calendar page in order to make room in December for the so-called Christkindl shooting on Christmas Eve before midnight mass.
The archivist reports: “As early as the 12th century, farmers were making a noise with whips, bells and heavy cattle chains.
Today it is the firecrackers who make a lot of noise. ”The original aim was to drive away the evil spirits - like the fumigation that can be seen in January.
Idea for the year 2022
By the way, the biggest seller was the calendar with old views of villas.
Nevertheless, and although she still had old photos and postcards, the archivist does not want to take up this topic again - "that would only be a warm-up".
She already has another idea in mind for 2022: personalities who lived in Grafrath.
Outlets
The calendar “As was custom in Grafrath” costs ten euros.
It can be bought in advance by calling (0 81 44) 9 30 40 from the Grafrath administrative community or from Christel Hiltmann, phone (0 81 44) 4 10.
For the time being 150 pieces have been printed.
In previous years, the calendar was always offered at the local Christmas market, but the event has been canceled due to the pandemic.
