Going on Maschkera for two: That must not be prohibited.
Demonstrators in Garmisch-Partenkirchen are fighting for their customs, a little luck in the dreary times and equal treatment in the corona pandemic.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- Sabine Neff laughs when she has finished the sentence.
Just quiet.
Just so that you can hear it through the microphone.
But there is so much in that little laugh.
It expresses how ridiculous and nonsensical she finds the situation: All of you, the approximately 180 demonstration participants, have to meet in the Olympic ski stadium so that two - Neff emphasizes the word as much as if she had put an exclamation mark behind it - people to go for a walk with the larva.
By far - another exclamation mark.
Through the empty - third exclamation mark - streets.
Ridiculous.
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Receives a lot of praise for her commitment: Sabine Neff, organizer of the demonstration.
© FOTOPRESS THOMAS VERY
This is exactly what the district office had forbidden with reference to the Infection Protection Ordinance: Going to the Maschkera is no good reason to leave the house.
Neff and her colleagues fight against this.
The 24-year-old organized a demonstration with Marie-Theres Korber for Sunday.
So that their tradition does not fall victim to Corona.
“Our aim is to set a sign of resistance,” emphasizes Neff.
And to show: You don't put up with everything.
They demand unequivocally: The authority should lift the ban.
The organizers of the demonstration distance themselves from corona deniers
Korber and Neff expressly distance themselves from corona deniers and lateral thinkers right from the start.
They are only concerned with customs.
And "not about the fun or a big bunch", emphasizes Neff in her speech.
But they want to preserve their culture, which is why they are happy to meet all requirements, making it and Korber equally clear.
But they feel they have been treated unfairly and speak to the participants - many young men and women protest this Sunday - from the soul.
Listeners keep shouting “Bravo” when Neff defends herself against the blanket ban in her speech.
“Maschkera must not be rated differently from athletes or walkers,” she demands.
After all, it is not fair that hikers, ski tourers and tobogganers populate the mountains en masse.
But marching in pairs through empty streets (exclamation marks) is forbidden.
“What's the point?” She asks.
“Bravo”, call out some of the audience.
You can read this argument on some of the signs that participants have brought with them, and you can often hear it if you ask around among the participants.
Franziska Grünauer (23) is what drives it.
People would come in droves to go touring, if there were two of you with a larva you could face a penalty.
“That can't be.” Her friend Julia Sommerer (20) takes up another point: People “need a ray of hope in this dreary time”.
Maschkera are particularly important at this time
Neff sees it that way.
Maschkera is currently particularly important, there is "an incentive to persevere." Korber knows how much joy two people can give on the street with music and wooden larvae.
“It feels like you have just fallen in love.” The 25-year-old's heart beats when she sees or hears Maschkera - then she's just fine.
And that, the young women think, must be allowed.
Just now.
The two received a lot of encouragement for their campaign in advance.
Korber estimates that 200 people have encouraged them through a WhatsApp group.
So they went through with it.
“Quite spontaneously,” says Korber.
Since Thursday the two of them organized the demonstration with helpers - exemplary.
Operations manager Manfred Maier from the Garmisch-Partenkirchen police station expressly emphasizes this.
They measured the distances on the floor and marked the standing places for the participants with red dots.
Ten stewards ensure that everyone complies with the rules - such as the mask requirement and the ban on larvae.
“Please don't sing along, that's not allowed,” Neff shouts through the microphone at the beginning of a song from Maschkera music, when a few men accompany the whole thing with yodelling.
Praise from the police and mayor for good organization
The young women also received great praise from Mayor Elisabeth Koch (CSU), who watched the demonstration as a spectator.
She pronounces "respect" to Neff and Korber.
For their organization, their cooperation and, above all, their courage to stand up for their cause.
She can't resist a swipe at many a traditionalist - she doesn't name any names.
Koch is extremely disappointed "that the otherwise loudest keepers of the homeland and customs have not found their way to Partenkirchen".
The young people take on the job of fighting for customs.
Has your commitment made any difference?
Korber and Neff hope so.
And now wait and see.