The Gröbenzell book flea market is one of the largest in the region.
So that the Wildmooshalle can turn into an Eldorado for bookworms, a lot of helpers are needed - and someone who organizes everything.
Renate Müller has been in charge of this for nine years now.
For this, the community foundation has awarded her a “man of action”.
She is the tenth to receive this award.
Gröbenzell -
Actually, Renate Müller and her team of helpers have their hands full right now.
Because if it weren't for Corona, the book flea market would take place on the weekend.
Like every year on the weekend after Ash Wednesday.
Around 3,000 banana boxes full of reading material would have to be transported to the Wildmooshalle, the books unpacked and distributed on the beer tables previously set up there.
But because of the pandemic, everything is different this year.
“We're all a little sad right now,” says the 71-year-old.
"And hope that next year it will be more stressful again."
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The man of action.
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There is a lot to organize in the run-up to the book flea market.
“It's where the threads come together,” explains Renate Müller.
So she has to reserve the Wildmooshalle and find a sorting room.
There is a storage room in the community center, but that is nowhere near enough.
There are just too many books people donate.
A large sorting room is therefore necessary, usually an empty commercial hall or something similar.
And this has to be reorganized, set up and illuminated year after year.
"The room must be around 300 square meters and be at ground level so that we can drive into it with the pallet truck," explains Renate Müller.
And the pallet trucks also have to be organized, just like the truck for transport to the Wildmooshalle.
“Our men used to haul the boxes and we drove in cars,” says the 71-year-old.
But the times are long gone.
Groebenzeller book flea market: So it got bigger and bigger
Renate Müller came to the book flea market through her work as a secretary in the Protestant rectory.
At that time, the “A Village for India” group sold used books in the basement of the meetinghouse to raise money.
At some point the Tanzania working group took over the small book sales.
Renate Müller was in the working group.
Because in her youth she participated in a youth exchange with Kenya and Tanzania.
“That was a great trip,” recalls the 71-year-old.
"This is how my one-world commitment began."
Over the years the book flea market has grown bigger and bigger - and finally to what it is today: one of the largest in the region.
Around 80,000 books, sorted into over 200 categories, are offered there.
There are also some rarities among them.
Renate Müller once discovered a flip book.
"That was definitely around 50 years old."
At the beginning Renate Müller helped with the sorting and did the press work.
In 2012 she took over the management together with Christa Bumeder.
She has been sharing this with Ulrike Michel for two years.
“You couldn't do it all on your own,” says the 71-year-old.
"It takes a lot of helpers, and we are a nice group." That is also a reason why she does the job at all.
“And because I enjoy it.” She also likes books “very, very much,” as she says.
Groebenzeller book flea market: always accepted in January
The big book acceptance always takes place at the beginning of January.
And then it is sorted, sorted, sorted - for almost two months, every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The helpers can come whenever and as often as they want, explains Müller.
You or Ulrike Michel are there every day.
On the weekend of the flea market itself, the 71-year-old is of course also on duty.
She checks that the hall is in order and is available as a contact person - just like her entire team.
If the sale ends on Sunday around 4 p.m., it has to be cleaned up.
“Because school and clubs need the hall again on Monday.” The unsold books are picked up by a dealer who sells them online.
“We don't have a large storage room,” explains Renate Müller.
In summer there is also a big helpers party, which the 71-year-old also takes care of.
And in autumn the whole organization and logistical challenge starts all over again.
The proceeds will be used to support 28 aid projects worldwide.
Since the market is closed this year due to Corona, donations are requested.
More information at www.groebenzeller-buecherflohmarkt.de.
And anyone who would like to offer Renate Müller a sorting room for 2022 should contact her.
