Schongau - Even if the corona incidences are at a level where a lockdown and the closure of all leisure activities would have been ordered in the spring of this year, the Schongau Fairy Tale Forest is sure that the worst uncertainty and the greatest economic challenges have been overcome.
You can feel the relief in every sentence of the siblings Franziska and Florian Hallmann, who, with the sudden death of their mother and thus exactly at the beginning of the corona pandemic, took over responsibility for the traditional family business since March 2020. "Many did not trust us to make it through this double crisis together with our team," says Florian Hallmann and it becomes clear what burden must have been on his shoulders.
Due to the eight-month closure from November 2020, the challenges this year were even greater than last year.
"We couldn't even offer sundaes, because we had to drive our kitchen with a minimal staffing and only one small menu due to the absence of many employees who were looking for new jobs during short-time work," describes Franziska Hallmann.
Big sigh of relief
Despite the shortened season, more than 70,000 visitors found their way to the Schongau fairy tale forest - a circumstance that was certainly also helped by the fact that many families again spent their vacation at home this year and enjoyed excursions.
These visitor numbers let the Hallmann siblings breathe a sigh of relief, because they have survived another year of crisis and also father Max Hallmann emphasizes how proud it makes him that his children continue to run the fairy tale forest so successfully.
"To give something back"
"We received incredible support from all sides during the Corona period and would now like to visibly give something back," says Florian Hallmann, pointing to many boxes with thousands of entry vouchers that he and his sister were given to randomly selected kindergartens in the end of October Region.
Last year there was a large donation from an individual who was linked to the wish that the money would benefit children in the region.
"We are now fulfilling this wish and of course we are also financially contributing to the campaign," explains Franziska Hallmann.
Start of the winter season
Your fairytale forest is an absolute matter of the heart for the siblings.
Founded in 1965 by their grandparents Hans and Gretl Schmid, it is now up to them to promote development and guide their fairytale forest through economically turbulent times.
"Working out the success in a team, building new attractions and growing together with partners from the region, that really gives us pleasure and also comforts us after the sleepless nights we had in recent years", summarizes Florian Hallmann.
With the end of the autumn holidays, winter begins in the fairy tale forest, where the gates only open on weekends and during the holidays.