The Echelsbacher Bridge will soon be reopened.
While their renovation took place clearly visible over the years, the renewal of the model happened unnoticed.
Two Rottenbuchers refreshed the 1930 miniature.
Hundreds of hours of work.
Rottenbuch
- Gabriel Heiland puts on a small branch, presses it down with his fingers. “But now we can do it with wood,” he says to himself, takes a step back and examines his work. The miniature bunting now has everything it needs: waves, an indicated current and driftwood. Slowly he and Andreas Keller, both Rottenbucher, are finished with their work. They have to, because at the Leonhardiritt this Sunday, November 7th, starting at 9:30 a.m., the large model of the Echelsbacher Bridge is to ride on a wagon. With a new face.
For the inauguration of the huge structure in 1930, Alfons Beck from Rottenbuch created the model of the Echelsbach Bridge with his brother.
Who was the client at the time can no longer be traced.
“The construction company or the community,” says today's mayor Markus Bader.
Model is 90 years old
He regularly visits the threshing floor in the cloister courtyard, where Keller and Heiland are restoring the 90-year-old miniature bridge.
And they did a lot of work, the two experienced crib builders.
"At the beginning I was a bit shocked at how much the two of them tore away," admits Bader and adds with a smile: "In the end, however, as so often, they were right."
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Which tone would you like?
Gabriel Heiland (left) and Andreas Keller (center) mix the color with which the sides of the model are to be painted.
Mayor Markus Bader (r.) Regularly visits the two men who are restoring the mini-bridge.
© Herold
Because the model has suffered over the decades and has been repaired several times.
The base was heavy and quite broken, many pieces of wood broken or rotten.
The miniature “was great at the time, but it also stood outdoors for a long time,” says Heiland.
Not in the past few years.
The model was safely housed in a courtyard in the Bayersoier district of Echelsbach.
"We are very grateful for that," says Bader.
But the Rottenbuchers wanted to bring the piece home now - matching the end of the bridge renovation.
On top of that, last year the community bought a plot of land at the monastery courtyard, in the threshing floor of which there is now enough space for accommodation.
The model “is a shared legacy with Bayersoien and Wildsteig”, emphasizes Bader.
For example, for parades and Leonhardiritte, the neighbors could borrow the good piece at any time.
From time to time there is food for the men
It is definitely worth seeing. Keller, the former mayor and Bader's predecessor and Heiland made sure of that. Hundreds of hours of work - all done on a voluntary basis. “Otherwise that would be priceless,” admits Bader. The community pays the material costs, and every now and then there is food for the hardworking men. On top of that, several companies have donated material and given advice.
The new substructure, an aluminum frame, was provided, for example, by the stainless steel company Mayr from Pischlach.
Covered with styrofoam, it now forms the basis of the model.
Above this, Heiland and Keller recreated the Echelsbach Bridge and the surrounding landscape.
The wooden bridge is still the original from 1930, the railing and roadway had to be renewed.
The gorge and the bunting are lovingly depicted underneath - a few walks were necessary for this.
For the model, the men used driftwood, sand and tuff that they found around the bunting.
Pieces of bark and peat were also used.
“There are a lot of natural things in there,” confirms Heiland.
But the trees were ordered - from a miniature manufacturer.
The model is also shown when the bridge is opened
The two Rottenbuchers were still waiting for the delivery in the middle of the week, somewhat relaxed.
They still had enough to do.
Paint the outside, for example.
When choosing the color for the border, the two discussed a little, teased each other.
Should it be gray or should it be blue?
They found a solution - it's still a secret.
Neither do they want to see a photo of the model in public yet - those interested have to wait until the Leonhardiritt.
Next, the mini-bridge is expected to be shown at the bridge opening.
And maybe in the town hall.
“But I still have to measure whether it fits in the foyer,” says Bader.
After all, the miniature of the Echelsbacher Bridge is four meters long and 1.40 meters wide.
While the town hall chief ponders whether it will work out, the bridge builders continue to work.
When Keller takes down the brush, he sees Heiland's critical look at the course of the river.
The former mayor grins: “Now the bunting doesn't shut up like that.” It's already perfect.
