“It's the security and warmth that I appreciate so much here.” These are thoughtful words from Thomas Gretencord (59).
And by that he means the warming room in Schongau, which has now celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Schongau
- The "baker", as Thomas Gretencord is called by his friends, is one of the visitors this morning who have come to a very special place in Lechstadt.
The anniversary of a facility should be celebrated - that of the warming room.
Even if in a very quiet setting.
The warming room looks back on 25 years.
Thomas Gretencord has been a welcome guest at this facility for over 20 years.
He can still remember exactly when in the early years the premises were still on the second floor of the building on Christophstrasse in Schongau.
Even then it was well received as a “train roaster”.
Small celebration Corona-compliant
“This is where I found my family, whom I never really got to know in my life,” says Gretencord.
In his childhood and youth he had to go through many stations where the paths weren't exactly strewn with rose petals.
He felt the thorns much more.
Thomas Gretencord knows real life through and through.
It is all the more remarkable how he stands up for the (soccer) youth and helps wherever he can.
Alcohol is taboo
The 25th anniversary of the warming room should of course not disappear silently in a drawer, even in times of Corona.
Monika Wunderer and Renate Brauchler, the two good souls of the warming room, who conjure up food and drink on the tables every day, wanted to remember the success story with a white sausage dinner.
Not easy with all the specifications, but successful in the end.
According to a schedule drawn up beforehand, there were only as many visitors in the room as they were allowed to and tables were available.
This ensured a distance, because enjoying veal sausages with a face mask is unthinkable.
This pleasure is also inconceivable without the wheat beer, which, like the sweet mustard, goes with it.
But the rules in the warming room are laid down, alcohol is simply taboo.
“There are worse things”, put it Klaus Renner (62) and put a loud laugh afterwards.
Renner has been a regular for six years and doesn’t let anything get in his warmth room.
"You can come whenever you want, you always get help when you need it," he said clearly.
If Renner had a title to award, he would capitalize on it with “excellent”.
"The warm room is a reason to get up"
Rudolf Scheuer (74) at the next table did not take his eyes off the white sausages.
He enjoyed this and the fresh pretzels together with a mug of coffee.
Not exactly traditional, but it tasted scouring.
Just like every lunch table at which he is a regular.
With him "it can be a little more."
The comments of other guests spoke for themselves: "Like a second family", "You get uncomplicated help", "Always variety and delicious food" and to smile: "The warm room is always a reason to get up."
Changed the room twice
Birgit Gutzeit, Head of the Regional Offers Department, wallowed in memories.
When Herzogsägmühle was asked in November 1995 whether they could do something together for the homeless in Schongau, the then director Erwin Dürr launched an appeal for donations for this idea.
The Schongau Lions Club took over the costs of the facility.
Result: The starting shot for the Schongau Warming Room was on October 1st, 1996. After two changes of location, Dominikus-Zimmermann Strasse has been home to all connoisseurs of “Schongau's best coffee” since July 2005.
Monika Wunderer and Renate Brauchler are the two sorceresses of the liquid black gold as well as the snacks and main meals, which offer delicious home-style cooking.
And of course the employees always have an open ear for all matters that cannot be managed alone.
Hans-Helmut Herold