Herrsching's Christmas story: birthplace Fischerhütte

Created: 12/31/2021, 09:02 AM

From: Andrea Graepel

Siegfried Polednik built the fisherman's hut from old roof shingles, in which the nativity scene is located this year.

© Michael Schönwalder

At the age of six, Siegfried Polednik and his grandfather bought their first nativity figure in Andechs - one made of paper mache.

At 13 he designed the first figure himself and at 20 he bought his first Josef and dressed it himself. Today, at 81 years of age, the Herrschinger has 50 to 60 nativity scenes in his collection.

And for 32 years he has been looking after the nativity scene in St. Nicholas' Church, which Polednik is presenting in a fisherman's hut for the first time this year.

Herrsching

- The lake is frozen over, there is snow on the fir branches and the boat, the reeds seem to sway in the wind. With great attention to detail, Polednik designed a wintry scene on the Ammersee this year. More precisely in Mühlfeld. A road sign that says that Herrsching is only one kilometer away should clearly indicate this. Born in Herrsching, it was important to establish a local reference this time, after having designed backdrops, some of them distant countries, over the years.

The approximately 35 centimeter high figures are at least 60 years old. They come from the hands of the late artist couple Elisabeth and Hans Kreuz, who once donated the figures to the parish. The artistic dolls are especially admired by children. The people of Herrsching will remember: two years ago the carved wooden Jesus child was stolen from the manger twice. Polednik has not found anything comparable to this day, which is why a plastic figure has been sleeping in the crib for the past two Christmases - "this time screwed tight," adds Polednik. Just like the fishing boat that the 81-year-old built himself.

Polednik has carefully documented all of its cribs, the collected and self-made figures. Most recently, he has even modeled figures as artistic sculptures that are captivating in their simplicity. A passionate photographer from childhood, he managed to take wonderful, almost lifelike shots of his work. Together with the late Brother Stephan Janker, Polednik also exhibited his cribs in the Florianstadl. Most recently in 2010. Polednik's oriental nativity scene even made it onto television, he says proudly.

The Herrschinger's passion for cribs does not end. “I could have sold a stele umpteen times,” he says and immediately waves it away. “I'm not giving them away. It's a hobby, so I don't have to earn any money with it. ”The 81-year-old has been able to keep the manual dexterity he was trained as a master confectioner to this day. “There is always something moving as long as it is still possible,” he says. It doesn't have to go towards Christmas for that, it can also be in March. “I'll do it when I feel like it.” He and his wife Elisabeth (76) keep their eyes open all year round for the scenery and props and find a piece or two right by the lake or in the forest. Because his wife has long been infected by the passion. “In the living room, Christmas will be tight with a Christmas tree and a crib,” he admits and laughs.

And the collection grows.

If Polednik doesn't buy new figures, he'll get some for free that he can restore.

His oldest characters are probably 90 years old.

The most valuable, however, are certainly those of the Herrsching artist couple Kreuz, who he takes care of for the church, which he maintains and guards like his own and which this year is set up for the first time "on" Ammersee.

They are not all there yet.

The kings are still missing.

Polednik will not present them until January 5th and tell the Christmas story with it, if not lively, but moving.