The Story of a Cross

Created: 05/02/2022, 19:00

By: Uta Künkler

The shape of the cross is inspired by the Eucharistic World Congress in Munich in 1960.

It has since been renewed.

It is scheduled to be dedicated in May.

© Andreas Faltermaier

Hobby historian Andreas Faltermaier digs into the 200-year history of a cross that was recently renewed on the initiative of Johann Ertl.

What he dug up was "totally exciting," says Faltermaier.

Fraunberg

- A simple cross with an extraordinary history stands west of Großhündlbach on the road to Helling.

Andreas Faltermaier from Kemoding, who describes himself as a hobby historian, has dug through the past of this wayside shrine, which was built around 190 years ago.

Now he wants to have the renewed cross consecrated by a church.

"That's really important to me," says Faltermaier.

“Renewal is a word that is very relevant again for the Church today,” he says.

"In spite of its long history, the cross fits perfectly into today's world."

The search for traces of the Kemodinger began about a year ago.

At that time his good friend Johann Ertl sen.

initiated the renewal of the old cross on the side of the road.

This piqued Faltermaier's interest.

And when Faltermaier is interested in something, he doesn't give up that easily.

"I research a lot about each other," he says about himself. The man from Kemoding talks to contemporary witnesses, acquaintances and relatives and works his way through old writings.

"I'm actually from the neighboring village," he says, "but the cross has done it to me, it's really exciting and really important to me."

According to Faltermaier, the original reason for erecting the cross was a tragic event.

This is where Timotheus Winkler "Hundtmair" (today Humpmer) von Großhündlbach drowned on August 12, 1832.

So it is guaranteed in the "History and Description of the Parish of Rappoltskirchen" by Nepomuk Kießlinger.

According to oral reports, his vehicle is said to have overturned there, whereupon the unfortunate man fell into the pond that used to exist there and drowned, Faltermaier summarizes.

It was the relatives of the drowned man from the Humpmer farm who erected a cross there to commemorate the disaster.

But there is nothing left of this first cross for a long time, says Kemodinger.

“Throughout the centuries, the cross has been renewed again and again.

When another renovation was due, today's somewhat unusual cross shape was chosen," explains Faltermaier.

The background was the Eucharistic World Congress in Munich in 1960, in which the Catholic rural youth of Rappoltskirchen took part.

Two contemporary witnesses, Marlene Widmann, today the innkeeper from Rappoltskirchen, and Johann Ertl from Großhündlbach, were there in Munich at the time and were very impressed.

So they came up with the idea of ​​implementing the cross shape used at the World Congress in deep woodland.

On the initiative of Johann Ertl sen.

the carpenter Hermann Westermaier from Großhündlbach made the cross that adorned the street for many years.

But today there is nothing left of this cross either – except for the shape.

In 2021 the cross was renewed again, and again the initiative of Johann Ertl sen.

ran out, says Faltermaier.

The carpenter Jörg Maier and the blacksmith Alois Bauer senior were also involved.

and jr.

from Rappoltskirchen.

Today's cross stands on a massive galvanized base.

Karoline Maier donated another rose bush.

"Now all that remains is to lay out the surrounding area and consecrate the cross," says Faltermaier.

He hopes that the consecration will take place in May by Deacon Christian Pastötter, a date has not yet been set.

(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Erding newsletter.)