After a catastrophic fire: the refurbished brewery in Rottenbuch was inaugurated
Created: 05/07/2022, 12:00 p.m
By: Christopher Peters
A gem: the new workroom on the top floor of the brewery.
© Tobias Fuhrmann
They had waited a long time for this moment at Regens Wagner Rottenbuch: three and a half years after a devastating fire severely damaged the monastery's former brewery, the renovated school building was inaugurated yesterday, Friday.
Rottenbuch - With "Wind of Change", the school band of the Academy for Social Pedagogy received the invited guests of honor in the classrooms specially prepared for the ceremony.
The classic of the Scorpions, it couldn't have fitted better that day.
The wind of change has blown through the historic Bräuhaus several times over the past few years.
Wind, of course, is an understatement, rather it was stormy times that General Manager Achim Gerbig looked back on.
The focus was on the evening of September 18, 2018, when one of the worst fire disasters in the region in recent decades occurred in the monastery village.
An evening that was burned deep into the memory not only of Gerbig but of all those present.
A fire destroyed the roof structure of the historic brewery,
a few weeks before the academy for social education and the vocational school for child care were to move into the newly renovated school building.
300 emergency services fought the flames all night to save the building, Gerbig recalled and once again thanked everyone involved.
"They were the most important people during the entire construction period."
After the fire, the renovation started all over again
It started in 2016, after the fire you had to start all over again.
The building was so badly damaged that it had to be completely gutted and rebuilt.
A tour de force for everyone involved, because school operations had to continue.
The lack of space was a permanent issue, which was mastered thanks to the help of the communities of Rottenbuch and Böbing, said Gerbig.
The administration alone had moved four times during that time, but he had hardly heard any complaints.
"Something like this is only possible if we work together." The time was not easy for the residents of the construction site either, and Gerbig thanked them for their understanding.
Rainer Remmele, pastor and spiritual director of Regens Wagner, blessed the new chapel.
© Tobias Fuhrmann
The Corona crisis also made itself felt on the home stretch, craftsmen were absent due to illness, “some things are still missing due to delivery problems”.
Not every moving box has been unpacked, construction site dust is still lying on the furniture, "but we've made it, we're operational," says Gerbig happily.
Lessons have been going on in the Bräuhaus for two weeks, "in three weeks we will have the first exam in the house," Gerbig looked ahead.
(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Schongau newsletter.)
Mayor Markus Bader, who was accompanied by a large part of the municipal council, spoke of a "particularly nice day for Rottenbuch".
He looked back on the centuries-old history of the brewery and recalled that it was once the Don Bosco sisters who made it a school.
Regens Wagner has continued on this path since the takeover in 2010, and the head of the town hall emphasized that one is grateful to have such a “great humanitarian power” as a partner.
Bader was enthusiastic about the renovated building, which is so characteristic of Rottenbuch.
"There is hardly a nicer place to study."
best conditions for students and teachers
Around 350 students are currently attending the technical academy and the vocational school.
She and her 38 teachers now find the best conditions in the new school building.
The invited guests were able to see this for themselves during a tour on Friday.
The modern classrooms all have digital blackboard systems.
There are alternative rooms for group work and student bases.
There is a large teaching kitchen on the first floor.
The administration is housed on the ground floor, as well as a canteen kitchen that provides food for 140 people in the Regens-Wagner facilities as well as two kindergartens and the canteen.
The former dining room was converted into a chapel.
The visitors were particularly impressed by the workroom on the top floor with a view of the mountains.
It was unimaginable for many that classes could one day take place here,
Architect Michael Weinbrenner from the Haindl office and colleagues remembered the first inspections.
At the time, the projectile seemed too dark and fragmented.
Nothing of that can be seen anymore.
The fire was a turning point, but the tour de force of reconstruction was worth it, said Weinbrenner.
“Wonderful rooms have been created.” The outdoor facilities, including the large terrace in front of the cafeteria, are not yet finished.
They should be addressed next.
The outdoor facilities, including the large terrace in front of the cafeteria, are not yet finished.
They should be addressed next.
The outdoor facilities, including the large terrace in front of the cafeteria, are not yet finished.
They should be addressed next.
However, it has its price.
16 architecture and planning offices as well as 45 companies were involved in the project, explained Gerhard Reile, member of the board of directors of Regens Wagner.
The renovation was originally estimated at 12.6 million euros, of which 10.5 million euros had been installed at the time of the fire.
Another 23.5 million euros were added for the clean-up, dismantling and reconstruction work, which brought the bottom line to around 34 million euros.
The insurance company bears a large part of the sum, said Reile.
The Free State contributed 3.6 million euros, 60,000 euros came from the monument protection fund. The diocese of Augsburg granted a subsidy of 500,000 euros for the chapel, which was built on the ground floor and was also inaugurated and blessed on Friday.
In front of numerous invited guests, Regens Wagner general manager Achim Gerbig looked back on the exhausting time on the construction site at the opening ceremony of the renovated school building.
© Tobias Fuhrmann
Of course, those who work in it every day were particularly happy about the new school building.
Stefan Eblenkamp, head of the technical academy, and Silvia Christa, head of the vocational school, spoke of a "lighthouse for the region".
They praised the perfect spatial and educational environment that had been created.
"It's a house in which we can meet all requirements." And they are big, Eblenkamp made clear.
In view of the enormous need for educators, their training is a social task of enormous importance.
Here, everyone agreed on Friday, that big politics is also required.
"We like to train specialists for the region," said Gerbig.
"But we also have to be able to do it without a deficit."
You can find more current news from the region around Schongau at Merkur.de/Schongau.