Schäffler dance in front of Munich City Hall – Mayor Reiter hopes for “the end of the corona pandemic”

Created: 05/07/2022, 20:44

By: Thomas Eldersch

Because of the corona pandemic, the Schäffler performed earlier than is customary.

On Saturday they danced in front of Munich City Hall.

Mayor Reiter greeted them.

Munich – Actually, they only dance every seven years.

But because the corona pandemic is slowly coming to an end, they made an exception this year.

The Schäffler performed in front of the town hall in Munich on Saturday, May 7th.

Of course, the Munich Kindl and Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) were there.

Schäffler dance in Munich: They make an exception because of Corona

"Welcome to Marienplatz, with beautiful weather," said Mayor Reiter with a wink, greeting the numerous people of Munich who found their way in front of City Hall in the pouring rain.

Young and old couldn't resist watching the spectacle live.

Because the next Schäfflertanz would not actually happen until 2026. But because of Corona, an exception was made this year.

The fact that an exception was made because of the ongoing corona pandemic is actually only logical.

Because originally the Schäffler danced to lure people back onto the streets after numerous outbreaks of the plague.

They are said to have started it in 1517.

So more than 500 years ago.

However, the first document dates back to 1702.

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Schäffler dance in Munich: Mayor Reiter hopes that the corona pandemic will end soon

Since then, the coopers – i.e. the guild of barrel makers or coopers – have danced every seven years.

Why it has to be exactly seven years is not exactly documented.

But there are many guesses.

It could be related to the return of the plague every seven years, according to the Munich city website.

Seven is also a lucky number, it is said.

A third reason could have been an order from Duke Wilhelm IV.

He established a schedule for the guilds and their customs.

Mayor Dieter Reiter gets a black nose from Kasperl.

© IMAGO/B.

Lindenthaler

Whatever the reason.

This year the Schäffler break their normal rotation anyway.

And so not only Mayor Reiter hopes that the dance will also be accompanied by an "end of the corona pandemic".

“We now had two and a half difficult years behind us.

[…] I really hope that life will be a bit more normal again,” Reiter addressed the audience.

Schäffler-Tanz in Munich: Spectators and fans on the Internet are happy about the exception

In addition to riders, the Munich Kindl also performed.

It is played by the brunette Franziska Grillenberger.

She told the bereaved Munich audience the story of the Schäffler in rhyme.

But Grillenberger is not the only Munich Kindl.

There was already confusion when the maypole was set up on the Viktualienmarkt, because a blond version also appeared.

But the confusion was quickly cleared up.

Each guild is allowed to have its own Munich Kindl.

The official Kindl from Festring Munich is the blonde Viktoria Ostler.

The Schäffler and their Munich Kindl.

© IMAGO/Michael Lucan / aal.photo

The viewers will hardly have bothered which Kindl performed.

The reactions on site and online were consistently positive.

"Sensational.

Finally traditional events again, ”commented one on Instagram.

Another wrote: "Schee wars, the exceptional dance." There were also numerous heart emojis.