She was the good soul of the town hall

Created: 11/20/2022, 2:04 p.m

Erna Söhnel worked in the town hall until 2016.

©Singer

Erna Söhnel, former caretaker of the Gilching administration, died at the age of 91

Gilching

– Erna Söhnel was what is called the good soul of the house.

In her case, her home was the old Gilching town hall, where she was the caretaker for around 30 years.

At that time, the service during the council meetings was also part of it.

She died at the end of October at the age of 91.

"Everything used to be much more comfortable," said Erna Söhnel in an interview three years ago.

Life wasn't easier, no, but "it was just much more human than it is today".

To which the committed caretaker contributed a not inconsiderable part.

In all, she served under four mayors.

Heinrich Will was followed by Hans Ostermair, Thomas Reich and finally Manfred Walter.

“The Will always wanted a real mug of coffee at the meeting.

The rest ordered Spezi, wheat beer, cigarettes, cigars or a mass of Helles.” Actually not a problem for the trained waitress if she hadn't had an embarrassing mishap during a session.

“I walked into the boardroom with the tray full of four glasses of beer and a glass of Spezi to serve the drinks.

As I was about to put the first beer down for Krammer Hans, the tray and full glasses tipped forward.

Krammer and Forner Erich got the barley juice in the small, I was only able to catch the Spezi in time.” Because the matter was more than embarrassing for her, she initially refused to ever enter the meeting room again, which she had fled in a hurry.

Therefore, the CSU councilor Dr.

Adelheid Dörmer to clean up the council colleagues and wipe up the mess.

The caretaker service was over in 2016 with the move to the new town hall.

Although Erna Söhnel moved into assisted living, the social contacts remained.

"When the town hall administration goes to lunch, which is usually the case on a long Thursday, they call and take me with them," said Söhnel.

Up to the end, you could also meet her regularly for a chat in the town hall park or on the bench in front of the assisted living facility.

No trace of sadness.

"Mia gfoids so, wias is and I'm glad that I'm so oid worn," she emphasized again and again.  

Uli Singer