Zeilern: Every second person is in the village association

Created: 12/05/2022, 11:00 am

By: Henry Dinger

Zeilern sticks together: eleven years ago, the village community was registered as an association.

Chairman Michael Lohner, his wife Regina, Sandra Moser and Peter Deischl (from left) are among the founding members.

© Henry Dinger

The Zeilern village community celebrated its tenth anniversary this year.

Many dates of the very successful club have become a tradition in the annual calendar.

Pastettes – The Zeilern eV village community was finally able to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a hearty wine festival.

"The festival was really a success," says club chairman Michael Lohner happily, "a good 200 people came together, even though the weather almost thwarted our plans."

But the rain didn't stop the residents of Zeiler and their guests from partying well into the night in the large hall of the Deischl carpentry shop - with snack plates, wine from Hohenlinden and live music from Ledawix.

"Sociability and getting together are very important to us," explains Regina Lohner, who is the second secretary on the board.

With around 80 members, the Zeiler village association is really a strong community, especially in view of the fact that the Pastetten district has just under 160 inhabitants.

You can join the club from the age of twelve, there is no upper limit.

The currently oldest active is 85 Lenze.

"By the way, it's not just the residents of the line, but also residents of the neighboring towns and those who feel connected to the place," explains Lohner - and adds: "There could be more."

The history of the community began eleven years ago when 13 people from Zeiler got together who wanted to do something together in the village.

A registered association was founded very quickly to put the whole thing on a legally secure footing.

There were enough plans for joint actions, even if not all of them could be implemented.

"In the first year we actually wanted to put up a maypole," says Regina Lohner with a smile, "but we quickly realized that we didn't have enough people and that it would have been too expensive".

A small village festival was organized for the Deischls, whose father Peter and son Lorenz are also part of the founding team.

In the meantime, the festival, always on the first Sunday in July, has become a fixture.

Guests come for coffee and cake, fish on a stick, homemade salads and Strauben baked on site.

There is a bouncy castle, face painting, handicrafts and games for the children so that the parents can sit together comfortably.

"The support is great, around 50 helpers of all ages are there," explains cashier Sandra Moser.

The festival was only canceled twice during the Corona period, "but in one year we distributed snacks to the members," says Moser.

So far, the fish stick grilling has always taken place on Good Friday, when an average of 150 char from Herdweg go over the counter, "all seasoned and put on ourselves," as Moser emphasizes.

Throughout the year there are always activities that now also attract visitors from outside - such as the Martin parade, in which a real horse and rider are used.

There is singing with the children at several stations, and at the end there is a campfire with hot dogs, punch and baked Martin geese.

A midnight New Year's Eve drink in the town center has now become a permanent feature, to which the residents of Zeiler come from all directions.

But this year there won't be one, but there will be another small winter festival in January or February.

"Every two years we take part in the carnival parade in Pastetten with a float," explains Michael Lohner, "then ideas like the Kingdom of Zeilern are implemented, according to the motto 'everyone is a king here'".

But the Zeilerners don't just stay at home, the club also goes on excursions.

"We were recently at the Danube Gorge in Kelheim," says Lohner, "there were 70 of the 80 members on the bus."

Lohner's wife Regina sums up the club's philosophy: "It doesn't matter what you do, but that you get together," she says.

Next year, to round off the tenth anniversary, a joint anniversary dinner is planned.

"But then we go to the innkeeper, and then we can be served."

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