From Nicholas to Nicholas Secretary

Created: 2022-12-06 07:14

By: Catherine Bromberger

Rudi Werner can tell a lot of stories.

For 28 years he was on the road as Santa Claus.

© Private

Rudi Werner gave families special moments - today he is planning appointments for his successors

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – They are both blonde, a girl and a boy.

They look so well-behaved, so sweet, as they marvel at Saint Nicholas with big eyes.

"Almost like little angels," says Rudi Werner.

In the 1990s he visited her with his white beard, in bishop's robes, with a golden staff and a golden book.

He reads from it what the siblings – not at all angelic – have done.

Both of them peed into Dad's shower gel bottle.

And he was surprised that nothing was foaming and that the shower gel smelled so funny.

Werner can tell a lot of such stories.

For 28 years, the 74-year-old was on the road as St. Nicholas for the Garmisch Kolping Family.

He visited 30 to 35 families every December from 1989 to 2017.

He even drove as far as Klais when word got around about how well he did with the children.

Sometimes he and his driver – he needed him, after all there was no time to look for a parking space – were on the road for five days, they needed at least three.

"Today I sometimes ask myself how I did it," he says.

After that, he was usually struck down by the flu or at least a cold.

Not surprising.

“Because where do you usually put Santa Claus?” Next to the fireplace.

From there he has the best view of the parents and the children on the corner seat or on the sofa.

So there he stood

Wood-burning stove after wood-burning stove, the little book in his hand and the sweat running slowly down his back under his miter.

Sweat for a quarter of an hour, then back out into the cold and into the next heat of the living room.

With the Garmisch Kolping Family, the family comes to St. Nicholas and not the other way around

Many a Santa Claus today no longer needs to experience that.

With the Garmisch Kolping Family, the family comes to St. Nicholas and not the other way around.

Certainly not for convenience.

This idea was born out of necessity.

During the Corona pandemic of 2020 and 2021, the saint could not visit the children at home.

But they shouldn't have to do without it either.

The association, together with the parish of St. Martin Garmisch, organized a special St. Nicholas celebration: In the churches, the alias saint received the families individually and by appointment.

Werner went from Nicholas to Nicholas coordinator, secretary to the famous saint.

He has remained so to this day.

Because the Kolping Family is sticking to the concept, which was surprisingly well received.

From Sunday up to and including today, families and their children come to the Old Church from 4 p.m.

Santa takes about a quarter of an hour each time, maybe a little more if there are several children with them.

Sometimes they bring friends with them, so 15 minutes might not be enough for the praise and criticism from the Golden Book.

Special atmosphere: In the old church, children listen to St. Nicholas of the Garmisch Kolping Family.

© Private

When they registered last year, Werner asked the callers how they liked the offer.

He received extremely positive feedback.

Many particularly appreciate the festive setting and the atmosphere in the church.

As early as October this year, the first fathers and mothers, grandmas and grandpas called to reserve an appointment in the Old Church.

The last ones came quite spontaneously.

Or canceled because a child got sick.

Werner assigned the visiting hours, organized, rescheduled in an emergency.

He often has to smile when making appointments.

It definitely used to be easier in the past.

Today the children have to do ski training there, ballet there, music lessons here, somewhere in between karate and gymnastics.

And they also want to play handball.

Somehow he always accommodates everyone.

The only thing Santa Claus no longer gives out are the presents.

That's where the angel helps.

It puts the bag in front of the door at home while the girls and boys listen to Santa Claus.

It might be difficult to lug around at times.

The coordinator: Rudi Werner ensures that every family can visit St. Nicholas if they wish.

© Peter Kornatz

In his eyes, this gift giving already got the upper hand in Werner's Nikolaus times.

Finally, he asked the parents in advance not to overdo it.

Nicholas be Nicholas, Christmas is coming soon.

"There must still be a difference." A family celebration in a hut on the local mountain still touches him to this day.

A grandfather called him and wished that Santa Claus would come for his grandchildren, and his children were there too.

He picked up Werner, Santa Claus, in his jeep, five minutes later they were in front of the hut.

Werner waited briefly in front of the door, he knocked, entered - and experienced a moment of contemplation.

“It was all very simple.

And that's why it's so nice.” The gifts were a basket of tangerines or nuts, and the three generations prayed the Lord's Prayer together.

"Nothing exaggerated at all.

Just beautiful.”

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Quite different with the single mother of a son.

Aunts and/or girlfriends – Werner couldn't identify them exactly – had outbid each other with the presents.

They didn't all fit into the huge potato sack that Santa Claus always had with him.

Werner had to carry a second bag inside.

When the boy, five or six years old, saw this, he asked Santa where should he put all the presents?

"It's best to take her back with you," he suggested.

"And bring them to poor children." To this day, Werner is impressed by the little boy.

At that time he thought: "You're the only clever one in there."