"He was Rottenbucher through and through": Klosterdorf mourns the loss of former mayor Karl Echtler (97)

Created: 2022-12-14 06:02

By: Christopher Peters

Karl Echtler campaigned for the interests of the Rottenbuchers for decades.

© Archive/Herald

Rottenbuch's former mayor and honorary citizen Karl Echtler passed away at the age of 97.

With him goes a person who cared about the place and its inhabitants until the very end.

Rottenbuch – He was former mayor, honorary citizen, honorary conductor, a real Rottenbuch original: Karl Echtler has now passed away at the proud age of 97.

With him, the monastery village loses a special person, who cared about the fortunes of the place and its inhabitants until the very end.

Born on January 29, 1925 in Steingaden, Karl Echtler grew up after the death of his mother in 1937 on the farm of his grandfather and long-time mayor of Rottenbuch, Karl Berger.

Of course, Echtler had no idea at the time that he would later follow in his political footsteps.

Obituary: Rottenbuch mourns the loss of former mayor and honorary citizen Karl Echtler

After the Second World War, in which the Rottenbucher fought on the Eastern Front and almost lost his feet due to severe frostbite, he returned to the monastery village from Russian captivity in October 1945.

Echtler gets involved, joins the church choir, is a founding member of the music band after the war and becomes its conductor in 1972.

In 1954, the local fire brigade appointed him commander, a post he held for 30 years.

In 1960 the people of Rottenbuch elected Echtler to the municipal council. It was the beginning of a long political career that culminated in 1984 when they were elected mayor.

He has been at the head of the monastery village for twelve years.

At the same time, the Rottenbucher runs the campsite at Richterbichl, which the father of two opened with his wife Loni in 1973 and which is still a defining pillar of tourism in the village today.

"He was a Rottenbucher through and through, who worked for the place for decades"

Mayor Markus Bader, who was a close friend of his predecessor, often visited him there.

He always really enjoyed the conversations, his "phenomenal memory" made Echtler a "living archive of contemporary Rottenbuch history," says Bader, who is saddened by the news of his death.

"His knowledge will be missed." On the other hand, the merits for his home village will be remembered forever.

"He was a Rottenbucher through and through, who worked for the town for decades," says Bader.

"If anyone deserves the title of honorary citizen, it's him."

Echtler was particularly pleased that he was able to experience the reopening of the Echelsbach Bridge last year.

The enthusiastic musician had the “Rottenbuch Bridge March” composed especially for this occasion.

Echtler was there when the building was inaugurated when he was a little boy.

“It meant a lot to him,” says Bader.

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But family always came first.

Above all, his father was very happy about visits from his six great-grandchildren, says son Christoph Echtler.

"He was a real family man."

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The requiem

will take place on Friday, December 16, at 10 a.m. in the parish church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Rottenbuch, followed by the burial.

You can find more current news from the region around Schongau at Merkur.de/Schongau.