Professional firecracker Rainer Siegl from Schwabbruck on the change in his industry

Created: 12/28/2022, 4:00 p.m

By: Theresa Kuchler

Rainer Siegl from Schwabbruck is a trained pyrotechnician.

He offers his customers laser shows as an alternative to classic fireworks.

© Herald

Where firecrackers shoot up, there's a bright sky and beaming faces.

But nature conservation is becoming more and more important - and rocket shooting is becoming increasingly complicated.

Rainer Siegl is a professional fireworker.

He knows how to deal with the changes in his industry.

Schwabbruck

– Everything that bangs and smokes inspires Rainer Siegl.

The 45-year-old IT specialist from Schwabbruck has made it his profession and got into event technology 26 years ago.

In the beginning, when Siegl mainly set up his equipment for garage parties, birthday parties and village festivals, he mainly took care of the light and sound.

Over time, the events got bigger and Siegl's offerings got louder and smokier.

"The pyrotechnics came along."

Today, fireworks are Siegl's passion.

The Schwabbrucker is on the road with his pyrotechnics all over southern Germany, especially in summer, to light up the sky at weddings, birthday parties or marriage proposals.

The 45-year-old can be there at the most intimate moments, he sees a lot of tears of joy and knees.

Siegl also loves that about his work.

Stricter nature conservation requirements make the work more difficult

But of course he can't ignore the fact that his industry is increasingly struggling.

Weeks of drought, endangered animal species or increased noise and air pollution are reasons why fireworks are often no longer allowed.

"Nature conservation has been working very hard against this for five or six years," says Siegl.

Working with the authorities has generally become more difficult.

As a trained pyrotechnician, Siegl does not have to ask any municipality for permission if he is planning fireworks – unless it is to rise on municipal property.

He still has to let you know.

"I am required to report to the relevant trade inspectorate." A short time later, there are usually the first objections from nature conservation.

Festivals are no longer organized

The requirements for festivals would also become increasingly strict, regardless of the size of the event.

"Many festivals are therefore no longer organized," says Siegl.

But he doesn't want to stick his head in the sand.

On the contrary: the pyrotechnician moves with the times and offers customers who want fireworks for their celebrations an environmentally friendly alternative: laser shows.

Laser show in the fog or the water wall

Siegl has had them in his repertoire for a while, "but they were never in such high demand," he says.

He's now selling the colorful shows that the laser throws onto a screen, into the fog, or onto a hydroshield (a kind of water curtain) more and more frequently.

Compared to fireworks, laser shows not only produce less waste and fine dust.

They also have the advantage that they can be individually designed.

"We can tell a whole story," says Siegl.

also read

Suddenly in a wheelchair: the life of a woman from Peiting is suddenly turned upside down

READ

Flames meter high: Car catches fire and burns out completely

READ

Millions of viewers on TikTok at the age of 17 – How Anja Seelos deals with her success

READ

Blue light ticker for the Weilheim-Schongau region: car overturns after a collision

READ

"It's really bad for the customers" - institution in the old town is closing after 30 years

READ

Fancy a journey of discovery?

My space

In addition, the pyrotechnician can be told exactly what the show is supposed to represent.

“Sometimes we get an entire script,” says Siegl.

With the help of his special computer program, he looks for the right symbols - little hearts, likenesses, names, "Will you marry me?" - and combines the colorful images into an individual light show.

The shows are well received, but they haven't overtaken the traditional fireworks, says Siegl.

"Requests for fireworks continue to be higher."

By the way: everything from the region is also available in our regular Schongau newsletter.

And in our Weilheim-Penzberg newsletter.