The delivery has begun: book by book to the giant flea market

Created: 01/04/2023 08:15

By: Kathrin Böhmer

The rush in the first few hours is great.

However, the helpers also have to contend with adversities caused by the energy crisis.

© Weber

The countdown to the largest book flea market in Bavaria is already ticking.

The books will be delivered this week, this time to a new collection point in Gröbenzell.

Gröbenzell – It's not even 10 a.m. and one car is already lining up.

People are lugging boxes and bags full of books across the sidewalk in front of the small house on Alpenstrasse 68. With a bang, the boxes are placed on the beer benches where Hannelore Hildmann, for example, is waiting.

"Every year the same stress," she says, beaming.

"But once you've done it, it's like an addiction."

Number of helpers constant at around 100

For the past eight years, Hildmann has been one of the around 100 constant helpers at the “Gröbenzell Helps” association.

For 30 years, it has been organizing what it says is the largest and best-stocked book flea market in Bavaria, where you can also buy records, CDs, DVDs and games.

But before thousands of visitors can flock to the Paul-Barth-Halle (formerly Wildmooshalle) on February 25th and 26th, some preparations have to be made.

So the association is actually always looking for a control center where the days of acceptance can take place and the books can be stored for a few weeks.

Stations have already been at Weidegrund, in the old town hall and in the former Möbel Fahr.

However, the owner was looking for permanent tenants, which of course is out of the question.

Lucky find with a former shop

The good news: "This time we were lucky," reports Chairwoman Ulrike Michel.

Months ago, one of the circle of helpers pointed out that the former "Crazy Shirt" shop was empty, so you could give it a try.

In fact, the commitment came in November, on very favorable terms.

"I would say we pay more of a symbolic rent." There is great hope that at least next year asylum will be found here, but that depends on the investor and the construction project planned for the area.

The difficulty now was that there was neither electricity nor heating.

"Thank God we have many talents and professions among our helpers," reports the association's chairwoman.

They made sure that the light was on in the rooms in a relatively uncomplicated manner and that the helpers were comfortably warm when sorting.

This is not favorable in times of the energy crisis.

"The prices for the devices alone have increased by more than a third." But in the end everything was completed on time.

(

FFB newsletter.)

So things can get started on Tuesday, January 3rd, the first day of acceptance, at 10 a.m.

Everywhere it swarms like in a beehive.

"It's the most hectic time right now," says Renate Müller, also chairwoman of the association.

Many of the helpers are experienced, but things are different in the new rooms.

Sometimes an “ant” (small cart) gets stuck in the narrow door while others try to get through.

It has to be quick to get the rush under control, that much is certain.

also read

Already inhabited: the roof of the new building has to be demolished – the client has disregarded several rules

READ

Farm shop thief caught in the act

READ

Water birth in the "paddling pool": Baby Jakob was born in his own living room

READ

Operations on New Year's Eve: shopping trolley catches fire

READ

Man attacked in the street on New Year's Eve

READ

Fancy a journey of discovery?

My space

This is how the books should be stored

You can help here: The books should be placed in boxes, not in bags that you want to take with you and that first have to be emptied.

When the freight has been stowed away, it goes to the sorting room. The heavy crates are sometimes carried with muscle power, and sometimes small trolleys provided by companies help.

They are pushed, for example, by ninth graders from the Gröbenzell Gymnasium, who are involved in a volunteer project.

The first sighting then takes place indoors on various beer benches.

Everything will be sorted later.

So far there have been around 80,000 books divided into over 200 categories.

This is a mammoth task, but the organizers are very proud of the result.

And the buyers have a much better orientation when they look for thrillers, novels and the like.

The goods for the flea market are stored in a kind of large garage next door.

The pallets are already piling up here.

However, the energy crisis is also causing problems here.

"We normally need 100 pallets, now we only have 68," explains club chairman Michel.

The reason: companies currently prefer to burn the wooden stacking aids rather than give them away.

One of the donors is a potato farmer.

Sorting is done after acceptance

In the coming weeks we will be busy sorting.

Then the pallets are brought to Wildmoosstraße.

Here, too, local tradesmen provide support with sprinters.

"It's very expensive to rent right now," says Michel.

The club has to budget.

The net proceeds go to 28 aid projects.

"And we are ambitious to achieve the sums of the past few years," says Renate Müller.

The community helps by making the Paul-Barth-Halle and adjoining rooms available free of charge, as well as to all local clubs.

When the largest book flea market in Bavaria is set up, there will be one person at the checkout: Hannelore Hildmann, from the collection point.

"That's the absolute highlight," she says.

And it's worth all the stress.

The delivery

continues: Wednesday, January 4, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday, January 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, January 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Monday, January 9, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Information is also available on the Internet at www.groebenzeller-buecherflohmarkt.de.

The market takes place in February.

You can find more current news from the district of Fürstenfeldbruck at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.