As of: February 11, 2024, 6:59 p.m
By: Armin Rösl
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Theo Sterzer (left) with most of his family.
© Armin Rösl
It all started over 40 years ago: Back then, Theo Sterzer was walking through Pliening with a stroller and music box.
This gave rise to the Plieningen carnival parade.
Pliening - Party music booms through the courtyard of Theo Sterzer's car workshop in Pliening.
Men screw on trailers, women assemble decorations on a bicycle rickshaw.
The mood is happy and full of anticipation.
Welcome to the Sterzer carnival parade family in Plieningen!
Every year on Shrove Tuesday, a little fun worm moves through Pliening.
Start is at 2 p.m. on Herdweg.
In principle, anyone can take part; daycare centers are involved, as are clubs or loose groups.
Depending on the weather, your mood and your mood, the train is sometimes shorter, sometimes longer.
But one thing has been the same for decades: the Sterzer family's lovingly and artfully decorated rickshaw drives at the front, and Theo Sterzer leads the way with a gorilla mask.
Sweets and cold drinks are distributed, this time one group even brought 500 juice packs for the children who were standing on the side of the road and celebrating with their parents.
Pliening: First tour with a stroller
42 years ago Theo Sterzer went through Pliening for the first time.
When his daughters were little and dressed up as princesses at home for carnival, he wanted to offer them more.
“I put a music box in a stroller and walked around with the children,” says the 78-year-old with a broad smile.
“There was no children’s carnival.” So he did it himself without further ado.
Over the years, more and more people have joined.
Theo Sterzer about the beginnings of the Plieningen carnival parade
His daughter Katja in the stroller was two years old, remembers Theo Sterzer, who has four daughters with his wife Kathi.
The family quickly moved their own carnival party outdoors, “over the years more and more people joined,” he says.
This is how the Plieningen carnival parade came about.
For the fun of it.
This also means that the family fills lots of bags at home with sweets that are distributed when the move is made.
This time there were 21 bags.
Pliening: Every year with a self-decorated rickshaw
The Sterzer rickshaw is dedicated to a motto every year.
This year it’s “Super Mario.”
Bettina Sterzer painted characters from the video game series and stuck them on large cardboard boxes from the Bike & Tools shop in Landsham, which previously contained new bicycles.
Her brother-in-law Patrick Göll then carefully cut out the figures with a jigsaw, says the 47-year-old.
“About 30 hours,” she answers when asked how long she spent drawing and painting the figures.
And reveals that she and her sisters already have a motto in mind for next year.
But now there is full anticipation in the workshop courtyard for Shrove Tuesday.
The small, fine carnival procession has become an integral part of the Pliening community's calendar.
Some residents who the train passes set up a small bar or give out something small to eat.
So the stroller tour turned into a happy family carnival parade.
Every year parents with children in strollers stand on the side of the road and join in the celebrations.
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