As of: February 13, 2024, 4:10 p.m
By: Josef Hornsteiner
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Hands up, weekend!
The Mittenwalder Collage enjoys cult status.
It will close its doors on January 1, 2025 – possibly forever.
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Mittenwald's nightlife will continue to thin out in the coming year.
On January 1st, 2025, Collage, the last Isartal discotheque, will close its doors.
Daniel Herzhauser is quitting after 14 years.
This ends the colorful history of a party cellar that began in 1970.
Mittenwald – If only the walls could talk.
They would have stories ready about daring skiers who raced down the stairs to the front door on their boards.
They would tell of mercenaries celebrating on the tables during the Bolzano market.
They could even report on a shooting.
And of course over countless, wet and happy evenings that only ended at dawn.
The Disco Collage in the basement at Hochstrasse 18 enjoys cult status - and rightly so.
Now it is time for tenant Daniel Herzhauser (38) to say goodbye.
This year on New Year's Eve he will open the nightclub's doors to guests for the last time.
It will end on January 1, 2025.
Will it continue to be a restaurant?
“Probably not,” says the Neuner family, the owners, dampening their hopes.
Means: Next year the last discotheque in the Isar Valley will be gone.
This marks the end of a 54-year history.
Since the house was built in 1970, there has been a guest room in the basement.
The first was called “Alt Mittenwald”, a dance hall with live music.
Back then, a dumbwaiter brought food from the restaurant on the first floor down to the party-crazy people.
In the 1980s, the disco era flourished.
The music became more modern and louder, even in the traditional Mittenwald.
A casual name was needed, which is why the nightspot was christened “Collage”.
Many older Mittenwalders remember that there were some shady characters around back then.
There was even a shooting downstairs: the bullet hole, covered by a plate, can still be seen in the entrance door today.
There was even a shooting in Collage
Towards the end of the millennium, circumstances became more civilized.
A discotheque was transformed into a place for social exchange, dancing and exuberant celebrations.
The restaurant changed its name a few times.
Collage became Blue Angel, Underground, Pyramid and ultimately Collage again.
At that time, the club faced fierce competition: after all, there were still countless bars as well as several discos and nightclubs in the violin-making town.
On November 1, 2010, 24-year-old Daniel Herzhauser from Mittenwald, a well-known youngster, took over the restaurant.
The full-time train driver had been a bouncer there since 2006.
Not only ensured safety, but also got to know and appreciate the work behind the scenes.
“I would never have thought back then that I would be doing this for 14 years.”
Daniel Herzhauser
“I would never have thought back then that I would be doing this for 14 years,” says Herzhauser today.
He was the longest tenant – and one of the most popular for the Neuner family.
“We really never had any problems,” enthuses Neuner.
No wonder: Herzhauser brought life into the place with numerous themed evenings such as Neon Night, Malle or Oktoberfest parties.
In 2011, a new waitress, Sandra, introduced herself to Herzhauser - and they both got to know and love each other.
Today they are married and have two boys aged five and two.
One of the reasons why Herzhauser is now drawing a line at the end of the year.
“I want to have more time for my children now.” Working through the night every weekend, alongside his shift work as a train driver, and still finding time for the family – anything but easy.
But the guests have also changed.
Nightlife has become increasingly quieter, and not just since Corona.
“Young people are no longer leaving like the older generations,” believes Herzhauser.
Pay more attention to health and conscious nutrition.
“Many people no longer want to party all night long.” And of course going to ASUS now costs good money.
“Everything is becoming more expensive, drinks, shopping, salaries.
And I don’t want to have to charge six euros for a pint of beer.”
opening hours
Until March, Collage is only open on Saturdays from 10 p.m.
From April onwards again on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m.
Leaseholder Daniel Herzhauser leaves it open whether there will be a big celebration at the end.
“There’s still time.” So if you want to experience the “collage” feeling in Mittenwald for the last time, you still have until December 31, 2024.