As of: February 19, 2024, 9:12 a.m
By: Josef Ametsbichler
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This new gear with the engraving “2024” will tick between the lovingly cleaned original parts of the clock, which was probably built in 1720 and came to Ebersberg around 1784.
© Dürr tower clocks & bells
The Ebersberg church tower clock was two millimeters away from total loss.
Thanks to great personal commitment, she was saved.
The restoration is nearing completion.
Ebersberg
– Two millimeters of metal recently held the Ebersberg church tower clock together.
Nothing more than a piece of sheet metal that kept the large, rotating drums in suspension with the 90 kilo clock weight.
Otherwise, Robert Bauer is convinced, half the mechanism of the clock, which was probably installed in 1784, would have rushed down three floors through the shaft in the tower of St. Sebastian without being stopped by a few wooden planks in the way.
“That would have been a total loss,” says Bauer.
Tower clock expert: “It certainly wouldn’t have worked well for much longer”
The 66-year-old is on the board of the Ebersberg Beautification Association and, more importantly, has been a fan of the Church of St. Sebastian with its many niches, treasures and stories since he was a child.
Bauer played a key role in ensuring that the Ebersberg tower clock received its urgently needed treatment from a specialist in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Central Franconia - before it could fall apart.
How close it was only became apparent upon closer inspection.
“The wear on the parts is so great that it certainly wouldn’t have worked well for much longer without major damage or an accident,” suspects Gernot Dürr from the specialist company of the same name.
Robert Bauer, city guide and church fan, calls the tower clock “a historical, mechanical monument.”
© Stefan Roßmann
A historical, mechanical monument
Robert Bauer about the church tower clock of St. Sebastian Ebersberg
“A historical, mechanical monument,” is what Robert Bauer calls the weighing beam clock, which is one of the oldest still functioning examples of its kind.
When he starts talking, you can tell that the retired electrical mechanic and service technician is happy about the piece of jewelry and its preservation.
For example, when he talks about the escapement, which determined the ticking time of the hand, twice a second for around 300 years (the clock was already installed in Munich from around 1720, probably in the residence).
The Franconian watch specialists had to replace the part, but it did its job.
Other gears were in surprisingly good condition, Bauer said.
Just got into trouble.
St. Sebastian Ebersberg with the church tower clock.
© Stefan Roßmann
While the clock is on the cure, the church fan, who also gives city tours, worked his way through the Ebersberg city archives and discovered a lot of exciting stories around the clock.
For example, to the “technology freaks” of the Ebersberg Birkmaier family, who removed the clock from the tower and repaired it around 1900.
By the way, the workshop was located where the Ebersberger Zeitung now has its editorial office.
Or how, around 1930, Pastor Guggetzer had mercy on his elderly sexton - and had the mechanism for manually winding the clock extended to the foot of the church tower so that the church usher did not have to drag himself up the steep steps every day.
And how in the 1960s electric motors took over the task completely because another sexton was no longer up to the job.
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Robert Bauer is about to become part of the history of this watch himself.
He will visit them at the beginning of March, then the first test run with the new and overhauled gears, rollers and ropes will take place.
“They are very conscientious,” he praises the workshop.
The historic device could return to its original place of work as early as April.
Then the Ebersbergers hear again what the hour has struck, in keeping with the position of the hands.
The 66-year-old says about the goal of being able to celebrate a fully functional church tower clock again by the 70th anniversary of Ebersberg's city status in June at the latest: "It'll definitely work!"
Worn: Only two millimeters of metal still held this bearing together.
© Dürr tower clocks & bells
The beautification association would be happy about one or two donations.
Half of the required 30,000 euros has been collected, says chairman Georg Schuder.
The city and the local church foundation would also participate voluntarily.
And the “clock whisperers” are once again hoping for help from local clubs during the installation, as they did with the expansion.
This is how the Ebersbergers save their ticking treasure together.
Speech
On Monday, March 18th, from 7 p.m., city guide Robert Bauer will give a lecture on the eventful past, current situation and future of the Ebersberg church tower clock of St. Sebastian in the monastery building yard, Unterm First with film and photos.
The beautification club event is free, donations are welcome.