As of: March 19, 2024, 6:23 a.m
By: Josef Ametsbichler
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Today's Josefi Day is a generational celebration for the Embergers (from left): The Josefs belong to four generations.
Tradition is very important in the Grafinger family's house.
© Stefan Rossmann
From Uri (86) to Seppi (8): At Embergers in Grafing, Josefi Day is a generational celebration.
There have been more celebrations in the past, and all four of them are extremely proud of their names.
Grafing
- Three of the Seppen in the Emberger family from Grafing have the same belt buckle - only the youngest has a unique one.
“JE” is stamped on the others, for “Josef Emberger”.
The eight-year-old Josef, in the fourth generation, carries a curved “Seppi” in bronze look in front of him.
At some point most Seppis mature into Sepp, like his father, grandfather and great-grandpa.
“When you’re old,” says the eight-year-old about the moment when you lose the “i”.
“But with your mother you always remain Seppi,” says the second oldest Sepp in the family, Grandpa.
All men are called Josef - already in the 5th generation
The Embergers from Grafing do this so that things don't get confused and you know who they are talking about: There is Seppi (8), Papa (39), Grandpa (62) and Uri (86), the one in Grafing sat on the city council.
After all, in the building contractor family from the Haidling district, all the men are called Sepp, in the fifth generation, and Uri's father was also one.
There are no brothers who would have asked for a different first name.
And that his dad almost didn't become Joseph - a story that he doesn't want to hear about anymore, but he doesn't want to hear anything anymore.
“One Sepp is valid for two or three others!” he says today, only half-jokingly.
Today's St. Joseph's Day is a generational celebration for the Embergers.
They used to really celebrate it and lots of other Seppen from the area came to visit.
But the name has become rarer, even in Catholic Upper Bavaria.
March 19th is no longer a public holiday, no matter how hard the Royal Bavarian Josef Party (which actually exists as a customary association) tries.
A few discounts have remained, such as the free mass at Andechs Monastery or a free ride on the Wendelsteinbahn for all Josefs, Josefas and Josefines on their name day today.
And for the workers at the Emberger company, the boss, who is the dad at home, promises half a Josefibock at the end of the day.
(By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Ebersberg newsletter.)
When it comes to Seppi’s name, Mom says: “I didn’t think about it for a second!”
“From tradition!” is the simple explanation why the Embergers all became Seppen.
Of course there are several pictures of Joseph of Nazareth hanging in the house.
And they put a sign in the driveway: “Josef-Emberger-Straße”.
All four of them know where their home is.
“I didn’t think for a second,” says Julia, the mother of the youngest offspring, and gives him a look that makes his heart shine out of his eyes – the kind only mothers can do: “Nothing else would suit you!” , she says.
Except perhaps Antonius, patron of those who like to waste their things, she adds with a wink.
A Seppi, Mom thinks, is someone who doesn't take everything seriously and who also enjoys a little more freedom than the others.
A bit of a loner then?
“Not just a little bit,” says Seppi with a smile that seems to prove him right.
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