gloss of
Matthias Köpf, Bad Reichenhall
First clarify the terms, only for the younger ones: “A cure is a health-oriented stay in one of the German spas and health resorts.” That’s how the German Spa Association defines it, which maybe focuses a little too much on its members, but that’s what it’s there for. At any rate, in the past, such a health-oriented stay filled with all kinds of treatments and amusements could sometimes last a few weeks. But in the mid-1990s, medical idleness came to an end. The federal government reduced the health insurance benefits, spas like Bad Reichenhall had to take the brunt. Bad Reichenhall, in particular, countered the decreasing length of stay of guests with ever longer names for their own spa society. But that too must come to an end now. Kur is cancelled.
Until 1997 there was simply the “State Spa Administration” in Reichenhall, which was then privatized into the “Bayerisches Staatsbad Bad Reichenhall Kur-GmbH”. In 2009, “Bad Reichenhall / Bayerisch Gmain” was added because both municipalities are significantly involved. The respective double names didn’t make it any shorter, but Reichenhall could hardly do without its “Bad”, and Bayerisch Gmain somehow has to distinguish itself from neighboring Großgmain over in Salzburg. Kleingmain would sound strange, especially since Großgmain is smaller.
In order to completely inhale the name with its 80 characters including spaces, an eight-week stay in the Reichenhall brine mist would have been necessary. The “limited liability company” was already abbreviated. And anyone who wanted to talk about the company for any reason just said “Kur-GmbH”. But that doesn’t do justice to the state baths with their “self-paying health and holiday guests”, according to the “Bayerisches Staatsbad Bad Reichenhall Kur-GmbH Bad Reichenhall / Bayerisch Gmain”, which has therefore been known as “Bayer. Staatsbad Bad Reichenhall/Bayer. Gmain GmbH”. She has abbreviated twice, once “Bad Reichenhall” and deleted a hyphen and saved two spaces to the left and right of the slash. And she renounces the “cure”. What will people say about this? “Wellness-GmbH” probably not.