The rules for maypole thieves are clear: If they have managed to get beyond the town limits with their stolen goods, it belongs to them and must be redeemed by the robbed with beer and snacks. Finally it is set up on May 1st and all is well. That’s what you thought until now. But now, years later, the mayor of Baierbrunn, Patrick Ott (ÜWG), is said to have committed such a serious faux pas at the maypole auction last Saturday that Hans-Peter Hecker, once the municipal councilor of the BIG, which has since been dissolved, wrote in an armored letter to the members of the municipal council calls for action.
What did the mayor do wrong that Hecker accused him of trampling on the “traditions of our community”? Patrick Ott, who lives in Schäftlarn, successfully took part in the auction and had a piece of the old maypole delivered to his home by the Baierbrunner Maimusi against payment. Schäftlarner Ott, as mayor of Baierbrunn, has thus committed a dubious transgression and a “Gschmäckle” arises, Hecker gets excited and in his fire letter offers two possible violations of the rules, both of which he describes as unreasonable: “Case 1: Does he have the good Piece bought at auction as a private individual, no one can take legal action against a transport to Schäftlarn. Morally, however, very reprehensible. To demand a transport from the Maimusi is impossible against the background of the past. The Maimusi loses face to the Schäftlarn.”
The Maimusi is at risk of losing face, says local councilor Hans-Peter Hecker
The coup of the Baierbrunner Maimusi, who once stole the Schäftlarn maypole, is part of the past. Hecker leaves it open why it should be reprehensible to set up a piece of the Baierbrunn maypole in a Schäftlarn garden, but adds a “case 2”: “If he bought the good piece as mayor with taxpayers’ money from Baierbrunn, then it must be before the stand in town hall.” In the event of a transport to Schäftlarn, the entire community would lose face compared to the community of Schäftlarn. Here the municipal council has the opportunity to intervene, advises the ex-municipal council.
Baierbrunn’s mayor Patrick Ott asked someone who was familiar with traditions.
(Photo: Claus Schunk)
What Hans-Peter Hecker apparently did not know: There is also a case 3 that the scolded mayor reports: “I bought two trees at auction, one for me, one for the community,” says Patrick Ott. Before the auction, he also asked whether his private piece of maypole could be delivered to Schäftlarn, which was answered in the affirmative. In the background, however, he heard Hecker complaining, and so he turned to the former municipal councilor Franz Ketterl (CSU), who, as a member of the traditional costume association, is familiar with traditions. No, he hadn’t done anything wrong, Ketterl had told him where the maypole pieces he had bought were going to, it didn’t matter.
Ketterl also has his own experience with cross-border transport of maypole parts. Seven years ago he bought one in Hohenschäftlarn for nostalgic reasons. 40 years ago he was there when the people of Baierbrunn stole the maypole from the people of Hohenschäftlarn. Now he wants to take a piece of the neighbors with him again, only this time not as stolen goods, but officially and paid for, he said at the time.
The piece of the maypole, which is a good one meter long and which Ott bought for the community at auction, is now in the town hall foyer and serves as a pillar for the challenge cup, which Baierbrunn recently received for the highest voter turnout.