In August 2021, the Erlangen student Luisa Weyers gave an interview to the SZ, whose central sentence may be reproduced here again for the given occasion: “Bavaria is letting its university fall into disrepair here.” The Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU), Bavaria’s largest university outside of Munich, was meant. When asked what she thinks about the fact that the ceilings occasionally come down at her university, 20 kilometers further south, in Söder-City, Bavaria’s ultimate super-duper university is currently being built – the TUN (Technical University of Nuremberg) -, the student replied at the time: “You feel a bit fooled.”
In such cases, there is reliable mail from the responsible ministry, kept in a mannerly style (“read with great interest”). It should be noted, however, that the “challenges of a structural nature” are known and that “around 1.5 billion” euros have been earmarked to remedy the situation. Well then, one might think, everything is fine.
For real? If you want to show tourists the most beautiful side of a lovely city, you should take them to Erlangen’s Schlossplatz. There the castle garden joins, a beautiful place. And in front of it is a pleasant view of the Margrave’s Castle, the university’s headquarters. Respectively: the view would fall if it weren’t obstructed by a “protective fence” that protects against falling rocks.
Yes, well, this kind of thing does happen, for a few months. It’s correct. But it was already the case there in 2014, 2015, also in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. And now? Recently, the large coat of arms on the castle is also in danger of falling, on the entrance portal. Which is why the master of the house, the university president, could theoretically be happy about clearly structured working hours. He can only enter his office via the back entrance, via the castle garden. And it closes at night.
On the evening before television, one would switch off now, that would be too thick in a constitutionally enshrined cultural state. But that is not the evening before satire, but reality in Bavaria (outside of Munich).
It is said that the money should not fail, that would be ready, the decision for the general renovation has also been made. But money alone doesn’t renovate a facade. In Erlangen, they are already preparing to be able to admire the “protective fence” for years to come. And who knows? Maybe he’ll see the opening of the best university ever in nearby Nuremberg?