Maypole shortened in Baierbrunn – district of Munich

Of course, it’s not just the length that counts – but the higher a maypole rises into the Bavarian sky, the more sublime its effect on the viewer should be. In Baierbrunn they traditionally place a real Kaventsmann in the center of the village, probably the largest in the Isar valley. The current maypole, which was raised this year, has now had to accept a trimming: it was recently shortened from 36 to 29.5 meters. This was necessary, explained Mayor Patrick Ott (ÜWG) at the most recent meeting of the municipal council, because the tree showed certain damage caused by rot and the stability was therefore not fully guaranteed.

Apparently, this was preceded by a long history of misunderstandings and communication problems. The tree is donated by the community, the association “Maimusi” is responsible for putting it up, it was felled in February in Forstenrieder Park. It was known early on that the tree trunk was not completely free of knots because of the said rot in the trunk. According to Ott, the community would also have been willing to donate a second tree, but after discussions with a tree expert, the “Maimusi” signaled that the damage was not that bad, so putting it up was fine.

When the municipal administration spoke to the expert some time later, he said he was surprised that the maypole had been erected at all. It has since had to be shortened and, according to Ott, it continues to be checked every year for potential safety issues. “There was certainly no ill will on the part of the Maimusi,” says Ott, who of course is not happy with how it went. However, he hopes that the tree will last until 2026, when the community celebrates its 1250th anniversary.

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