The tower keeper in Nördlingen is now an institution known beyond the city walls of the historic town in northern Swabia, and its predecessors from the Middle Ages would have been jealous. At that time, the tower keeper had an important function; at that time, this job was also available in every self-respecting larger town: the tower guard warned the population about the enemy and looked out for fires breaking out somewhere. He had the overview, right at the top, often on a church tower, like in Nördlingen on the so-called Daniel, the city’s landmark. Despite their important function, the tower guards had little reputation, they belonged to the lowest class, and for a long time their children were not even allowed to join other guilds in order to gain a different profession. In Nördlingen, the tower keeper lived in the tower with his family – if he wanted to go down from his lookout, he had to apply for an exemption.
Things are different today, the tower guards can sleep in their room, but are also allowed to go home after work. In general, they no longer have to warn the population about fire, smoke detectors do that, the fire department control center takes care of the rest. The people of Nördlingen haven’t seen enemies from their city walls for a long time. The tower keepers are primarily there to attract tourists and entertain visitors with stories of the past and the famous Nördlinger call that echoes down from the tower every evening in all directions: “So, G’sell, so.” And that’s why they have just received training in Nördlingen, first aid for emergency situations that have changed enormously over several centuries: for example, there are 350 steps up to the tower keeper’s room, which can make one or two tourists feel dizzy. And if there is a fire, you can now use the fire extinguisher yourself.
However, it is negligent that the city did not immediately train its tower guards in pigeon defense. Until now, Wendelstein the cat had its own place in the tower, it even had its own position in the Nördlingen household, 250 euros a year for food and veterinary care. But now Wendelstein is retired and no longer lives in Daniel. So it’s high time for the next change in a tower keeper’s range of tasks.