A few perfect thoughts on the occasion of the poor, sick linden tree on the Pullacher Kirchplatz, which can’t be helped that it was planted for Hitler’s birthday.
The forest is the cradle of fairy tales and myths, a magical place where the moss steams, the treetops rustle and the lindworm sleeps. Even the ancient Germans were great tree worshipers, from the world ash Yggdrasil to the holy Irminsul, a mighty trunk that symbolically carried the universe. Powerful? The linden tree on Pullach’s church square, which was planted in April 1939 on the occasion of Hitler’s birthday in honor of the Führer, is a long way from that. The “Hitler-Linde” is doing badly, to put it mildly. Of stunted growth, covered with withered leaves, it rots without the root of its disease being apparent. Experts give her a maximum of two years, as announced this week.
The “constitutional lime tree” in Grünwald, another village tree on the right bank of the Isar, is in better shape. The 214-year-old linden tree on the community market square is even considered a natural monument. The reason for planting them was the establishment of a constitution for the Kingdom of Bavaria by King Max Joseph in 1808. Definitely a nicer reason than a dictator’s birthday. But the planting of linden and oak trees in honor of Hitler was common in the Nazi era, especially among the Nazis, who were prone to pagan symbolism, were absolute tree and forest worshipers. Nowadays, no trees are dedicated to politicians – there is neither a Baerbock birch nor a Lindner linden. Even local politicians are rootless in this respect: there is no willow bush growing in Haar and no Büchler beech anywhere in Oberschleißheim. No Unterhachinger beer garden houses “Kerstins Kastanie” as a tribute to the former Minister of State Schreyer. A Göbel branch in Gräfelfing would be downright silly.
In the south of the district there are a lot of individual natural monuments that are entitled to protection, in the north and east not a single one
The home town of the district administrator is of course a house number in terms of tree technology. According to a list by the district office, the municipality of Gräfelfing has the most trees in the district that enjoy the status of “natural monument”. Otherwise, these “individual creations of nature”, as they are called in official German, which are particularly entitled to protection, are mainly to be found in the south – from Aying via Grünwald and Brunnthal to Straßlach-Dingharting and Oberhaching, which statistically can even keep up with Gräfelfing. And there are only deciduous trees on the list, especially oaks and lindens, one or two beeches and an ash. The fact that not a single place from the east and north appears there may be taken for granted or as the pinnacle of impertinence.
But the best thing to do is relax and let your eyes feast on the heart-shaped leaves or soft bark of a linden tree, believed to be the tree of love and peace. It is said to have been dedicated to the Germanic goddess of love, Freya. The poor, sick linden tree on the Pullach church square deserved to be looked at under this maxim, in the last years of its life.