They must have been a bit bland, so in the spring of 1962 seven long-established residents of Hohenbrunn came up with the idea of institutionalizing their meetings for chatting and drinking in the “Alter Wirt” inn. But a boring regulars’ table wasn’t enough for the sociable circle, it could be a bit more original. And so they formed an association. Because at that time excessive tobacco consumption was part of an evening in a tavern, the very first chairman called Josef Berger, church curator Henrich Gröber, innkeeper Sepp Tristl, whom everyone just called “Wirt-Sepp”, and the other founders called their club “Zur Blaue Wolke” and brought it with each appointment a pipe from the time of their grandfathers.
The club is now called “Whistle Club – Hiking Friends Hohenbrunn” and is approaching its 60th birthday, which will be celebrated on Sunday, June 26th. On this occasion there is a ceremony with a service, a small procession, morning pint, brass band music as well as a joint lunch and a review of the previous history. And it is definitely moving, because the activities of the now around one hundred members, who also come from the neighboring communities, have long since expanded significantly: In addition to the monthly club evenings, there are joint hiking trips, curling on the track donated by Sepp in 1983 behind the beer garden in the “Salettl” and mountain bike tours on the program.
Nowadays, women also play a central role in club life
In the meantime, women also play a leading role in club life, as Andreas Schlick explains, who was chairman himself for more than ten years and is still deputy chairman Jürgen Holthaus: “Initially women weren’t actually intended and the club evenings were purely for men. But that has changed at the latest during my time as a board member.” Today, for example, the preparation of the Pfeifenclub stand for the Christmas market is organized by the women, they make the Christmas tree decorations sold there and cook punch according to a special recipe. Women (and even children) have always been welcome to the formerly active theater group and the singing circle, which organized the first edition of the Johannifeuer, which is now organized by the “Wasserbüffel” old boys’ club. Now they play a key role at the top of the club, two of the seven board members are female.
The central point has been the monthly hikes for many years. Since 1976, the association has also organized an annual trip, often to South Tyrol. And the Pipe Club has also started major projects, such as a hike from Munich to Venice between 2011 and 2013, which was undertaken in stages, i.e. always starting at the place where you had arrived at the last appointment.
The association not only undertakes hikes, but also informative excursions on a regular basis
The association also organizes informative excursions, most recently to the Werksviertel at Munich Ostbahnhof, and before that to the Maximilianeum or the Nationaltheater, which incidentally has stipulated in its statutes that it will not express itself politically, will not stand up for any party and will deal with questions “of religion and to behave “racially neutral”. “Although many local councilors have always been involved, politics really doesn’t play a role,” confirms Schlick, who himself sits on the local council for the citizens’ forum.
Incidentally, there are no problems recruiting new members in the whistle club, Schlick reports that a handful of new members were there on the last trip to the Werksviertel. Only those who have been there for a very long time are becoming fewer and fewer: none of the founding members is still alive, the only remaining honorary member is Rupert Specker, long-time deputy chairman.
And something else has changed: in the meantime, people hardly smoke at all in the whistle club.