Jörg Steinleitner is not only known as a lawyer, author, journalist and crime drama baret artist, but also as the mayor of the municipality of Riegsee with the districts of Aidling and Hagen since 2020. Under the pseudonym Felix Tanner, in turn, he wrote the summer comedy “Gummistiefelyoga”: A likable widow wants to prevent a large landowner from taking over her farm by making a special offer to stressed townspeople. Steinleitner reveals in an interview what the “cheerful, scenic wellness reading with music” based on it on Thursday, October 21, in Zorneding will look like, what the book has to do with reality and why he loves his job as head of the village.
SZ: How do you feel as the boss of 1228 citizens?
Jörg Steinleitner: Like something between caretaker and pastor. From seven in the morning I either have to deal with practical, technical difficulties, or I am a mental shelter for neighborhood conflicts or private problems.
Quite an intense workload …
I’ve never worked as hard as in the past year and a half. Depending on the number of appointments, there are between 20 and 40 hours per week.
How does this affect your other activities?
I can’t write any novels at the moment – that would take two to four quiet hours a day. Last year I wrote a new “Barefoot Gang” volume and I want to keep working on the children’s books. I am still a lawyer, but I do not take on new mandates, instead I limit myself to representation. Besides the mayor’s office, my main work is my journalistic work as editor-in-chief of the literature and culture magazine Buchszene.de. And I’m doing readings again. Last year I missed more than 60, that was dramatic. I also need this income as a mayor, that’s an honorary position. Plus, the readings are fun.
So you don’t regret having become city hall chief?
Not a second. As a writer I invented places, now I can help shape three villages and the future of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district and try to implement ideas that come from citizens. Of course, this is only possible because we are a great team, my deputy Georg Miller is an incredibly strong, hard-working and competent team partner.
That was actually your opponent. Someone from the area – but you came from the city. So are the locals outnumbered?
On the contrary. Riegsee is a very traditional village, there are hardly any newcomers. But you’ve always had vacationers here. The people are friendly and open. You gave my family the chance to participate and we took advantage of it.
“Traditional village” also means: Lots of farmers. You, on the other hand, have studied three times: high school teaching, law and journalism …
I feel very comfortable with the farmers. My mother grew up on a farm with seven children in the Allgäu, my uncle still runs it. As a child I was often there and I am proud to be descended from a farming family. The farmers are our most important profession: without them we would have nothing to eat. I am bothered by the cliché that farmers are backward and backwoods. On the contrary, they deserve respect for their incredible versatility: a farmer has to be a businessman, a biologist, a veterinarian and a mechanic. You can also celebrate really well with them.
Which brings us to your comedy “Gummistiefelyoga”: Farmer Auguste’s tiled stove, piano and computer are all together in the living room. How close is that to reality?
In our village I can think of two farms where that is the case. A farmer cannot work today without a computer. Most of the families are also musical. You don’t have to invent anything for a novel.
And what about Augustes adversary, the greedy landowner who happens to be mayor at the same time and whose middle name seems to be “nepotism”?
So first of all, I wrote the book before I knew I was running for mayor. Second, of course, I was inspired by real life; we read in the newspapers often enough about corrupt mayors. But “rubber boot yoga” is definitely not a roman-clef, nor is it a bad book, but a funny one.
Are there any plans for a film adaptation?
That would of course be nice. So far there is only one trailer and videos on the net in which I perform rubber boot yoga exercises. And during the reading, I show films that we made for the book.
So Zorneding doesn’t just read?
It will be a real show with a lot of variety. Because I am a very poor listener to readings myself, I let something happen every few minutes. We will listen to music, I will show films, play and read texts with different voices and there will also be joint exercises. Oh yes, we are also doing a fun farmer’s quiz with a stunning main prize.
What’s the next book about?
In spring 2022 the second volume of the “Barefoot Gang” will be published. Because I also have a great program for children, I will also go on a reading tour with it.
And the adult books?
As mayor, I get ideas for this every day – reality is much crazier than anything a writer could come up with. But I don’t have time for that at the moment. As a mayor, I also have to take a different perspective: As a writer, you look at situations from the outside and are happy when it crashes because conflicts are exciting. They are the spice of a novel. But as a mayor you are right in the middle of the situation and have to make sure that there is as little cracking as possible, that all problems are solved and that everyone is satisfied.
Jörg Steinleitner at the “Literary Autumn” in Zorneding, on Thursday, October 21st, at 8 pm, in the Christophorus Church. Admission costs 15 euros, tickets are available in the rectory, in the community library, at Steffi’s stationery or AP-Buch in Baldham. Remaining tickets at the box office.