Kelheim Schäffler

The Schäffler dance is a guild dance of the Schäffler, originating in Munich.

In 1463, the plague broke out in Munich. This disease had been brought in by pilgrims from the Orient.

At the end of 1516, the plague broke out again and took on such devastating forms that the inhabitants of the city were at a loss and in despair.

Many people gathered at the Schäffler's Pichplatz because they believed they would be spared from the plague by inhaling the plague smoke. The Schäffler were even allowed to pound the beer barrels inside the city. All precautions were of no avail, however, and death reaped a cruel harvest. All the Munich residents' courage to face life was broken. As no one dared to bring food into the city, the food supply collapsed and famine broke out.

Two days before Sebastian, a young, jolly journeyman, carrying a pan of burning pitch in his hand, hurried through Schleidinger-, now Weingasse, and on through Schäfflergasse to the Liebfrauenkirche without meeting a soul. He knelt down in front of the altar of St. Sebastian and begged for help. Master Linhart, known as the "Himmelsschäffler", was prepared to support his journeyman's intention, which was to get the people of Munich back on the streets and back to work now that the plague seemed to have abated. All the Schäffler were called up and met in the Hofbräuhaus that evening. They decided to dance the hoop dance, which was already a tradition of the trade of Schäffler, Binder, Büttner and Küfer, in the streets of the city.

On 20.01.1517 at 9:00 a.m., the Schäffler, led by the guild flag, marched through the streets of the town with music and performed the hoop dance. Gradually, windows and doors opened. The Schäffler cheered the people, drank to their health and declared the plague extinct. A tire swinger and a jester helped to cheer people up. When Duke Wilhelm IV heard of the Schäffler's courageous act, he had them come to court and expressed the wish that this dance be repeated every 7 years to commemorate the extinction of the plague in Munich. Since then, the Munich Schäffler have complied with this wish.

First documented mention in 1702.

Originally, only unmarried Schäffler journeymen with an impeccable reputation were allowed to take part, but not master Schäfflers or their sons.

The play has been performed every seven years since 1760.

From 1830 onwards, the custom spread outside of Munich through wandering Schäffler journeymen and is now common in many places in the old Bavarian region, and in many places the gymnastics clubs that emerged at this time took up the Munich tradition and have since performed the Schäffler dance every seven years.

It was not until the 1960s that married dancers and dancers from outside the profession had to be admitted to Munich in order to maintain the tradition. The Schäffler costume consists of black shoes, white knee-high socks, black trousers, buckskin, a red jacket and a green cap with a white plume.

The Kelheim Schäffler dance

In 1911, the Kelheim gymnastics club obtained permission from the Munich Schäffler to also perform the Schäffler dance every 7 years.

Despite great difficulties and with much effort, supported by the people of Kelheim, the funds for the necessary costumes and equipment were raised. After diligent practice, the first Kelheim Schäffler dance was performed on 29.01.1911 in the Langsaal. The enthusiasm of those present at the entry with the magnificent costumes and the guild flag, which is still preserved today, was great.

The dance troupe consists of 24 Schäffler, including the Oberschäffler, 1 flag-waver, 1 crown-bearer, 2 bow-bearers, 2 barrel-bearers, the tire-waver and the 16 dancers in two groups. The Schäffler are complemented by 3 Kasperl. Including the band and the accompanying support team, the entire procession consists of around 45 people.