Singing for the Milk Bank

Pohlheim (rge). The singers of the "vocale Sängerkranz" around choirmaster Peter Schmitt sang "Rauschen die Quellen im Tales Grund - The springs murmur at the bottom of the valley" in the well-known choral classic "Heimat" on Saturday at the inauguration of the new milk bank at the Fountain Square in Watzenborn-Steinberg. Despite the freezing cold on this afternoon in April, a number of listeners, including Mayor Andreas Ruck, Head of the village Eva Saarbourg and the local chairman of the Schiffenberg local history association Dieter Schäfer, came to this small ceremonial opening act with choral music.

The singers of the "vocale Sängerkranz" with choirmaster Peter Schmitt at the inauguration of the new milk bank, which commemorates the history of milk collection in Watzenborn-Steinberg. © Roger Schmidt

Werner Funk, chairman of the Sängerkranz, recalled the development of the idea from two and a half years ago to its realisation in the last few weeks. 13 participating singers of the regulars' table "Cancelled choir rehearsal" had contributed to the realisation, he thanked. And the municipal building yard was also appreciated.

Place of remembrance

The new milk bank is a reminder of "Wois froier woar - How it was in the past", because a similar bank had once stood not far from the Goldener Stern clubhouse, where the surrounding farmers delivered their milk to the dairy headquarters. Many of the singers in the immediate vicinity had experienced this as an everyday occurrence in their younger years, Funk said.

Today, the bench with the milk cans is intended to give walkers the opportunity to rest and remember this piece of history. There is also a plaque with pictures and text highlighting this history. This was appreciated as a "great initiative" of the Sängerkranz singers by Mayor Ruck, who, together with the other visitors, thanked them with applause for the German folk song "Das Morgenrot - The dawn" as another "vocale" contribution with the expectant lines "The sun, it beams at us from afar, and gives us life and joy in addition".