Preisplatteln um den Bayerischen Löwe

Submitted 20Jul2007 by Carolyn Marquardt
 

The 2007 Preisplattler und -deandldrahn der Gausieger um den "Bayerischen Löwen" was held on July 7, 2007 in Steingaden. It was hosted by the Lechgau. Franz Multerer, 1. Gauvorplattler, Hedwig Probst 1. Gaudirndlvertreterin and Martin Probst 1. Gaujugendleiter kept things running smoothly and then announced all the winners and gave them their Löwe pins and scoresheets.

The first Bayerischer Löwe Preisplattln was held in 2002 in Oberschleißheim near Munich. In 2003 it was held in Ingolstadt hosted by the Donaugau. 2004 held in Kissing Landkreis Aichach-Friedberg hosted by Altbayerisch-Schwäbischer Gau. 2005 It was in Munich, hosted by Isargau. 2006 Many American Trachtler also came to Dießen am Ammersee where it was hosted by the Huosigau.

The prizes for the first place Jugend and Aktiv Gruppen are Wanderpokal. The porcelain lions were a gift from Bayerischen Ministerpräsident Dr. Edmund Stoiber. The competition is named after this lion. The following year the lion must be returned, but the winner is given an engraved pewter plate to keep.When he donated the lions he wrote a dedication: "Die Pflege des Brauchtums ist eine Quelle der Freude und ein kostbares Gut." (Caring for tradition is a source of joy and a valuable possession.)

142 Buam and 132 Deandl represented their Gauverbände. 33 Groups competed. 2,000 people came to watch. There were 36 Preisrichter (judges) and 3 raised dance floors, two in the tent and one in a rustic barn nearby. Each Gau sends the first and second place winners in Activ group and Jugend group as well as the top three from each age category. In Einzelplattln the Buam and Dirndl are judged separately. All the Buam were judged on the stage in the front of the tent, the Dirndl judged on the stage in the back of the tent and the Jugend danced on a raised dance floor in the barn. Food, drink and beer were available in both areas all day. At times is was very noisy in the tent, but the dancers were so focused on their dancing that they didn't seem to notice. The day began at 8:30 am for signing in and drawing your order number. The day finished at 7:30 pm when all the names had been called and all lions and score sheets had been given out. The Lechgau's 1. Gauvorstand Florian Echtler shook each person's hand, congratulated them and posed for photographs with the top three placing dancers in each age category. Justizministerin Dr. Renate Merk was there to pin the Löwe pins on the participants. Xaver Wörle, the mayor of Steingaden, declared the town to be "der Nabel der Plattler-Welt".

Check the Bayerischer Löwe web site for the results of the Preisplattln, photographs of the winners and participants. Also the date of the Bayerischer Löwe 2008 will be announced on the website soon: http://www.bayerisher-loewe.de

Information translated from the Bayerischer Löwe website.