Schäffler Mania

What is tradition? How do customs change over time? And what role does alcohol play? Every seven years, the market town of Dinkelscherben is in a state of emergency when the so-called Schäffler dancers parade through the streets, creating a "microcosm" that is difficult for outsiders to understand. According to legend, the tradition of the Schäffler dance originated in Munich after the plague years of 1517. The Schäffler, the guild profession of barrel makers at the time, lured people out of their houses again with their dance. The Schäffler guild is now almost extinct, but the tradition lives on in some Bavarian communities. However, in the small town of Dinkelscherben, where the dance has been held since 1893, the conditions for participation are particularly strict: the unwritten law stipulates that participants must be at least 18 years old, reside in Dinkelscherben and be unmarried. For most of the young lads, taking part is therefore a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And this experience welds them together... In 2019, 42 young boys were active as dancers, hoop-wavers, barrel-knockers and clowns and performed a total of 154 dances in the town and beyond during the carnival season. Director Michael Kalb accompanied the troupe from the first rehearsals to the opening dance, through numerous pubs to the final dance, where - difficult for outsiders to understand - young men lie in each other's arms crying because it's all over.