A bivouac army, Mozart and a hole axe: Steinhöring celebrates its “name day” as its 1200th anniversary - the festival week shows: the place is much older.
Steinhöring
– Mozart traveled through Steinhöring. He may even have spent the night at the Gasthof zur Post. The Battle of Hohenlinden had an impact on the town: thousands of French soldiers bivouacked around the village before the major decisive battle between France under Napoleon and the Austro-Bavarian army. The place could tell a lot about its centuries-old history. The first traces of settlement go back a long way.
The oldest find: A stone ax from the later Stone Age was once found near what is now the Berg district. There are relics from the Bronze Age or the Roman Age. Byzantine gold earrings were even found in a Bavarian row grave field with 255 skeletons from the Merovingian period, which was discovered in the 1970s near today's sports field.
Ancient stories, but “only” mentioned in documents 1200 years ago
Despite these ancient historical findings, Steinhöring is officially “only” 1200 years old. The first documented mention - a cleric handing over his property at "Steinheringa" to Freising - can be found in 824. And so it is that the 1200th anniversary is celebrated this year. The accompanying commemorative publication puts it this way: “This anniversary is to be understood as a name day, since Steinhöring is of course much older as a settlement. In any case, it is proven that the first Bavarians have been living here since around 570 AD.”
The celebration committee for the community anniversary was founded around a year ago, consisting of council members Hans Antoni, Thomas Grundmann von Holly, Willi Slowaczek, Caren Lipp, Max Stabernak, Christian Schächer and Martin Pointner. They chose “Baiuvaren in Steinhöring” (in a Latin-based spelling) as the motto of the 1200th anniversary.
1200 years of Steinhöring: The program for the festival week in June 2024
The basic idea for the big festival week from Thursday, June 13th to Monday, June 17th is to have each of the festival days organized by one of the local clubs: the brass band, the TSV, the fire department and the tennis club. The local history association is also there, contributing an exhibition on the history of the place, which will be shown in the school auditorium during the anniversary week.
You can see early finds there, a facsimile of the document from 824 and a lot of other historical material. The Nazis' Lebensborn Home is also discussed. And then there is the marquee on the school's sports field, where there is a daily program. After the opening of the festival week by the mayor and the opening of the historical exhibition, the beer tapping follows.
The sheet metal bags and Gstanzl made from and with Erdäpfkraut ensure a festival atmosphere. The following day there is market activity in the village square, in the school playground and in the rectory garden. Of course, this doesn't just mean the usual stalls, but a whole range of events such as “Stoaheben”, unicycling, stagecoach rides through Steinhöring or “grotto hikes”. Tours of the church or the organ are also part of the program. There are also craft stands and cultural offerings such as demonstrations from the Baiuvar period with pottery, glass bead making, textile work, historical baking and beer brewing, sword studies or medieval morality singing on the village square. On Friday you are invited to the public viewing of the European Championship opening game on a big screen. Afterwards there is a disco party.
1200 years of Steinhöring: All clubs and the school involved
On the festival Sunday, the people of Steinhöring celebrate a field service and a parade with brewery teams and historic fire departments - with the town's 1200th anniversary, the Steinhöring fire department is celebrating its 150th anniversary. There will be music in the festival tent from the Steinhöringer brass band and the tank crackers.
The festive season will end on Monday with a kettle meat dinner and an auction of a “NSU Quickly” moped. You can get a ticket for this with the festival badge that can be purchased, which the furnishing association contributes, or through free sale.
Even if the official anniversary program only lasts a few days, the anniversary motto is the annual theme at the school. At the opening, the school children appear in clothing from the 7th century. Many people have probably seen Steinhöring since it was founded: the salt road and postal route ran through the town.