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The Club's History
The Club came to life as a result
of a "beery" mood in early summer 1968, when 7 friends decided at the "Deutschherren-Stube"
to participate at one of the once popular "Volksmarches" in Ellwangen.This
lead to an "improvised" event in Crailsheim the very same year.
According to its statute
the Club pursues two goals:
Enacting own events and
participating in other hiking events in other cities.
In the meantime the enactment
of own actictivities has led to to our winter hiking event, next to our
event in August in Crailsheim,
various visits to events
elsewhere (single or by bus), annually trips, lasting several days, holiday
festivities, women circles, etc. Since 2002 there exists a cooperation
between us and the "Team" and the "Young Walker's Tour".
The hiking movement is a
common sportive cause, practiced throughout Europe. As a result of the
17th International Crailsheim Hiking Event, the former 2nd club vice president
Simon Lutz wrote in 1984.
"An unaware person, hiking
through the Schoenebuerg forest on August 16th/ 17th, might not have trusted
his eyes and ears.
Besides several German dialects
he could have heard French and Italian sounds, Swiss German and South Tyrolian,
English and Belgian Dutch. On the jackets could be read names like Louveteaux,
Marckolsheim, Amis de la Moder Schweighouse, Rohrbach les Bitsches, Randonneur
du Hartmannswillerkopf Wuenheim (all France), Heemelsdeiercher Senningen
and FC Tricolore Gasperisch (both Luxembourg), MC Eupen (Belgium), WFr.
St. Margrethen and WF Harmonia Kreuzlingen (Switzerland), Tannheim, Krengelbach
and Pfänder Bödele Bregenz (Austria), Monteforte d`Alpone (Italy)
and the checkered shirts of the Southtyrolians from Bozen could be seen.
The riddle's solution: The Wanderfreunde Crailsheim had their 17th international
hiking event. Connected with it was the 6th Europe-Marathon. There already
had been bookings in advance by 230 groups, including single bookers from
Paris, Schleswig, St. Poelten near Vienna, Bern and Flanders, which means
that the Wanderfreunde Crailsheim have a range of more than 800 km."
In 1979 the "Europe-Marathon"
was created in Crailsheim. The Wanderfeunde Crailsheim was the first hiking
club in northern Wuerttemberg, daring to offer such a distance. In the
first place it was planned just as a try-out, without any serious sportive
character, without any time limit and without any classification. There
were little thoughts given to supply-problems. But nowadays these tasks
are accomplished handsomely. The idea of turning this local event into
an international one originated with the former club president Helmut Scheiterlein.
Since the founding days greater
groups always have been honored by special trophies, including very special
tournament trophies,
decorating many a club room.
There is also a club banner. It was ordained in 1984. Its purpose is to
be a flourishment, to stimulate the feeling of comradship and to be a sign
of pride.
Many a hiking event has come
into being since 1968. There always has been heard, and still is, from
visitors from near and far:
"Once Crailsheim, forever
Crailsheim !".May this motto always be a stimulation and an example for
all the club's voluntary workers,so that we can make your stay in Crailsheima
marvelous experience.
In 2010 Wanderfreunde Crailsheim
officially celebrate their 40th anniversary.
To comemorate the jubilee
the Club's secretary Heinz G. Kaern has published a chronology of the Club's
history.
Club's
History by Heinz G. Kaern
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