XXL Bed for pilgrims

Press Release by Neue Wege Miteinander / Dance Music Frido
„Ich bin dann mal weg.“ This sentence by author Hape Kerkeling who made a pilgrimage on the famous Jacobs route to Spanish Santiago de Compostela ten years ago became a law for pilgrims all over Europe. However, every pilgrims needs a rest at the end of every single day. In Luppenau, a 300-citizen community in the middle of the Saale-Elster-Luppe meadows we found an answer for this need.

In the center of the village, close to the manor and the firearms house and very near to a marvellous lake the community and the association created a dedicated place with an XXL bed for pilgrims and other guests. Comfortable matrices invite up to ten persons, association chair Gudrun Woitke explains. All pilgrims shall feel like being home – that´s why fresh towels and a fridge with the most necessary things are there to serve the needs of the guests for a small donation. Furthermore, the washing machine and the kitchen can be used by the guests. Also the bathrooms with comfortable shower facilities are very welcomed by all guests, Gudrun Woitke knows.

Since Summer 2015 the so called „Frido“ is a certified pilgrimage housing, one of about 25 in Saxony-Anhalt. The Jacob´s shell – well known sign of all housings along the Jacobs route – is now being part of Frido´s fassade. In the meantime, there were already pilgrims from Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium in Luppenau. 
The association „Neue Wege-Miteinander “exists since 1999. „Our objective is cultural integration, to bring different things closer“, Gudrun Woitke explains.

At the beginning we were aiming to support mentally disabled people. In the meantime, this has changed. „Everyone is welcome who would like to be together with other people – chatting, playing on our piano or just sitting in a cozy chair and reading one of the books of our library – this is all possible at this place“. 61-years old Gudrun Woitke is calling the Fido a refugium, an island. In 2000 the building was still a destroyed barn and a ruin – with the efforts of the community now a unique place.

„We are very grateful for all the support the community provided to us in the past“, Gudrun Woitke is pointing out. Today, association members, interested people or pilgrims like to cross by and come in. Every last weekend in the month there are special events. All can participate in musical, dancing or lay theatre events – also the pilgrims. Community mayor Edith Uhlmann is very pleased with the engagement of the association. „I am happy to have them here. What they are doing fits very well with Luppenau community profile“. She thinks back to the Irish music events where the entire village came in, to dance workshops and gatherings for pensioners. Next project will be the improvement of the garden area with terrace and wall. Further, some bicycles are here to be rented by interested people. So the pilgrims housing will be more attractive than before and saying Good-bye for pilgrims will be a harder job than ever.


Stories

Contact

Neue Wege – Miteinander e.V.
Straße des Friedens 29, D-06217 Merseburg


Phone 0049 3461 2892507
Mobile 0049 151 70500500
info@neuewegemiteinander.de

Board of Association

Gudrun Woitke
Chairwoman
Robby Woitke
Deputy
Reinhilde Wrobel
Deputy

Donations

Sparkasse Saalekreis
IBAN DE18 8005 3762 3310 0167 56
BIC NOLADE21HAL