 In the late 1700s and early 1800s, there lived an elderly man in the town of Schönau am Königsee. His name was Anton Adner. This man loved to tell stories. He lived in Schönau all his life, and would happily explain to a willing listener how Schönau used to be a locality (Gnotschaft) of the Berchtesgaden Provostry, but became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria in 1810. Anton Adner was a maker of toys and wooden boxes, which he sold in markets in his local town but also in far away places like the Netherlands. He lived a hard life. It wasn't easy making a living back in those days. Whenever he finished a set of toys, he would pile them in his large, ragged sack and start walking. He walked to the local markets and the distant markets. Never once in his life did he venture forth on a horse or other modes of transportation. Anton would be gone for months at a time. Sure, he had his own house in Schönau, but after his wife died, he grew lonely. His travels to far-away places brought him a great deal of adventure. But as he was getting older, he realized he couldn't go on these journeys any more. On his last journey to Munich, he fell and slipped on some ice, and if it wasn't for an attentive lady who saw him fall, he might not have recovered. So he made his decision to stay in Schönau. He loved making toys, and so that's what he kept on doing. He owned a boat house, and for anyone who peered inside it, they would notice all kinds of things: wooden dolls, tricycles, train sets, and other trinkets. He still sold some of these toys in the local markets, but Anton wanted to do something more. Anton made more toys than he sold, and pretty soon he ran out of space in his boat house to store his toys! So Anton wondered what he could do. He met with the town mayor and explained his situation. What Anton wanted to do was build a small bridge that would link the edge of Schönau to a small island on Lake Königsee. Because he was an expert carpenter, Anton made it his own project. He just needed supplies (the wood, the nails, and other materials) to start building this bridge. The mayor reluctantly agreed, and Anton was so thankful. Over the next two years, Anton slowly worked on making this bridge. After the bridge was completed, it was officially unveiled. Villagers as far away as fifty miles came to see the marvelous creation. The island which the bridge linked with the mainland was small—about a hundred feet across—so people had to take turns going to the little island. The initial buzz around the bridge wore off, but there were a few dedicated folks who came to the island daily. It was so refreshing to recline next to the old tree and breathe in the fresh air. Every morning Anton would wake up, pack his tools, and take a stroll to the island. He would spend hours there. Making new toys. Children would come to the island as well, and he would entertain them. He told them great stories about the Kingdom of Bavaria. How wonderful of a life he led. How he lost his wife some twenty odd years ago. One day, on October 31, kids knocked on Anton's door and exclaimed “Trick or Treat!” And boy, these children were in for a great surprise! Rather than receiving candy, Anton gave away some of his most prized toys. Toys that he made many years ago and didn't sell. The kids who received these toys were ecstatic. They told their friends, who told their friends, and pretty soon every child from Schönau had visited Anton's house and received a lovely toy. The next morning, Anton would head to the little island and start to work on more toys. He worked throughout the year. The following year on October 31, children not only from Schönau but from the five adjoining towns came to Anton's door. And every single child received a toy. And so this tradition continued for over twenty years. Anton became a legend of Schönau and all of Germany. He lived to be 117 years old. When Anton died, the town of Schönau commemorated his death. There was a large town celebration attended by thousands. There are stories that people who bought his toys in France, the Netherlands, Austria, and distant parts of Germany heard about his death and came to Schönau to pay their respects. Anton Adner was buried on that small island in the middle of Lake Königsee. There is a large monument that stands on the little island. The inscription reads: “Here lies Anton Adner (1705-1822). Master carpenter, friend to all. Legend of Schönau.” So that he would rest in peace, the bridge that Anton built was demolished. Still, the remnants of that bridge can be seen on the island today. The wood is rotten, but what Anton did for his community has never been forgotten. To this day, there is a wonderful tradition in Schönau and the surrounding towns in Bavaria. When children come knocking on the door on Halloween, rather than giving away candy, it is more appropriate to give away a toy. The legend of Anton Adner thrives to this very day. Happy Halloween everyone! |
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