Friendship beyond borders: Wessobrunn and Deselbrunn in exchange!

Friendship beyond borders: Wessobrunn and Deselbrunn in exchange!

In recent years, the municipalities of the Selbrunn in Upper Austria and Wessobrunn in Upper Bavaria have made a joyful connection. Details of this special friendship can be found in the reports that the first contacts about the association "Wessofontanum" . Both places not only combine cultural similarities, but also share the custom of the Leonhardi ride, which is an important event in Desselbrunn.

At the last Leonhardiritt, which was celebrated on November 10, 2024, numerous believers and horse lovers gathered to celebrate this tradition. The event, which took place as a pilgrimage on horseback and on foot, was able to appear with the participation of 92 horses and their riders. The festival fair is particularly remembered on the Leonhardi meadow, celebrated by P. Severin Großenohde from the Lambach Abbey. The pastoral assistant Margareta Gschwandtner, who kept the sermon out of the saddle, also gave a lively insight into the work of St. Leonhard.

Special experiences and future partnership

A sign of the friendship already established was the meeting of the mayors of both communities: Michael Hochleitner from Desselbrunn and Georg Guggemos from Wessobrunn. In 2023 they met at the Leonhardiritt in Forst. The summer of 2024 brought a nine -member delegation from Wessobrunn to Deselbrunn, which took part in a piano concert in the old village church of Sankt Leonhard. These events not only promote cultural exchange, but also strengthen friendship between the citizens.

Recently visited 50 of the Wessobrunn, where they stopped in the Landgasthof "Eibenwald". Mayor Guggemos took the opportunity to bring the community closer to the guests. A highlight was the monastery tour, which gave the participants an insight into the history of the former Benedictine monastery. Guggemos also expressed the desire to further expand the friendly relationships and to deepen it into an official partnership.

A look at the same brunn

Desselbrunn, located in the Vöcklabruck district in the Hausruckviertel, has a long history. First mentioned in 1185, the municipality merged with wininders in 1875. The current mayor, Michael Hochleitner, has held the office since 2021. According to the last surveys, Deselbrunn currently has 1951 inhabitants. The idyllic location between the rivers Ager, Aurach and Traun makes Deselbrunn all the more attractive.

The Leonhardiritt is not only a holiday, but also a symbol of the intimate connection between humans, animals and nature. The children who with their Leonhardibuses from deciduous branches are particularly cute. Despite an incident in the procession in which a carriage has fallen, the pastoral assistant can assure that the guardian angels were active in Desselbrunn and controlled worse.

The positive development of relationships between Deselbrunn and Wessobrunn gives hope for a blooming future in which one not only sees yourself as partner cities, but as close friends.