A height of 5.20 meters was one meter too much for the Britzer Tunnel. But the fir tree was finally allowed to drive through when it was tied down Photo: Spreepicture
By Oliver Ohmann
That ends well, fir tree well – and it looks really TANNtastic – our Christmas tree 2022 on Breitscheidplatz. But it was a difficult way from Bohnsdorf to Charlottenburg!
THE FIR DRAMA:
Act I, Sunday. The BZ introduces the 22 meter Colorado fir. Grown since 1993 in the garden of Klaus Peters (71) on the outskirts of Treptow. A gem!
Tree donor: The beautiful fir tree comes from the Bohnsdorfer garden of Margot Herre and Klaus Peters Photo: Ralf Lutter
Act II, Monday. At 9 a.m. the saws of the showmen’s association arrive. The tree, which weighs several tons, is hoisted onto a low-loader using a construction crane.
Act 3, Tuesday morning. Transport through the city cannot take place as planned. For safety reasons. With a height of 5.20 meters, the fir tree is too thick for the Britzer Tunnel. The police called off the transport during the night. Line-up date canceled at 10 a.m.!
The thick fir had to make itself thin. To do this, the belts on the low-loader were tightened and the wooden blocks lowered Photo: Spreepicture
Act 4, Tuesday afternoon. The showmen negotiate with the authorities. A new route would require new applications, could take time. A spokeswoman for BZ “We were finally allowed to stick to the route.”
Act 5 and Finale, Wednesday. The thick fir makes itself thin and is allowed to go on the journey. The spokeswoman: “The wooden trestles were lowered, the fir lashed tighter again. So in the end she was no more than 4.20 meters and was allowed into the tunnel.” At 10.30 a.m. yesterday after the tunnel trick she stood at the Memorial Church.
On Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. the fir tree floated onto Breitscheidplatz Photo: Ralf Lutter
Happy ending, but the fir tree made it really exciting!