Another year and a half, then life begins for gerhard preb, at least that's what udo jurgens believes. Rodental's mayor will be 66 when his term of office ends at the next municipal election. "Then I'll buy a motorcycle and a leather dress…", he told his grandson julius, who does not know udo jurgens. "No, grandpa, you're not doing that", the second grader clarified. "You stay at home and do homework with me." Which also solved the mystery surrounding the future of the local political warhorse preb. He becomes OB "opaburgermeister" after all. But these days, the first thing to do is celebrate. Preb turns 65 on thursday.
Graduation at the top of the class
Gerhard Preb didn't think about the post he held longer than his predecessor ferdinand fischer when he started training at the district administration office in wunsiedel after leaving school. Born in thiersheim, he had never heard of rodental. That did not exist at that time. The fact that an instructor advised him to do something different because he was not suitable for administrative work proved to be a misjudgement. Gerhard preb passed his final exams at the top of his class, landed an internship at the ebermannstadt district administration office, and probably had a career there as well.
In office since 1984
But after his marriage in 1969, he wanted to work closer to his wife ilse's place of residence and asked to be transferred to a district office that would not be so far from her home in redwitz an der rodach. That's how he came to coburg and – as "czar ferdinand fischer 1972 after a "good man as kammerer searched – to oeslau, where the community's town hall used to stand. "Ferdinand fischer gave me a lot of freedom for my work", preb recalls today. When fischer's term of office was coming to an end, he brought preb into the picture as his successor. But then the incumbent argued about the potential successor who, as chairman of the parents' council, prevented the sale of the monchroden school.
98 percent at the first re-election
Gerhard preb became mayor of rodental anyway. That was 1984. He has not had to stand for re-election since then. The first confirmation in office was made with 98 percent of the votes. He enjoys his work. "I have a young administration that I could always rely on", he praises his team and adds with a laugh: "i am the oldest bone here"." The city council is also characterized by little party-political bickering and is always focused on the matter at hand. "It is good that there is no absolute majority. The four parliamentary groups always have to get their act together.
A chair for franz josef straub
Almost 30 years of service as mayor are an almost inexhaustible source of stories and anecdotes. There's the renovation of the domane, which thanks to a good wire to bonn became the first project of a nationwide demand program for individual inspections. These are the rough traffic projects that were developed around rodental. Preb: "they fought very hard for the freeway, they wanted to build it only there druben near weitramsdorf." There is a city development that was initiated under fischer and pushed forward by preb.
Federal council meeting in rodental
And then there is also the story with the frog ground lake. When it was nearing completion, gerhard preb traveled (once again) to munich. The inauguration of the project, which crossed the then still existing border to the GDR, was to be attended by the father of the state, franz josef straub. "Am i still chairman of the federal council?", straub asked an employee, says preb. When he said yes, straub explained: "then we'll have a meeting with you at the bundesrat". No sooner said than done. More political weight has probably never gathered in the meeting room of the rodental town hall. Gerhard preb still has a souvenir of it in use today. "Franz josef straub had problems with his back. Therefore, we were informed that a particularly suitable chair must be made available to him", tells preb. "I'm always sitting on that now."
"30 years are enough"
With many things that he achieved for rodental, colleagues and citizens asked themselves "how does he always do this blob??". The explanation is simple: "the network that I have always cultivated is already of great value for the people of rodental". He built up contacts as a chamberlain and as a mayor. Gerhard preb is a member or even on the board of many important local political interest groups. So he often found out early about new demands and guidelines that had to be met – and was always prepared when there was something to be gained for rodental.
"I did not sit on the old part
And now? "I do not sit on the old part. I'm still working", he states. And there is no denying that the change in the law came too late for him, which had allowed him to run for office one more time? "No", says gerhard preb "30 years are enough. I believe that at over 66 years of age, retirement is well deserved." After all, he was over 70 after another term of office. There are other possibilities than to continue working: "I would still like to see a lot with my wife", says preb." He gets a taste for his birthday. He is traveling with his family and cannot be reached. And he looks back before the finish line: "I can say it was fun.
Who will be the CSU candidate for mayor??
It has not yet been decided with which candidate the CSU will enter the election campaign to succeed preb. "We will probably go to auben with it in november", he announces and hopes that the office will then pass to his preferred candidate after the election. Preb will then concentrate on his new office: as "opaburgermeister".