Several thousand dachshunds in all imaginable formats and designs can be seen in the Passau Dachshund Museum. Will it stay that way? A dispute with the regulatory office makes the museum organizers consider moving.

Passau (dpa / lby) – The Dachshund Museum is undoubtedly one of Passau’s best-known flagships. Tourists from all over the world make a pilgrimage to the Lower Bavarian town to visit the curious museum and have their picture taken with the owners’ three dachshunds. Now there is trouble, as Seppi Küblbeck reported to the German Press Agency on Friday. He and his partner Oliver Storz do not rule out moving to another city. It’s about a parasol and two chairs with a small table that the two have placed in front of their entrance.

Now they have been sent a letter from the regulatory office, according to which they are no longer allowed to set up the seating area in front of the museum. According to media reports, a city hall spokeswoman said on Friday that it had only now become apparent that the museum organizers had not submitted an application for special use. The letter said the installation was not approved and if the museum owners applied now, it would not be approved either.

Küblbeck and Storz are very disappointed. Since it opened four years ago, chairs, a table and an umbrella have stood in front of the museum and have not hindered pedestrians, prams or wheelchair users. They always assumed that the area in front of the building belonged to the owner, i.e. a foundation in the diocese of Passau. This also takes care of snow clearing, said Küblbeck. Otherwise, of course, they would have paid a fee.

What particularly disappoints the couple is the way the city treats them. “You could have just talked to us.” The seating corner is popular with visitors and passers-by, especially with older people. In addition, Küblbeck and Storz like to attach their three dachshunds Moni, Seppi and Blümchen to the umbrella – a popular photo motif. He then sits in front of the museum and talks to guests, says Küblbeck.

The encouragement of the dachshund fans is now huge. They have already received countless letters, and the museum was literally stormed by visitors on Friday. The museum organizers suspect a dispute with the city over a construction container in front of the house as the background. This belongs to another construction site and must now be cleared away by the city – at their request – in the meantime. “The container hampers wheelchair users and strollers.”

Küblbeck can’t believe it: “Such a hassle, because of such a trifle. We have war in the world and a corona pandemic behind us.” After all, the museum had to remain closed for a long time over the past two years.

The museum attracts visitors from all over the world, from Australia, North America and Asia. Converted into an advertising budget, that would be unaffordable for the city, said Küblbeck. “We call ourselves the “Passau Dachshund Museum” because it’s our beautiful hometown.” Now they are considering moving the museum to another city. But that would not be possible until next year at the earliest. Because they already have appointments for guided tours and visits by school classes and television stations, among other things, well into the autumn.