Plauen A flea market could actually better be called a time travel place, because most people do not go to such marketplaces to buy items and thus meet their consumption requests. It is much more the case that people capture a bit of their own history, bring back the past, experiences, memories that can be attached to objects that are found or even discovered on the market.
Older people can already look back on their long stories, while younger people notice that objects tell them something about their older fellow citizens. And many such possible souvenirs – small, fine treasures – were numerous at the more than 30 stalls at the late afternoon flea market in front of and around the malt house.
Time travel. Yes, it also came about for a young man who was flipping through the many pieces in the boxes of black vinyl discs at Klaus Tonndorf’s record table, looking for very specific pieces of music. And actually found it. The boy pulled out a brightly colored cover. “Man, this is an original record from the States – the band Chicago. But If you leave me now is not on here,” record expert Klaus Tonndorf immediately cheered his young customer. Ten euros went from one side of the deal to the other.
“In the past, in GDR times, the record would have cost more than 100 marks. But you had to travel. To Hungary. A lot of money was then spent there. Because there were western plates like the ones in Chicago and you absolutely needed them,” mused Tonndorf. Both men were suddenly in the 1980s. Further panels were examined. “Look, Bachmann Turner Overdrive – that was also a really great group.” In the meantime, the sluices of the sky opened several times over the Zeitreiseplatz, the relaxed flea market community was not bothered by it, even enjoyed the rainbow over the old town and rummaged on.
A new journey back began. A savings book gave the impetus. Bärbel and Peter from Triebel, a young couple, leafed through the historic loan document with delight. Purchased for three euros, the young woman took the small, dark book home with her. “I used to work in the credit system, in other words in a bank. I still know that with these savings accounts, the entries. It’s like standing at the counter,” said Bärbel. And looking at the name page, she discovered that a woman from Triebel was once the owner of the little book. “It says here that at the turn of 1989 there were 20,000 marks on it. That’s interesting. And here: in 1997 it was 99.67 euros, it says there as a new entry, a carryover as a new book. What kinds of things are out there,” remarked Peter from Triebel with a smile. The couple was happy about the little three-euro flea market treasure, which opened a nice memory tour for them.
Other people took other books, ceramics, clothes, little things. All not for reasons of consumption, but for the little luck. Especially in these times a gift.
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