Otmar Bilz is celebrating his 85th birthday today

“That we can meet our young families again soon,” hopes Otmar Bilz from Hafenlohr, who will celebrate his 85th birthday on Monday, November 16.

Otmar Bilz was born in 1935 in Hafenlohr in his parents’ house on Hauptstrasse and he still lives there today. He went to elementary school in Hafenlohr and then switched to the Franz-Ludwig-von-Erthal-Gymnasium in Lohr. There he was later a teacher and then headmaster. He held this office for 15 years until he retired in 1999.

In the conversation you can tell that his students were close to his heart: “I also gave lessons as a headmaster, although I shouldn’t have had to. But it wouldn’t work without my students.” Until a few years ago he still gave free tutoring. He already knew as a child that he wanted to become a teacher one day and his favorite subject was Greek.

He met his wife Erika, also a teacher, during his studies in Würzburg. The couple has four daughters and ten grandchildren: “Five boys and five girls,” says Bilz proudly.

The question of whether it is easier or more difficult for the students today than in the past was answered by Bilz after a brief reflection: “I think that the students have it more difficult today because they used to be able to concentrate more on learning. Today it is admitted a lot of things, like bullying or distraction by media, which didn’t exist in the past. And right now there is also a kind of uncertainty about the future “.

In office as third mayor for six years

But Otmar Bilz was not only very active in school life. He was also always involved in local events. He was on the local council for 18 years, including six years as the third mayor. He also supported the local associations with his commitment.

Bilz is an honorary citizen of the municipality of Hafenlohr, holder of the Federal Cross of Merit on ribbon and he received the ring of honor from the city of Lohr.

The archives of the community are archived

Even today, Bilz is not boring, because “there is still the house and the garden”. He still enjoys reading Greek literature and together with Alfred Ritter he archived and cataloged the community’s archive in around 600 working hours until the start of the corona pandemic. As soon as the situation allows it again, it should continue.

Religion also plays a big role in his life. For a long time he was on the parish council and chairman of the dean’s council. He also wrote a church leader from Hafenlohr. His preferred travel destination is not only for religious reasons, the Italian capital Rome, which he has already visited more than 20 times. Although a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica is always part of the standard program there, he is also interested in archeology and Latin classical music. In the past, the couple was often there with the Bavarian pilgrimage office.

They planned to do that again this year. But this trip fell victim to the pandemic as well as a big golden wedding ceremony that the couple had in August, the confirmation of a grandson and also his special day he celebrates today without a big party, but with his wife Erika.

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