1738 - 1829 Mathias and Regina Wilhelm
The wine tavern´s anniversary of more than 200 years in existence was linked with peculiar coincidence, which gave a certain significance to the celebrations:
The first owner, Mathias Wilhelm, who opened the stablishment in 1738, and the much later owner, Karl Oberkirch, both originated from Burkheim am Kaiserstuhl, and Wilhelm can in fact be found in the Oberkirch family tree. It is no longer easy to see how the founder, Mathias Wilhelm, came about the wine tavern by the store but we do know that he stood by a bush outside number 289, one sunny day late in 1738, waiting in his shirt sleeves for guests to arrive. He did not have to wait long. The people of Burkheim passed through in numbers on market days, bringing many guest with them.
In 1746 Wilhelm was already in a position to purchase the house. When in 1749 his wife, Regina Schmid, brought a daughter to the world he was able to record his profession in the Münster´s baptismal register as "landlord". When he died in 1769, his widow was forced to put her hands to the pump.
she managed to hold onto the business despite all that fate threw at her and when she too passed away, on the 31st March 1785, her son, Josef Wilhelm was able to take over the wine tavern in full operation.
1785 - 1829 Josef and Elisabeth Wilhelm
By 1769 he had already been in the Cellar´s Guild and with this expertise he found managing the establishment easier; it had previously been necessary to gain all permissions from the authorities. He had worked intermediatly as a chancellery officer and writer. He was however promised permission to run the establishment. On the 8th April 1785 he received an official response to his requests. we was granted permission; it was understood that he could not live from his lowly writer´s wage alone. A notice did however state that he would only be granted the wine license if his wages did not exceed 300 Guilders.
This decision was however quickly forgotten at the town hall and on the 14th September 1790 the authorities inquired as to the situation of ownership of the tavern.
This time he was able to provide a clear answer: " The wine license was lent to him on the 8th April 1785 following the death of his mother Regina Wilhelm during the same year. She had run the tavern constantly for 47 years from 1738, and both she and his deceased father had managed the establisment both correctly and professionally". Following this he had been granted possession of the "personnel privilege" from his parents, as he also required the income from the tavern urgently to support his five young children. His response was deemed satisfactory by the town authorities.
Josef wilhelm continued to work as an honourable chancellery officer and in his free time he managed his small tavern with his wife. His "duel earnings" are recorded in teh first adress registers for the town, which were recorded at that time. During 1825 he was recorded as a pensioned chancellery officer and in 1830 he was no longer included in the register. His spouse, Elisabeth Wisler, "wife of a town chancellery officer", died during 1815 and he followed her on the 29th June 1829 at 89 years age.
1829 - 1834 Josef Laurent
Following his death the house and tavern were both sold
to Josef Laurent, about whom not much is known.
1834 - 1863 Christian Hummel
As quickly as 1834 Laurent had passed the property onto the landlord Christian Hummel. Hummel had previously run small establishment at 35 Gauchstraße - then known as Klarissergasse - but this business had been too small for him. Here, in Münster Square, he was able to develop his establishment and he tried everything to expand the small wine tavern and to attract more guests. His efforts took time, but he eventually received permission to serve warm food. The original license had only included wine and cold dishes. Following many requests he was also able to exchange the original drinking license for a restaurant one. This meant that he could serve the hot food that the market had long been demanding, but that the authorities had so long refused.
1863 - 1936 Eduard Hummel
For almost 60 years both Hummel father and son ran the wine tavern by the store, and the relationship that the early and later owners enjoyed with the Kaiserstuhl village of Burkheim must always remain as happy as it was in the past.
Now the tavern was too small again and Eduard Hummel quickly decided to purchase the other half of the house from shoemaker Johann Schmid. He did so on the 13th July 1870 and it cost him around 12.000 Guilders. He added the entire ground floor to the current establishment once he had taken it over from his father in 1863. This is the form in which all Freiburgers now know the wine tavern on Münster Square.
"The Hummels at Münster Square" was a phrase familiar to all Freiburgers. It referred to that small establishment by the store, where the citizens and tradesmen from around the areas stopped to meet over a glass of wine, and where the market folk took their morning coffee; and where, if business was good at the market, they also came to their lunch. It was during the time before and after the 1870 wars that Freiburg began to expand, step by step, and new roads appeared around the old towns, lined with many new homes. The arrival of strangers in Freiburg was extensive and life in the town changes in all
ways.
These changes were also preceived on Münster Square where the visitors came increasingly from afar, the turnover increased and the market folk for their homes on a Saturday night satisfied with their lot. One man noticed more:
It was Eduard Hummel, with his small wine tavern by the store .......
And so it went on ...
1936 - 1967 Karl and Elise Oberkirch
Elise und Karl Oberkirch took over the house in 1936 and continued to manage the wine tavern.
During the heavy bombing of Freiburg, which took place during 1944, rumour has it that Karl Oberkirch put out a fire in the historic store on Münster Square using wine from his own wine cellar.
Incredibly Oberkirch´s own house remained completely undamaged.
From 1951 his daughter Helga began to help run the business. During this year an additional building was added: the former horses´ stable for the Wikinger Palace (now the county court) burned to the ground during the war and was rebuilt as part of the hotel. The year 1951 saw a celebration of opening of the hotel.
1967 - 1991 Helga Johner-Oberkirch and Herbert Johner
Helga Oberkirch married Herbert Johner in 1957 and the couple have both worked in the business since then. In 1967 they leased The hotel from Helga´s parents and in 1984 it was passed on to them.
1991 - 1997 Helmut Johner and his partner Doris Hunn
In 1991 the house was handed down their son, Helmut Johner, who managed the hotel and restaurant until his death in 1997. In 1992 the house on Münster Square underwent successful renovation and the hotel rooms and restaurant now offer modern comfort together with the atmosphere befitting of this house steeped in tradition.
Since 1998 Doris Hunn has run the tavern together with Gudrun Johner, sister of Helmut Johner.
The Oberkirch and its rich tradition goes on...
