Boxer-meeting in Rosenthal (Germany) 26th - 28th of September 2003

After a one-year-break in 2002, there was again a Boxer-meeting in 2003 which was organized by the German Alfaclub e.V. This time it was Bodo Fast and his team coming from the Ruhrgebiet who invited all Alfa-Boxer drivers to meet eachother. But they didn't chose a site in the very industrial Ruhrgebiet. Bodo had found a pitoresque little town in Hessen called Rosenthal (near Gemünden). The local Hofraithe Park (http://www.hofraithe.de),  which consists of several historic framework houses with a large courtyard were the ideal place for a car meeting. The most beautiful Alfasuds, Sprints and 33s were exposed in the courtyard. One of the old houses had once been a barn. Its attic was transformed into a large room which was used as a dining room. Boxer-meetings belon to the most affordable and children-friendly Alfa-meetings. This was the way the 2003 edition of the Boxer-meeting was: Andreas and Anja, both members of Bodo's team even managed to cook several dishes for one meal for all the participants! And all that for a very good price.

The first participants arrived at Rosenthal on Friday afternoon. The courtyard and the dining room filled up with cars and people quickly. The participants who had book a room found comfortable rooms in the old houses of the Hofraithe Park.

The rest of the announced participants arrived on Saturday morning. Besides many Germans, there were people from the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark which travelled to Rosenthal to have some fun with their Alfas. After everybody had got breakfast, all participants came together in front of Alfa Romeo's Boxer-range in order to be photographed for the local newspaper. What would an Alfa-meeting be without a trip to the near surrounding? Therefore Bodo had compiled a tourbook which guided the participants through the beatiful landscape of Hessen. Of course there were many questions to answer. The best team would be rewarded at the end. But before the participants could sit down on the driver's seat, they first had to go for a walk in the historic town centre of Rosenthal to answer the first questions. The participants could solve all the questions with the help of the local pastor and after about 45 minutes, the first times started their engines. A 100 km on small pitoresque roads and many questions in the tourbook laid in front of them. The first major destination was the town Frankenberg then they went on to Geismar and finally in direction of the lake Edersee. Due to the hot summer in 2003 with its long dryness the Edersee was partly dried out.
The Edersee is a water reservoir which was built in order to regulate the water level of the Weser river and at the time, when the Boxer meeting took place, the Weser needed nearly every drop of water which was in the Edersee. Usually people can cross the lake in a little ferry boat. But in September there was no need of a ferry .- one could walk over the ground of the lake without getting wet feet! Not all the buildings which stood in the Eder valley were destroyed when the valley was flooded at the beginning of the 20th century. So there is an old stone-bridge in the middle of the Eder. At another place of today's lake ground there is an old cimitary. To avoid the water from getting into the old graves, one covered them with concrete.
On the way Wim Timmer laid in wait of the Alfas twice in order to take photos with his very professional photo equipment.

When the participants arrived at the Edersee it was time for a coffee break. After a short break, the tourbook guided us away from the Edersee. Over small curvy roads we drove in the direction of Rosenthal. Unfortunately one of the cars broke down and could not be driven back to Rosenthal: an Alfasud Ti 1.5 QV lost one of its front wheel - fortunatley at low speed so that nowbody was hurt and the damage on the car can be repaired.

When the first cars arrived at the Hofraithe Park, the Alfaclub-Shop and some other private miniture modell and spare parts collectors already waited to sell their parts to the participants. Meanwhile Clemens who lives near Berlin had arrived with his Sport Wagon Q4 which towed a car-trailer with a Formula Boxer monoposte In the beginning of the Nienties Alfa Romeo in Italy had started a race-trophy were all drivers used nearly the same little monoposto with a 1.7 litre Boxer 16V engine.

When all the participants had finally arrived Andreas and Anja were already waiting with the dinnner. After the dinner, Bodo Fast announced the winners of that years Boxer-meeting:

The most beautiful car: Reiner Frees' Alfasud Sprint Veloce trofeo with 1.7 litre carburettor engine
The longest travel: Peter Dyrelund from Denmark who came with his Alfasud Ti 1.7 QV

Tour:
1. winners: Peter Dyrelund, Tobias Kindtrup and Tim Rauen on Sprint 1.5 QV
2. winners: Oliver Lachmuth and Michael Hofmann on Alfasud
3. winners: Reiner and Julian Frees on Alfasud Sprint trofeo 1.7

The rest of Saturday evening / night was a big party.

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Last Update: May, 27th 2004      Created: February, 7th 2004

© Photos, layout and text by Tim Rauen.