• Preface
• An Angel from Munich

and actually this foreword should have been written in the language he speaks: in Bavarian.

But that is unfortunately impossible. Because Bavarian is a dialect of the German language not even always understood by other Germans! (And at times the Bavarians are quite proud of this.) It is spoken around the snow capped mountains of the Bavarian Alps, in the villages and towns of Southern Germany, and of course in Munich, the capital of Bavaria.
It is a very picturesque language, which is able to express feelings and opinions in a way no other language can. (This is at least what the Bavarians like to think.) But part of it seems to be understood everywhere? Even in heaven!
Because Alois Hingerl is the former name of Angel Aloisius, whom you see gliding down to earth in the upper part of this page. And how this typical Bavarian came to be an angel, and what happened to him in heaven, is told in the following story.

Some outsiders, non-Bavarians of course, have suggested that it might have been better to prevent Alois Hingerl's appearance in public in order to save the reputation of the Bavarians. But why? Ever since the famous Bavarian writer and poet Ludwig Thoma wrote the original story and ever since the unforgettable folk-actor Adolf Gondrell recited it in his own version to thousands of delighted listeners, the grumbling little Bavarian railway porter Alois Hingerl has been making more and more friends everywhere, and they all like him.

And to give even more people around the world the chance to meet him is the purpose why I was putting his story into the Internet. And I hope that the adventures of Angel Aloisius will be enjoyed by everybody: by people who have visited Bavaria, by people who plan to visit Bavaria and perhaps even by people who never heard of this fabulous country!

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In order to give non-Bavarians a chance to understand some of the more complicated dialect expressions, which cannot be translated even into German, you will find an attempt of an explanation by clicking on the relative marked words.

And now let's get started !

Alois Hingerl, porter No. 172 at Munich Central Station worked so energetically one day, that he just dropped dead.
Two little angels carried him to heaven with some difficulty where Saint Peter welcomed him and told him, that from now on his name would be Angel Aloisius.

He presented him with a harp and informed him of the heavenly house rules:
"… from eight in the morning until twelve noon, " he said, "you will jubilate, and from twelve noon until eight in the evening you will sing 'Hosannah'!"

"Wos is?" asked Aloisius.
"… from eight in the morning until twelve noon: jubilating. And from twelve noon until eight in the evening: singing 'Hosannah'!"
"So - hmhm - ja, and when do I get something z'trinka ?
"You will get your Manna in due time" said Saint Peter slightly annoyed, and left him.
"Auweh!" grumbled Angel Aloisius, ''that is going to be schö fad ! I should jubilate from eight to twelve… and I thought there was no work in heaven."

But he finally sat down on a cloud and began to sing as he was told, "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!!"
A very high-spirited intellectual angel come gliding by.
"Hey! You!" called Aloisius, ''how about some Schmaizla, a Pris? Geh weida let's have some!"
But the intellectual angel was revolted by this vulgar idea. He just whispered "Hosannah" and departed.
Aloisius became furious: ''Ja - what kind of a damischer Depp is this?" he shouted, "if you don't have any Schmaizla you just don't, right ? A man can expect a decent answer, can't he ? You gscherte Ruab'n, you ! Mai Liaba, what people they have up here ! A - A - what did I get into !"

And once more he sat down on his cloud and continued to jubilate - but his anger showed in his singing and he was shouting so loudly, that the Heavenly Father next door awoke from his afternoon nap and asked with astonishment: "From whence cometh this noise ?"
At once He sent for Saint Peter, who came running, and together they heard the scandalous jubilating of Angel Aloisius: ''Hallelujah - - - Sacklzementhallelujah ! Hallelujah !"

Saint Peter hurried away and dragged Aloisius before the Lord.
The Father looked at him a long time and then He spoke: "Oh, I see - - - an Angel from Munich ! That's what I thought ! Now tell me - - - what is all this shouting about ?"
That was exactly what Aloisius had been waiting for. He was so furious, that he started right out:

"Saint Peter", said the Lord, "this will never do ! But I have an idea: We shall employ him as messenger conveying Our heavenly advice to the Bavarian Government. So he can fly to Munich once or twice a week - and his good soul will 'Rest in Peace'!"
When Aloisius heard this, he felt very happy indeed ! Soon he got his first delivery job - a letter - and flew down to earth.

And once again he felt the soil of Munich under his feet, it seemed to him, that now he was really in heaven.
And following his old habits, he immediately went to the Hofbräuhaus and found his accustomed place empty and waiting for him.
And good old Kathi, the waitress, was still there and he ordered a Maß of beer. And he forgot his letter and his job and ordered another Maß, and another, and still another one . . .