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WELCOME
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Something more than mountains and tradition! Otherwise one
couldn’t withstand living in the Alps. According to Norbert, cabaret ar-
tist Alfred Dorfer is a committed Innsbruck fan and he is fascinated
by the diversity of the Treibhaus visitors. “The mixture is unique,” so
Norbert. In alternative pubs - I don’t like using this word as it doesn’t
fully apply – one expects rastas, people in colourful pants, and stu-
dents with cardigans. They can be spotted here too.
Noble business men, politicians, classy ladies and gentlemen are
the ones, who come every day though. There are no conflicts between
the old and the young, academics and craftsmen, people in T-Shirts
and people in suits. However, people who normally wear suits prefer
to rock up in a T-Shirt too. “Sometimes we have three generations un-
der one roof: child, dad and grandpa,” says Norbert proudly and adds
“Everyone can join us, as long as he is peaceful. There has never been
a fight here.” The ladies here know how to calm troublemakers: Only
women work at the pub/coffeehouse inside the Treibhaus. “If a wo-
man asks someone, who is drunk and making a fool of himself to be-
have disciplined, then they do as they are told.” Obviously ladies can
convert men into gentlemen.
Norbert can’t give me a preview of this summer’s programme.
“We are still creating it.” Whoever has heard who played here before,
knows how spectacular the offer is: Herbert Grönemeyer, Gianna Nan-
nini, Fink, Joe Zawinul, Kris Kristofferson, Eric Burdon, Stimmhorn, Er-
ika Stucky, Alfred Dorfer, Josef Hader, Grissemann and Stermann, Zaz,
Sophie Hunger, Shantel & Bucovina Club Orkestar and many more –
maybe again this summer. For who is still reading, shall be rewarded
and given a solution to the title: Sapperlot is the Austrian word for
‘Gosh!’. It expresses astonishment, reluctance and anger. And Sapper-
lot is also the name of the dog that never leaves Norbert’s side. In Ita-
ly, his children wanted him to buy a dog. “Sapperlot!” he screamed out
and a dog became part of the family. “A pedigreed Mozzarella Riserva,”
and saying this he has the biggest smile on his face I have seen sin-
ce the start of our conversation. Sometimes it is them, who make the
trouble: Sapperlot killed two chickens on the hut Höttinger Alm once.
“The dog was happy, the innkeeper angry and the chicken dead,” smi-
les Norbert. “Ever since, my dog is a murderer, but he doesn’t deserve
that.” The real murder takes place every year in the open-air cinema
at the Zeughaus, when it becomes dark. There he has for sure killed
about 50 pigeons. It is a shame: “He is partly a murderer, partly a hero.
How shall the poor dog not get confused with that?” Norbert organi-
zes regularly, together with the cinema Leokino, the Open-Air at the
Zeughaus, or better said: the ladies from the Treibhaus take care of
the drinks and the food. If Sapperlot takes interest in all the culture
he is surrounded by is unknown, but he surely loves the wardrobe of
the artists. I still want to know, what Innsbruck means to him. “The city
offers a high standard of living, there is always something to do and
there are heaps of weird, diverse, interesting people.
In my opinion, it is sad that Innsbruck wants to be a world city:
This is simply ridiculous, a megalomaniac error in reasoning! We are
a small town, we have nature, small and nice shops and almost ever-
ything you need in life. Plus we are perfectly located: Verona, Venice,
Zurich and Munich can be reached so quickly.” Nevertheless, among
connoisseurs Innsbruck is called the capital of the Alps.
I like Norbert – sometimes. He is complex, grumpy, and a bit quirky.
He spices our miserable lives up with culture and doesn’t give a shit
about standards and conventions. Therefore I want to invite you: Or-
der a portion of culture, take a sip of rebellion and taste the freedom
to find out how it is to combat once in a while.
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THE BASICS
The Treibhaus is independent of any parties, churches or cor-
porations, but open for all creative, artistic, social and political
opinions that respect others and that are in accordance with a
person’s dignity as a fellow being.
The cultural objective
is based on the following: culture is a significant contribution
and essential for coping with situations in life. In accordance with
technical and financial possibilities, only relevant forms of culture
and cultural contents shall be expressed to provide a broad range
of discussion.
TREIBHAUS
Angerzellgasse 8
am Volksgarten
6020 Innsbruck
+43 512 572000
www.treibhaus.atThe statutes of the culture café say
the following about the Treibhaus’ artists:
They sing the Story of Love
the Drama of Stupidity
the Hopelessness of Greed
the Tenderness of Feelings
the Cruelty of Hunger
the Serenity of Laugh
the Beauty of Friendship
the Anger of Just
LET US SING, DANCE AND
CELEBRATE WITH THEM