German Town Hosts Largest Parade Ever – for Dachshunds
It took Guinness World Records several months of counting, but finally it’s official: last fall the German town of Regensburg hosted the largest gathering of dachshunds ever. An estimated 897 of the long-eared, stump-legged wieners paraded through the medieval town while their humans marched alongside, many dressed in festive top hats and lederhosen.
Dogs and owners assembled in a parking lot in Regensburg – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – then made their way across an historic 12th century stone bridge, past the Dackelmuseum (dedicated to all things dachshund), winding up in the town square to complete the mile-long parade.
Seppi Küblbeck – who founded the Dackelmuseum with husband Oliver Storz – told the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung that he simply wanted to bring joy to people in these troubling times. “The dachshund isn’t political,” Küblbeck said. “For the dachshund, all people are equal – regardless of skin color, or where they come from.”
In fact there is a bit of politics involved. Some dachshund owners fear that dachshund breeding could be banned, since a recent amendment to the Animal Welfare Act, introduced to the Federal Council last July, would prevent dachshunds from being bred with crooked legs or the elongated bodies of the Thuringer bratwurst Dackel lovers worry all breeding will eventually be restricted.
A creation of German breeders in the 17th century as a hunting dog, dachshunds are especially beloved in Bavaria. In 1972 a black sausage dog named Waldi was the mascot for the Munich Olympics.
The early head count in Regensburg had tallied 1,175 canines, but Guinness says it could confirm “only” 897, good enough for the World Record for the Largest Dachshund Walk. These wieners have a ways to go to challenge the record for all breeds, a title currently held by golden retrievers, 1500 of which congregate annually in Golden, Colorado.
Watch all the dachshund action here.
Photo credit: Guinness World Records
