Soest in Wipp fever: Dirk Bröcking provides thigh-thumpers!

Soest in Wipp fever: Dirk Bröcking provides thigh-thumpers!

On Saturday, June 22, 2025, the traditional seesaw took place in the Great Pond in Soest, an event that offers both history and lots of entertainment. This event has a long tradition that dates back to the 14th century, when the seesaw was used as a punishment device for garden and field thieves. With this old punishment, the condemned person fell into the water as soon as he crossed the pivot point - it is reported Soester Anzeiger about today's event.

Dirk Bröcking, the former auctioneer of the lost property auctions, showed his entertainer qualities while rocking. Wearing an eye-catching jacket that featured the city's red and white colors and a T-shirt with the catchy slogan, "I did it all just for you," he drew a few laughs from the audience. Despite his commitment, Bröcking also had to listen to criticism - especially because of his high prices at the Soest city festivals. Things got particularly inglorious when he tried to bribe the court with two cases of beer, which earned him loud boos.

Entertaining moments at the Big Pond

Benjamin Aufdemkamp, ​​the head of the Soest district police authority, also made a somewhat surprising appearance. He was humorously criticized by viewers for monitoring the All Saints' Fair. His "arrest" while handcuffed to the seesaw also drew laughter, especially when his patrol car's siren sounded after he also fell into the water.

As befits such an event, some local celebrities also had to suffer. Jan Jobmann of the Balecker gunners was the first to jump, which was due to delays in the previous year. The attentive Rudolfs Köster from the Börde Authors Association took the opportunity to talk about the verdicts in rhymes.

Tradition meets modernity

The Soester Wippe has developed further since it was first mentioned as “Grote Dyke” in the Nequambuch before 1422. It was used in the city of Soest until the 18th century, before it was only used at festivals such as the Citizens' Shooting Festival. The current rocking is traditionally carried out on the Tuesday after the festival, with well-known citizens and shooting brothers being rocked into the pond as “maleficants”. This tradition not only provides a lot of laughs, but also a special highlight of the festival.

Although the heat this year reduced the number of spectators, those in attendance did not stop themselves from enjoying the entertainment. Rolf Lohmann played an important role in quickly repairing the rocker, which ensured a smooth event.

The Soest Wippe remains an integral part of Soest culture - a tried and tested place for socializing and a few wet surprises. As history shows, bobbing has much more to offer than just keeping a cool head above water. It is a piece of living tradition that connects generations and is always a topic of conversation.