Porsches, gatherings of famous people, and copious amounts of champagne. - "Sylt's legend of the pony"
The elderly don't frequent this place as often now, but when they do, they enjoy themselves. The younger generation follows suit or takes their parents' memories with them into the thatched brick house known as "The Pony." This surprisingly unusual party spot in Kampen, at Strönwai 6, is the heart of the lively Frisian island in the North Sea. It's the most exclusive, oldest nightclub in Germany.
In 1961, Pony Reckert from Munich scribbled his moniker above the entrance to the newly opened club. He, along with his buddies Hubertus Wald from Hamburg, Hans-Hermann "Bübchen" Pünjer from Düsseldorf, and Gerald Wallé, created a hub for the affluent, glamorous, celebrities, and those who longed to be all of the above. Despite having little cash, their minds were brimming with wild ideas and joie de vivre.
This venue for chilled champagne became a drawer for Sylt society. The global party elite relished the brisk breeze during the day and indulged in extravagant parties from sunset to sunrise in "The Pony." They were enraptured by the excitement of it all. Celebrities like the Persian ex-emperor Soraya, playboy Gunther Sachs, actors Curd Jürgens and Heinz Rühmann, the Bismarck family, and Harald Juhnke, or soccer star Günter Netzer were regular attendees.
Now the likes of former German national coach Joachim Löw, Bayern supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and techno-hyper H.P. Baxxter make regular appearances, mixing with drinking enthusiasts, pearl-sweating snobs, or regular North Sea locals. Pop icon Dieter Bohlen often stops by.
"The Pony" has galloped into the new epoch, but it's starting to show its age. Tim Becker (43) currently manages the cult club in Kampen, with two managing directors, against the weight of nostalgia, decadence, audacity, and the misguided foolishness of some wealth-drained "rich children."
Eventually, even the most enduring myths are consumed by the salty waves of time. Change is inevitable, like the relentless autumn storms on the edge of a cliff. The uninhibited cheerfulness has waned in "The Pony." But there's still something captivating about this place. Everyone who's ever been there shares this sentiment: "There's something about this place!" It's the same, it was the same, and it will remain the same.
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Source: symclub.org