In his documentary “Der Dorfretter im Vogelsberg”, Uli Pförtner also shows TWIKE pilot and carpenter Robert Malessa from minute 28 onwards as an example of how environmentally friendly mobility can succeed in rural areas.
The documentary is available on the ARD Mediathek until 05.02.2021:
“Helmut Schraml from Ober-Ohmen in the Vogelsberg region traveled the world for a long time. When he returned to his hometown, he saw more and more houses falling into disrepair. “I couldn’t bear to look at them,” he says and decided to do something.
Was it because Helmut Schraml is an ophthalmologist by profession? To date, he has bought and renovated eight houses, which he rents out at a reasonable price. This part of Ober-Ohmen now almost looks like a “museum village” that has come to life. The charm of the district also draws city dwellers back to the countryside.
Monument protection and sustainability are an ongoing issue for the ophthalmologist when renovating. He has found an ideal partner in carpenter Robert Malessa. “There’s no waste with me,” is one of the craftsman’s mottos. Clay that can no longer be used on the building sites ends up in an old riding arena. This has become a natural paradise and, thanks to consistent organic farming, offers a rich vegetable harvest – almost as a side effect. And because Robert Malessa tries to be environmentally conscious in all areas of his life, he drives a futuristic electric car that is even built in the region.
The film shows: Helmut Schraml, Robert Malessa and others are good examples of how life in Ober-Ohmen is returning bit by bit out of love for their own village and a conviction for a sustainable lifestyle. Recently, there has even been a pub that is bringing culture back to the village – initiated by the ophthalmologist.”
