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Aale-Dieter fights alone: Hamburg fish market loses barker!
The Hamburg fish market in Altona is fighting for survival, while Aale-Dieter, 86, continues to run his business as a veteran market crier.
Aale-Dieter fights alone: Hamburg fish market loses barker!
The Hamburg fish market, an institution in the Hanseatic city and a meeting place for night owls and early risers, is facing major challenges. More and more barkers are disappearing from the scene, endangering not only the colorful mix of the market, but also the tradition of passionate sales that makes this place so special. Aale-Dieter, real name Dieter Bruhn, is defying this development at the age of 86 and fighting for the future of his profession.
Aale-Dieter has been a fixture on the banks of the Elbe for 66 years. From Monday to Sunday, often before dawn, he offers smoked eels with his inimitable style. While others are still recovering from the night, he has already had his first customers. “I see myself less as a barker and more as an entertainer,” he explains as he presents the fresh fish. His number of customers has remained stable, but the composition of his buyers has changed - mainly due to the increased prices; An eel costs twice as much today as it did 30 years ago, as Aale-Dieter notes.
The decline of the barkers
But Aale-Dieter is looking at an increasingly empty stage. There are currently only six to seven barkers left in the market, which is over 300 years old. Before the corona pandemic there were around 15. The total number of dealers has also been drastically reduced: from 120 to now 80 to 100, like Welt.de reports.
Dieter Egert, board member of the regional association of the outpatient industry and the Hamburg showmen, explains the decline with the departure of older screamers and the lack of young talent. “It's bad because without this conversation the market will become a 'lame duck',” he warns. The fish market could become less attractive without barkers, a situation that would have not only sentimental but also economic consequences.
Aale-Dieter holds out
Despite the adverse circumstances, Aale-Dieter has no plans to turn his back on tradition. “I'll do this until the end, no matter how it turns out,” he emphasizes resolutely. His persistence and passion for the business are admirable. Aale-Dieter remains a symbol of the living history of the Hamburg fish market. As the market fights for its future, the question remains: who will train the next generation of barkers to carry on the tradition and convey this attitude to life to visitors? Time will tell.