Birgit jauernig has the most difficult hurdles for the "digital costume recording and research" project probably already taken. What lies ahead now should be manageable. At least that is what district administrator gunther denzler signaled to the upper franconia foundation. Of these, the head of the upper franconian costume advisory service (based in frensdorf) still needs just under 100.000 euro.
Around 200.000 has already been granted by the VW foundation. As the first institution in upper franconia, by the way, and because a great deal is to be achieved with the project: the still existing stock of the old costumes of upper franconia is to be digitally recorded and researched in order to then be available via a special portal to all interested parties and thus also to the lay public.
With women power
Because this requires additional manpower, specifically women's power, a personnel decision was made by the sports and cultural foundation cultural committee of the county council asked. The council unanimously "took note of and approved" the project. The final decision at the district level is made by the district committee, because it involves a position.
Birgit jauernig has been in charge of the district's own farmers' museum in frensdorf since 1999, and since 2002 she has also been in charge of the upper franconian costume advisory service, which has been based in the district for the past three years. She herself is employed by the district. This is important for the innovative project: on the one hand, because the museum had to submit the application; and on the other hand, because a financial contribution is also required on the part of the applicant. These are then the proportional personnel costs. Thus, the county de facto has to pay nothing.
The idea for the trend-setting project came from district local historian gunter dippold, explains costume expert jauernig. Because meike konigstein had already worked as a volunteer at the frensdorf farmers' museum and was particularly involved with the inventory of the textile depot there, jauernig knows her. Birgit jauernig also says that the young woman has meanwhile developed into a real textile specialist, which gives her a central role in the project.
Promotion possible
Through a cooperation with the university of bamberg, the possibility arose for meike konigstein to do a doctorate on the project at the same time, since it is a scientific work. According to jauernig, the aspect of the demand for young scientists was probably one of those that had tipped the scales in favor of the upper franconia project at the volkswagen foundation (a cultural foundation, by the way, the largest private science demand). Another powerful argument was presumably the benefit for the many museums in upper franconia, some of them small. The research in these is challenged with it, with which probably quite treasures are lifted in their depots. Because there the partly centuries old parts are stored, so that they do not take damage.
"With the digitalization and precise description (research result), they will then be accessible to experts as well as to a broader public", according to the head of the costume consulting department. Until now, this kind of work has been the preserve of specialists.
Back to the project. In addition to special knowledge, special (high-quality) equipment is also needed to document the textiles comprehensively and professionally by photographing them. Photographs are taken of the front and back of the shirt, as well as details such as buttons and trim. Equipment, staff and significant travel costs to the more than ten museums in france add up to the amount required. And they are happy to have won a renowned and solvent supporter in the VW foundation. Of course, jauernig was initially unaware of how high the hurdles would be here and, conversely, what it would actually mean to be selected by this session.
In the project birgit jauernig sees the possibility "to convey our knowledge and to raise further treasures", especially as various on-site events are planned in which rarities from the attic can be brought in for examination. The knowledge of the old costumes serves as a basis for creating new ones, explains the 54-year-old. In view of the current hype about trachten, this is also fully in line with the times..