La Loupe Lech Zürs Sommer No 12

“The more
connected, mobile
and ‘online’ we
are the lonelier we
become in reality.“
“Active cosmopolitanism
is an
important topic in
Lech Zürs.“
pigs can get sunburned, for example? Anyway, one evening
we were talking about the book and Lech and Michael
Köhlmeier asked whether Lech, with its landscape and nature,
wouldn’t be an ideal spot for philosophic exchange. I immediately
like the idea and so that evening at Aurora the idea for
Philosphicum Lech was born.
L.L. You and a whole delegation from Lech will visit your
partner town of Kampen on the island of Sylt from August 7
to 13 2017. You’ll even set up your own Lech-Alp there. How
important are city partnerships nowadays? And what are
you most looking forward to in Sylt?
L.M. The more connected, mobile and ‘online’ we are, the
lonelier we become in reality. I am very fond of real partners
and we work on maintaining our relationships with them.
Of course, that also requires personal commitment from both
sides. Kampen on Sylt is one of our partner cities that we have
a regular exchange with, just like Beaver Creek in the US and
Hakuba in Japan.
gives me an interesting change of perspective and great possibilities
to exchange views with my colleagues on Sylt.
L.L. You advocate numerous initiatives for environmental
protection in Lech Zürs, such as the biomass heating plant
and the ‘blue fleet’ (local busses as alternatives to using one’s
own car) are only two examples. Why is it that sustainability
is becoming increasingly important?
L.M. I grew up in Lech, I’ve known the nature and landscape
since I was a child and they are a valuable part of my life.
Consequently, it’s my personal respect
for nature and my love for it that has
always prompted me to look at what it
is we can do to protect our resources.
But, of course, there also are pragmatic
thoughts behind it, we as a high-quality
tourism destination must make
sure we sustainably relieve nature
of as many man-made burdens as
possible, for us and for our guests, who
are becoming increasingly demanding
and sensitive as far as environmental
questions go.
Sport & Freizeit
Ludwig Muxel was born in 1955 and
until 1993 he was head of Lech’s
Raiffeisenbank. Between 1990 and
1993 he was Lech’s vice mayor until he
took over the function of mayor in April
of 1993 which he still occupies today.
Ludwig Muxel has two daughters: Anna
Katharina and Maria. The passionate
huntsman likes to spend his free time in
the nature or at cultural events.
“I grew up in Lech;
nature and landscape
are important
parts of my life.“
*
L.L. You are responsible for the strict building regulations
intended to preserve the village’s traditional aspect. How
important is it to preserve what’s old and how can tradition
and modernity be connected anyway?
L.M. Form my perspective Lech is a village where the locals
are supposed to feel comfortable between seasons, too. And
that can only work when the village’s authentic quality of life
is preserved. Part of this is a commitment to a living village’s
tradition as well as openness towards modern architecture.
The right balance is what’s most important – the successful
interplay between tradition and modernity as well as a certain
sense of proportion.
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I am very much looking forward to the stark contrast between
Lech and Sylt – the long beaches, the sea and the vast, flat
landscape that looks endless to me. A visit to the island always
L.L. Every year you invite more than 100 international
politicians and stakeholders from industry, civil society and
science to Europaforum in Lech. Sometimes you get the
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