To divide
Kiss on the revolving staircase above Munich: fireman Tobias has given his Alexandra a very special marriage proposal. © Christian Rohrbacher
In proposing to his Alex, firefighter Tobi not only relied on his colleagues, but also on a Bavarian law. A video now shows the action.
Munich/Rudelzhausen – That something is about to happen that will shape the rest of her life and that she will receive congratulations from complete strangers all over Germany, Alexandra Eisenrieder cannot imagine this with the greatest goodwill in the world. On that Monday in late April, the 36-year-old clerk was sitting at the Mandatory Health Insurance Dentists Association clicking through the statistics – until the “alarm” sounded. But more on that in a moment.
Even in secondary school she was very fond of Tobias Grell, who, like her, comes from Rudelzhausen in the district of Freising. Best friends became a couple who lived together for nearly two decades, had children – but never got married. “Somehow the right time never came,” says Tobias Grell.
Munich fire brigade’s “fire operations” turns out to be a marriage proposal
But now was the right time, the 35-year-old thought, and chance helped. Because the professional firefighter is currently completing the train driver course. And the fire school at Wache 2 in Munich-Sendling is just two kilometers from Alexandra’s work. With his comrade Christian Rohrbacher, Tobias made a marriage proposal plan, which immediately excited the other participants of the course.
So on that Monday, the couple’s 18th birthday, 24 firefighters got into their emergency vehicles and headed to the industrial complex on Fallstrasse. Tobias Grell is waiting in front of the house and sends a squad in. Five men show up at Alexandra Eisenrieder’s office with a fire hose, ax and breathing apparatus and report a fire alarm to her. At the latest, when her Article 23 of the Bavarian Fire Brigade Act is quoted, according to which she must appear to provide assistance and avoid a danger to the general public, the 36-year-old realizes that this is of a very personal matter. “Operation”. Tobi had recently told her about that special paragraph quite often. “Anyway, I wasn’t afraid it would burn,” she later recalls with a laugh.
When the couple wants to get off the revolving staircase, the comrades have other plans.
While Alexandra is still struggling with her feelings, she is escorted out. A hose lattice awaits them in front of the door, at the end of which stands a grinning Tobi Grell. He takes off his helmet and in a shaky voice talks about how much her love means to him and how he thanks her for his two wonderful children. Then he gets down on one knee, pulls out a gold ring with diamonds and asks her if she wants to marry him. She doesn’t hesitate a second when saying “Yes!”, she can no longer hide her tears of happiness.
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The two’s colleagues applaud loudly and, of course, the sirens sound. The snacks brought by the firefighters are accompanied by sparkling wine – without alcohol, after all, drinking is not allowed on duty. Then the newly engaged couple climbs the revolving staircase and Tobi leads Alex to a height of 30 meters, where the couple embrace while looking out over the entire city of Munich. When he wants to lower the ladder again, the comrades on the ground lock the controls – and play a love song over the intercom instead.
Newly engaged and very happy: Alexandra and her fireman Tobias at home in Rudelzhausen (district of Friising). © private
“Everything was like in the movies”, enthuses Alexandra Eisenrieder. “When I had to go back to an IT meeting an hour later, I had trouble concentrating.” For Tobias Grell it was the opposite, as he says: “I couldn’t sleep two nights before and I was afraid her coming with me would preclude a proposal and the whole plan fell apart. After her ‘yes’ all the tension melted away.”
Marriage proposal goes viral at Munich fire station
Christian Rohrbacher is responsible for the fact that the couple not only congratulated family and friends, but also congratulations from all over the country: Tobias’ firefighter friend is also a video maker, he filmed the app and put the clip in motion online. The fiery marriage proposal is spreading fast on the Munich fire brigade’s Facebook and Instagram channels and ensures that old friends of Alexandra and Tobias contact them again.
Some commentators on social media also like the fact that such an action is still possible “even today”. For example, one user writes: “My tax money could be wasted on something like this! How nice if, despite everything, one is still allowed to be human!” The positive reactions now increase the euphoria of the bride and groom. Tobias, who like his Alexandra follows everything closely, can hardly believe it: “There is not a single negative comment!”
More current news from the city of Munich can be found here. News from the Freising district can be found at Merkur.de/Freising.