130 bags of sweets were packed, and numerous lights and fog were set up. Then, on October 31, 2023, it was time for the fourth “stage clear for a little spookiness” at the Old School in Quohren. But this year was to be a little different than previous years. But let’s go back a few days.
On the first weekend of October, as if by magic, the sign “Horror School” appeared on the Old School in Quohren. Neighbors and attentive observers surely already suspected what would follow in the coming days. Little by little, the yard filled up with all kinds of lighting equipment, a black box, a spooky toilet, a party tent, and much more. And of course, a few onlookers were there to help with the setup.
The setup took a week, and with the help of numerous volunteers, work continued until noon on October 31. This year, in addition to the numerous effects, there was also a surprise from outside. The Pirna Haunted House offered its support in advance to breathe some life into the scary school. This year, they held their Halloween at Kuckuckstein Castle, and once the costumes had been retrieved from storage, the idea of adding an extra spooky element came up.
On October 31, 2023, at 5:00 p.m., the time had finally come. The gates of the scary school opened. Some guests could hardly wait and gathered on Kipsenstraße around 4:45 p.m. They waited patiently until the scary trail opened. Many Quohren residents attended. Guests also came from Kreischa and surrounding districts, and some even traveled from outside the community. Many dressed up as zombies, witches, ghosts, and so on. A truly colorful mix that added an extra touch of horror to the scary walk.
This year, the scary walk began across the courtyard with a bridge along the zombie pit with moving hands. If you survived the zombies, you found yourself in front of a long corridor lined with all sorts of cobwebs and spiders. At the entrance, the forest spirit of the Pirna Haunted House kindly opened the curtain and welcomed guests. After crossing the spider corridor, you could take a short break in front of the garage and be entertained by projections of dancing skeletons, zombies, and witches. Then you continued past a wall of ghosts and demons to the horror tent. But along this stretch of the path, a surprise awaited many. A strange werewolf and ninja warriors stood motionless among the decorations. But those who looked more closely were in for a surprise. They, too, were part of the haunted house crew and occasionally elicited loud screams from the audience. But the werewolf wasn’t just scary; some children even shook his paw.
On the way to the horror tent, you passed a toilet block. A small column with a glowing red button caught your attention. But anyone who thought this restroom was free was mistaken. When they pressed the button, the light in the restroom flickered, clouds of smoke rose, and when the door opened, they saw why. They had disturbed the skeleton of the farm during its session. The outhouse caused plenty of laughter, especially among the children.
The first thing they encountered in the horror tent was the “annoyed mother.” She sat alone on an old telephone sofa, and her two children were driving her to her last nerve. Annabelle rode the rocking horse, and her little sister also did her rounds. Both created a spooky atmosphere with their spooky noises. In the second room of the horror tent, they came to the horror dinner with the couple in love. There were all sorts of details to see, and there were even flowers for the lady at the table.
After leaving the tent, some guests thought they had made it. But a small, inconspicuous ghost behind a box caused all sorts of scares. He jumped up as soon as you passed him. After that, things quieted down. The three funny singing pumpkins sat on the bench again, singing songs, laughing loudly, and telling stories.
At the exit, there was the traditional small cemetery. Again lovingly designed with many details and a skeleton that occasionally peeped out from behind a large gravestone. The prisoner in a cage rounded off the cemetery, and at the end there was an illuminated ghost tree. All sorts of ghosts fluttered in the wind on the tree.
After the scary tent, the children received a small reward in the form of a packed bag filled with toys and sweets. Of the 130 packed bags, 12 remained at the end of the evening. Around 8:00 p.m., the spooky atmosphere slowly died down. Peace returned, and the ghosts retreated back to their homes.
In addition to the scary walk, the Quohrener Leben e.V. association provided food and drinks this year, which were well received by many guests. For those who couldn’t attend, the walk through the horror courtyard can be relived on YouTube on the “Old School Haunter” channel. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the helpers and supporters. A big thank you also goes to the Pirna Haunted House, which sent its scarers to the horror school.
But after Halloween comes before Halloween, as we all know. And so, new ideas for Halloween 2024 are already being developed.
Tino Grimmer
-Head of the Old School Quohren-