A life for letters & parcels
In a world where the way we receive mail is constantly changing, one man in Damüls is reliably at the forefront: letter carrier Remo Plankel from Au, who has been carrying letters and parcels through the streets of the tourist region for almost 40 years. An exciting journey, from a time when he still delivered mail on skis to the era of the parcel boom and digitalization.
Letter carrier Remo will soon be celebrating his anniversary
"I was here in Damüls for the first time in 1984," Remo remembers. At that time, the post office was located in a small room with a telephone box next to the tourist office. These modest early days are in stark contrast to Remo's current working environment. "The post office has grown a lot, especially the parcel deliveries are huge," he says. Damüls is now part of a broad-based postal network and the challenges have increased enormously. Remo explains: "We now have a base center in Bezau for all deliveries from Andelsbuch to Schwarzenberg to Damüls and Warth. It's a huge hall and we need it. The parcels have been increasing since the coronavirus pandemic. It's become a real boom with online orders."
Swiss Post brings something for everyone
Remo starts his working day early in the morning, when most people are still asleep. He clocks in at six o'clock in the morning, sorts mail and parcels, loads them into the car and distributes them to households and tourist businesses in his usual manner. But it wasn't always like this. "I first came to Damüls as a seasonal worker, as a stand-in, so to speak," he says. Back then, no effort was spared to deliver letters and parcels to customers in even the most remote corners. Between December and April, Remo would swap his car for skis and ski from one house to the next. "I packed the letters and parcels in my black leather bag and then skied up to the Uga- and Elsenalpe. We still send the post to the Uga-Alpe by cable car in winter," he reveals.
Challenging profession
Remo's job as a letter carrier has its pitfalls, you have to get up early and you need to know your way around the region well. But it also has its advantages, which he appreciates: "When I drive back from Damüls to Au at three in the afternoon, I still have the whole day to myself." The car is also provided by the post office and he has become accustomed to getting up at five in the morning after almost 40 years on the job. "It's important to work accurately, conscientiously and quickly," he says. After all, he still delivers pension payments once a month to retired people from the Bregenzerwald to the Große Walsertal. "Some still receive their pension in cash from the letter carrier. They just want to see the money and then pay it into the bank themselves."
Curious transports
Remo remembers other curious things that he has already delivered in the course of his career. "We used to send live animals," he laughs. A box of chickens, for example, or queen bees, which are still sent from breeding centers to beekeepers in a wooden box or envelope by post. Otherwise, however, the many Amazon parcels in particular have become a major challenge. People order all sorts of things by post that weigh less than 30 kilograms: Bicycles, fridges, snow shovels, sofas, toboggans, beds, mattresses or wine. "Wine merchants used to deliver their bottles directly, but now they are sent by post in boxes," explains Remo.
Family affair
The popular letter carrier plans to deliver letters and parcels up into the mountains for a maximum of five more years. "Then I'll need a good successor," smiles the 60-year-old. He sometimes even finds one in his own family, as his two sons have already entered the postal sector. Just like his wife, his uncle, his aunts and cousins or Remo's father, who himself worked for the post office for many years. He was literally born into his profession and this enthusiasm is also felt by everyone else who meets him every day on his route to Damüls.
Fulfilling work
But it's much more than just the work that fulfills Remo: "The beautiful surroundings and the fresh air up here. I can be my own boss and organize my day as it suits me," he says. He doesn't just put the mail in the letterboxes, but usually delivers it to the recipients personally. "I come to the hotel or the house and have a quick chat with people, that's always been the case. The people of Damüls often say when someone else has been there: 'Thank God Remo, you're back! That's nice to hear, of course."
Anchored in the region
Despite the rapid changes and increasing challenges in the postal sector, one thing has always remained constant: Remo's daily visit, his tireless commitment and his solidarity with the people of Damüls. At a time when letters and postcards are becoming rarer and the world is becoming more digital, Remo as a letter carrier remains anchored in the hearts of the people of this charming tourist region for generations to come.
