The German Underground Climatotherapy Association held its annual general meeting in Bodenmais at the Hotel Bergknappenhof.
Martin Gerlach, the president of the Underground Climatotherapy Association and Mayor of the City of Aalen, welcomed delegations predominately from the 10 locations that are members of the Underground Climatotherapy Association, together with the following persons: Medical Director Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hüttemann from Göttingen, Dr. Christiane Huber from Teningen, Dr. Manfred Schappler from Bodenmais, Dr. Walter and Gertrud Kupferschmid from Aalen, Dr. Franz Macht from Pottenstein, as well as the Mayor from Bodenmais Michael Adam and the deputy managing director of the BTM, Katharina Hartl.
The individual locations were represented and reported about the situation of their galleries: Herbert Bauer from the historical visitors mine in Bodenmais, Vice President Wolfgang Kern from Ennepetal, Mathias Burgert from the Münstertal visitors mine, association treasurer Willfried Henne for Neubulach, Thomas Bernard for Pottenstein, Annekatrin Sachse from the Feengrotten in Saalfeld, Andrea Otte from the visitors mine and Klaus Müller from the Schmiedefeld development association.
The Bodenmaiser Mayor Adam was pleased to meet the guests, thanked the Association for its work and reported on the touristic development in Bodenmais since his taking of office.
The president of the association Gerlach, whose report also reviewed the anniversary of the association in Pottenstein once again, sees a representative Internet presence as indispensable and would gladly win the University of Aalen as partner for the pilot project. Also an efficient customer accessibility is of great importance.
The report of managing director Karl Troßbach followed, and much to his disappointment he informed the participants of a renewed decrease of climatotherapy applications in the year 2010, referring to the fact that a further medical study must be initiated in order to promote the acknowledgment of the underground climatotherapy.
Treasurer Willfried submitted his balance report and described thereby the individual income and expenditure positions. The balance auditors Thomas Berne and Herbert Bauer confirmed normal cash guidance, and the request from Mayor Adam to discharge the presidency, treasurer and managing director was followed unanimously.
Beforehand a discussion took place concerning the reports, whereby Medical Director Professor Dr. Hüttemann made some fundamental remarks relating to the medical situation, where he described that there were no evidence-based results on climatotherapy either in the mountains or at the North Sea, and this area is not supported by evidence-based results but rather eminence based. Here is need for action from the association to provide a patient log sheet, to document all medicinal applications both before and after the underground climatotherapy and then submitted to specialized institutes. Professor Dr. Hüttemann wants to compile such an evaluation sheet and put it at the disposal of all the underground climatotherapy locations.
Dr. Manfred Schappler referred to the investigations in Bodenmais and wasn’t very happy over the fact that they would have to start all over again. He also considered that a longer documentation phase was essential. Dr. Walter Kupferschmid referred to the results of his already accomplished questionnaire campaign that showed an evident sustainability of the therapy.
According to managing director Troßbach during his report on the situation of the galleries that climate measurements are pending at the galleries in the near future, an offer from the German Meteorological Service for the measurements was introduced and unanimously accepted. Afterwards managing director Troßbach described the economic plan of the association and the necessity of new flyers for the association. The amended economic plan resolution was unanimously passed. A further notice followed referring to the next general meeting of the association that takes place on the 16th and 17th of March 2012 in Bad Fredeburg.

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