It was also agreed that Rudolf Haver’s son-in-law would take on this role after graduating in business administration from the University of Munich. Both were aware of the risk, but stuck to their decision. Finally, the time had come. At the end of 1979, he passed his exams and his son-in-law Dr Reinhold Festge was able to start his induction at Haver & Boecker and Bernhard Beumer Maschinenfabrik on 1 January. As was customary at the time, the intended Managing Director had to make an inaugural visit to the Beumer company in Beckum, Haver & Boecker’s 50 per cent partner in Brazil. An appointment was quickly found. It was supposed to be the day after “Weiberfastnacht”. Weiberfastnacht is always the Thursday before Ash Wednesday and marks the transition from the carnival to the street carnival. “Wieverfastelovend” is mainly celebrated in Beckum, less so in Oelde.
The day of the interview had arrived. Rudolf Haver’s office received a call from Beckum asking where the announced visitor was. Rudolf Haver called Gerda Festge, Reinhold Festge’s mother, at the print shop, irritated. “Gerda, where’s the lad?” Gerda Festge had heard her son’s alarm clock in the morning, but had then travelled from Ostenfelde to work in Oelde herself. She quickly made her way home. Her son was sleeping soundly there. What had happened? The day before was Weiberfastnacht, something that is not normally given too much importance in Oelde. However, the ladies and gentlemen of Haver & Boecker’s finance department had decided to celebrate this “Women's Day” extensively in their favourite pub “Spökenkieker” on Warendorfer Straße. So they were delighted when the future boss happened to visit the pub and invited him to their table. The disaster then took its course, and you can imagine how the colourful hustle and bustle ended ...
His mother’s rude and unfriendly wake-up call got the young man out of bed quickly. After a quick shower, Reinhold Festge raced to Beckum and rushed to Bernhard Beumer’s office. He apologised profusely. Bernhard Beumer, a Beckumer with a big heart for carnival, scrutinised Haver’s designated successor, pushed a thermos flask of coffee across the table and said laconically: “You look like you need a coffee – so drink this. Then we can talk.”
