Stopper club

A member of a *Stopselclub* presents his plug. In this specific case, the "plug" is a custom made approximately cylindrical object machined from metal; however plugs made of cork or rubber are often used by other *Stopselclubs*.

Towns in which a local *Stopselclub* is known. In the background, the German state of Bavaria is highlighted, since nearly all *Stopselclubs* are located in this state.

A Stopselclub^[a] (German for plug-club) is a social^[1]^[2] club, the members of which always have to carry a plug with them.^[3] Whenever two members of such a club meet, each of them can demand that the other one has to show his plug. A member who cannot show the plug, for example because he forgot it at home, has to pay a small monetary fine.^[4] The money which is collected through these fines is typically used to buy beer at the next club meeting. Stopselclubs have been around at least since the middle of the twentieth century^[5] in the German state of Bavaria. Occasionally Stopselclubs also support charity ^[6]^[7] projects. There are more than 100^[8] Stopselclubs in Bavaria.

Footnotes and References

^ In German, also the spellings Stöpselclub, Stopslclub, Stopselklub and Stopselverein are occasionally used.

[1] In German, also the spellings Stöpselclub, Stopslclub, Stopselklub and Stopselverein are occasionally used.

[2] ttps://www.merkur.de/lokales/muenchen-lk/stopselclub-vergessliche-fuettern-vereinskasse-1371117.html

[3] ttps://www.ovb-online.de/rosenheim/bad-aibling/stopselclub-pflegt-geselligkeit-4831610.html

[4] ttp://www.mittelbayerische.de/junge-leser/junior/regional/was-ist-ein-stopselclub-21989-art566290.html

[5] ttps://www.tz.de/sport/fussball/stopselclub-abensberg-traegt-bayern-sechzig-herzen-brust-6494197.html

[6] ttp://www.stopselclub-harthausen.de/history.html

[7] ttp://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/dillingen/Was-fuer-eine-Spende-id40046477.html

[8] ttp://www.mittelbayerische.de/region/kelheim-nachrichten/abensberger-helfen-baeckerei-in-nicaragua-21029-art1526102.html

[9] Map of Stopselclubs

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