1977 (from left): Otto Graf Lambsdorff, Dr. Hans Friedrichs, Egon Franke, Detlev Kleinert

Join the party: Saving the Lüttje Lage

In 1971, the hanoverian double-decker drinking tradition came under threat from an unexpected side: the EU standardized all glass and bottle sizes. This regulation stipulated a minimum size of 2 cl for the Shotglass, twice as much as is usual for the Hanoverian national drink. Because of this regulation, the Lüttje Lage would become "illegal".

Members of the Bundestag and Hanoverians quickly took up this problem: The Federal Minister for Inner-German Relations and Hanoverian Egon Franke, Hanoverian and MP Detlef Kleinert, the Federal Minister of Economics Dr. Hans Friedrichs and Otto Graf Lambsdorff intervened with the EU and the federal government. The Ministry of the Interior of Lower Saxony also issued an exceptional permit "concerning the further use of the "Lüttje-Lage-Gläser", so that the serving of Schnapps in 1 cl glasses is not considered illegal. After 6 years of intervention, the EU changed the European "Weights and Measures Act", which was first adopted by the Committee of the Federal States "Legal Metrology" and then passed by the Bundestag in 1977.

The press release of the Minister of Economics and Transport of Lower Saxony of 18.11.1977 bears the headline

"The Lüttje Lage is saved!"

Every year we therefore celebrate "the rescue of the Lüttjen Lage" with the "Lüttje Lage World day" on the Saturday, which is the closest to 18. November