The Saint-Romain Fair in Rouen is in mourning. Gérard Poetschke died on Monday morning at the age of 78, following a long illness. He was the boss of the “Black Bear”the fair’s emblematic restaurant which serves piglets and fresh fries.
Gérard Poetschke was born in Elbeuf, he took over from his parents and grandparents at the head of the restaurant. The restorer was president of the Saint-Romain fair for more than 20 yearshe helped make it the second largest funfair in France after the Foire du Trône in Paris.
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Gérard Poetschke was a charismatic character says Karl Morel, the current president of the Saint-Romain fair, in charge of communication
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“The success of the Saint-Romain fair is largely due to the commitment of the showmen, these men and women who like to work. Gérard Poetschke was the perfect illustration : counting neither his time nor his energyhe made the family business grow, with the concern for transmit his passion to his children and grandchildren, to whom we send our saddened condolences today,” wrote the mayor of Rouen, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, in a press release.
The City of Rouen awarded him the city medal in 2017, in tribute to these years devoted to the defense of fairground traditions.