Farewell in Son Vida: Consul Engstler Says Goodbye – with Music, Friends and a Request to the Island

Farewell in Son Vida: Consul Engstler Says Goodbye – with Music, Friends and a Request to the Island

A warm June evening, sparkling wine on the hotel terrace and a wish for togetherness

It smelled of pine resin and the haze of fried potato chips, the air conditioners hummed quietly, and light heat shimmer still hung over Palma — well above 30 degrees. In that summer climate, the German consul Wolfgang Engstler, together with his wife Elisabeth, invited guests to the Castillo Hotel Son Vida to bid farewell after five years. The Salón Anckermann filled with people from all corners of the island: parish priests, entrepreneurs, lawyers, festival organizers, and many who had become friends over the years.

The evening was less formal than expected. Between glasses of sparkling wine and small tapas, what predominated was familiarity rather than protocol. Engstler spoke openly about his time on the island: about unexpected duties, curious incidents, and the moments that stay with you — from official receptions to everyday encounters. He did not merely list appointments and figures; he recalled moments in which personal relationships were formed that had given him strength.

Musically the evening highlighted songs from the 1920s, performed by Max Raabe at the piano, accompanied by Christoph Israel. The timbre oddly suited the castle walls and chandeliers: a piece of old-Berlin salon in a Mallorcan castle. On the terrace, where the wind blew in from the Bay of Palma, guests chatted late into the evening — from the local pastor's family to well-known entrepreneurs and cultural organizers.

Many of those present dipped into memories over the course of the evening: joint projects, relief efforts, expressions of solidarity in difficult times. The consul and his wife repeatedly emphasized how much the Mallorcan countryside and the array of cultural events had helped them find balance. Such small everyday things — a walk in the green, an evening at a concert, or a chat at the bakery — shaped the picture of their time in office more than any official statistic.

Prominent faces were not absent: among the guests were well-known actors, lawyers, founders of film festivals, as well as representatives from politics and tourism — similar public moments have included Gottschalk's Farewell: How Palma's Arena Briefly Became Germany's Summer Stage.

Anecdotes were part of it: one guest arrived late, another outfit caused a stir — everyday life behind diplomatic labels. Engstler himself remained in office until the end of July; after that Angelika Saake will take over leadership of the consulate on the island, a change of leadership reminiscent of local farewells such as Rancho La Romana in Peguera: Farewell to an Island Fixture — Werner Wiedemann Hands Over.

In his farewell speech Engstler expressed a wish that found clear resonance in the hall: more respect between guests and locals. He didn't just make a polite remark, but reminded everyone that mutual consideration is the foundation for daily coexistence — in the supermarket, on the beach, and at street festivals. Anyone standing on the Son Vida terrace on a warm evening understood immediately that he was serious about this concern.

For Mallorca, a well-connected consul is undoubtedly an asset: he links diplomatic missions with island realities, makes authorities accessible, and helps forge contacts between cultural figures, entrepreneurs, and administrations. Such connections strengthen the social fabric, especially at a time when the island is balancing tourism pressure and everyday life, as explored in Between Welcome and Wariness: Germans in Mallorca — What's Really Happening. The farewell also shows: diplomacy consists of small, often unspectacular gestures — invitations, conversations, and listening.

A feeling of gratitude remained that evening. For Engstler and his wife, the cool streets of Berlin will soon become everyday again; for the people of Mallorca the memory remains of a host who tried to build bridges. And for the rest of us: perhaps an incentive to lend a listening ear more often in our own neighborhood, to treat each other with a bit more respect and to see the next concert evening not just as an event but as an encounter — whether it's a salon performance or larger venues discussed in No Farewell in Sight: Heino, the Bierkönig and the Ballermann Legacy.

Outlook: Those who want to observe official offices and volunteer networks in the coming weeks will watch the consulate's transition with interest. Small initiatives — neighborhood evenings, shared language meetups, or cultural sponsorships — could be precisely the places where Engstler's wish for a more respectful coexistence becomes concrete.