Austria may have world's biggest gnome collection
An Austrian woman who has spent over 25 years and €80,000 buying thousands of garden gnomes may have the largest gnome collection in the world.
Pensioner Helga Eidenhammer has 4,443 gnomes in her garden in total, which is four times the number of residents there are in her local village Pfaffstätt in Upper Austria.
She began the collection over 25 years ago when she was given her first gnome by her husband as a gift.
“That was my pride and joy. And that was it - overnight it was like an addiction,” she said, speaking to the ORF.
Photo: Gemeinde Pfaffstätt/Helga Eidenhammer
During wintertime, she spends four weeks washing them all before then spending three weeks putting them out in the garden again when spring rolls around.
According to the Guinness World Records, the largest gnome collection in 2015 belonged to British woman Ann Atkin.
With only 2,010 gnomes and pixies in Atkin’s garden in North Devon, however, Eidenhammer may well actually hold the true world record.
Photo: Gemeinde Pfaffstätt/Helga Eidenhammer
Eidenhammer thinks her passion has cost her at least €80,000.
“Thank God my husband also collects, otherwise I would have a problem,” she said. “However, my husband collects just football gnomes.”
Comments
See Also
Pensioner Helga Eidenhammer has 4,443 gnomes in her garden in total, which is four times the number of residents there are in her local village Pfaffstätt in Upper Austria.
She began the collection over 25 years ago when she was given her first gnome by her husband as a gift.
“That was my pride and joy. And that was it - overnight it was like an addiction,” she said, speaking to the ORF.
Photo: Gemeinde Pfaffstätt/Helga Eidenhammer
During wintertime, she spends four weeks washing them all before then spending three weeks putting them out in the garden again when spring rolls around.
According to the Guinness World Records, the largest gnome collection in 2015 belonged to British woman Ann Atkin.
With only 2,010 gnomes and pixies in Atkin’s garden in North Devon, however, Eidenhammer may well actually hold the true world record.
Photo: Gemeinde Pfaffstätt/Helga Eidenhammer
Eidenhammer thinks her passion has cost her at least €80,000.
“Thank God my husband also collects, otherwise I would have a problem,” she said. “However, my husband collects just football gnomes.”
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.