Tent City - Mayor Claus Lehnert

Company supervisor Claus Lehnert
is the "mayor" of the largest traveling circus-city

Claus Lehnert has been with the Circus Krone since 1966, that is more than half of his life and he can
do nearly everything in the circus: He knows the structure of the tent, the assembly and likewise the
disassembly of the tent, he drives the tractor, guides the twenty meter long direction vehicle when the
circus travels from one city to the other.
He can hardly imagine a life outside Circus Krone. Since the eighties Claus Lehnert has been
the operating supervisor. He has a position full of responsibility with the circus.
"My work is fun - although at times when something goes awry, they always come back to me
and say that I, as operations manager, am responsible" says Claus with a twinkle in his eyes.

As operating
supervisor
Claus Lehnert,
according to
his own
statement,
"is at the
service of
Circus Krone
directress
Christel Sembach
Krone and is
responsible
for everything
unimaginable",
jests the most
important person
on site.
"That includes
broken keys,
accommodation
exchanges
and more".

Claus Lehnert was a genuine child of the circus. His father was a acrobat rider, Enrico Caroli, his
mother was known after the war as Elena Ben Salem the famous animal instructor. His early memories
reach as far back as an appearance in the Busch Building in Breslau and also to the nine or ten jockey
horses, which were owned by the Carolis at that time. Otherwise he never traveled with his biological
father, as a promised commitment with him never materialized. He spent his school time in Passau,
but during the war he traveled with his mother and her parrot number, an act older readers will perhaps
remember, to Barlay in the Czech Republic and after the war he was with Circus Williams.
After a training period with the rider family Hansel-Wandruschka,
which later traveled with Circus Krone, Lehnert returned to Circus Williams.

As an outstanding rider acrobat he worked in the Jockey
Riding Troupe of the brothers Enders. With them he
remained, when they left the company of Carola Williams
to work from now on in the Circus of Adolf Althoff, nine
years from 1957 to the closing of this circus in year the
1965. Known as The Brothers Enders (Adi and Jacob
Enders, as well as Claus Lehnert) they were in demand
for Jockey presentations, celebrated in manèges throughout
Europe. Claus Lehnert came with the brothers Enders to
Krone in 1966 and toured with the traveling circus program
with the previously engaged Hansels to create a much
acclaimed horse riding act. Since that time Claus Lehnert
- with a break in the year 1969, as the Enders attempted
the start of their own circus - has remained with Krone.

Adi Enders, Jacob Enders and Claus Lehnert

In 1971, he terminated his career as a jockey rider, because his partners gave up the presentation
and they parted ways. It was not easy for Claus Lehnert, after a successful artist career, to be now
a horse trainer with Circus Krone. He soon trained a horse to retrieve, presented a pony group and
rode High School. When Jean Enders left the Circus, Claus Lehnert became as site manager, his
successor and he finally became the operating supervisor. Claus fondly recalls his previous
colleagues: Guenther Gebel Williams, Adolf Mark, the Enders and other renown manège artists
with whom he grew up. He experienced with them the difficult post war years of the circus.
"However there are also many beautiful days with the Circus.
I will remain as long as the circus experience is a pleasant experience".

email address:
Claus-Lehnert@circus-krone.de
Please note we can not immediately respond to your emails.

Material source: Press Office Circus Krone, excerpt from the "am Sonntag" dated 08.04.2001 / photos: Pierach