Alongside Mayor Alfred Wöltersdorf, who manages Schneewald from his Rathaus and Pfarrer Victor Konrad, who rings his church bells each Sunday, Master Schwelmer is another Schneewalder dignitary. He is so proper that no one even knows his first name. People suspect he's called "Karl", but no one knows for sure. His wife too is always addressed as "gnädige Frau Schwelmer”, although behind her back children usually call her "die Lange" because of her extraordinary length. Together they teach Schneewald's children. Their lessons, given in their own little school, are strict but fair. If a child receives a tick on the hand with a ruler, no Schneewalder parent will complain to the school. "They probably deserved it" is the general opinion.

Frau Schwelmer monitors the intellectual development of her children. The school houses an excellent library exhibiting classic works of German literature. Sometimes she organises concerts in the reading room, which are even attended by farmers such as Anton Neuendorf with his three children as well as wood worker Marty Friedenau with his son Herman. On Sunday mornings after mass Alfred, Victor and Master Schwelmer drink cognac together in Café/Restaurant Stab Aldo from Aldo Ramsbeck and discuss serious matters pertaining to the town. And at Christmas