In Colmar there once lived a provost who always arrived exactly at the hour he had appointed for the council meeting; yet he often had to wait a long time for the other members. At last this annoyed him, and since he lived opposite the town hall, he ordered the beadle in future to stand before its door and, from time to time, indicate to him by touching and counting the buttons on his colorful official uniform how many councillors were already present.
People laughed at this peculiar way the provost had of assuring himself of the presence of his councillors, and from it the joking nickname Knöpfler [button makers] passed to all the inhabitants of the town.
