In the volunteer editorial team, Volunteers for Chemnitz 2025 publish reports on their experiences, assignments and adventures around the European Capital of Culture.
After leaving school, Cathleen left her home in Saxony for an apprenticeship in the beautiful Rhineland. After more than 20 years, during Corona, she returned to Chemnitz - where she had to re-establish herself, but now feels very much at home here. She has been enthusiastically involved in the Capital of Culture since summer 2024.
Since the beginning of the year, all of Europe has been looking to Chemnitz. The city has shone in a new light in recent months - with countless events, major festivals and many hands-on activities for residents and visitors.
Reason enough for our Minister President Michael Kretschmer to organise this year's summer festival of the Free State of Saxony in Chemnitz and celebrate with the creators of the Capital of Culture. In addition to invited guests from the worlds of politics, business, art and culture, a large number of volunteers also mingled with the crowd. So that we could enjoy the summer festival as visitors, "our" head of the volunteer programme, Dirk Zinner, and his team were on duty for us in their blue T-shirts. What a lovely gesture!
The event in the Wirkbau area, an industrial complex of what used to be the largest textile machinery factory in Germany, was opened by a Bandonion club with the Eurovision anthem, among other things. Not only musically fitting for the Capital of Culture year, but also the history of the bandonion is closely linked to Chemnitz, where Carl Friedrich Uhlig began building the first concertina around 1840. The programme was led by a duo of two young employees of Chemnitz2025 gGmbH, who announced the other contributions with great charm and humour.
Michael Kretschmer opened the summer festival with personal and emotional words - especially about the importance of Chemnitz for him and our federal state. This was followed by performances by the "Dancing Neighbours" (a Capital of Culture project that brings together people of different generations from Chemnitz to dance together) and the inclusive choir "Kaleidoskop" from the SFZ Förderzentrum. The song "Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen (...mein Michael)" in particular - with a wink at the Minister President - put the guests in a good mood.
After the official part, the event moved outside to the hall, where cool drinks and a wide range of food awaited us. The seats filled up quickly, as did the fantastic roof terrace, perfect for a hot summer's day. The programme also included an auction of gifts from the Saxon State Chancellery's evidence room and the opportunity to climb the 63 m high tower of the Wirkbau.
The evening offered plenty of room for discussions, reunions with volunteers and ended well after 9 pm with music and a good atmosphere. A big thank you to our Prime Minister for recognising and appreciating our commitment and for allowing us to be guests at the summer party.