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.
"After work, pleasure" was the motto at the end of July, because there are always activities for us volunteers where we are allowed to be "guests" - as a thank you from the Chemnitz2025 team for the tireless commitment in the many assignments for the Capital of Culture. And this time, an exciting day tour really was waiting for us.
9.30 a.m. Meeting point at the bus station
The bus quickly filled up with around 40 volunteers and the team, the driver was in a great mood and our tour guide gave us a warm welcome, as she called us "the heroes of the Capital of Culture". After a few introductory words about the route and planning for the day, we reached our first destination.
10:10 Floating house and a giant woven carpet
We have arrived in the Capital of Culture region. In addition to Chemnitz, 38 neighbouring municipalities and cities also hold this title. These contribute to the programme with their own programme items, local highlights and events. The "Purple Trail" also runs through the entire region. In Braunsdorf, we take a direct look at 2 works of art located at the Historic Show Weaving Mill: "My floating home" & "Mapping Pattern".
11:00 a.m. The colourful tower of Lichtenau
After a few minutes' drive, directly on the main road, it immediately catches the eye: the colourful installation by Frank Maibier. Our tour guide Julianne, who is a project manager in the Purple Path team, tells us all about the work of art's connection to the region and what the artist wants to depict here. On this beautiful summer morning with a bright blue sky, the artwork is a particularly beautiful photo motif. After a short coffee break, the journey continues.
11:55 a.m. The town hall: an eye-catcher
It's lunchtime. The thermometer already reads 28 degrees. We arrive in Hainichen. Previously unknown to me. The sign at the town hall reads: "Welcome to Hainichen. We greet the countries of all European Capitals of Culture from 1985-2025!" Lots of country flags. A statue of the poet Gellert on the square in front. Behind the town hall: a large statue all in white, surrounded by shady trees: "Endless Column". Here I learn from Julianne that F.G. Keller invented groundwood pulp paper in 1843, on which newspapers are still printed today, and the importance of paper for the region.
13:00 "Glück auf" in the UNESCO World Heritage Site
A long history and tradition can be found in Freiberg. In St Mary's Cathedral, we marvel at the "Petrified Wood Circle" artwork. Here, the artist has simply placed pieces of petrified wood, some from American sequoia trees, on the floor of the church, arranged in a circle - it almost looks like a large jigsaw puzzle, as all the pieces somehow fit together. Our next destination takes us to "Trashstone 689", a huge, misshapen "rubbish stone" that glistens in the midday sun. Depending on how far away I am from the artwork and where I am, my reflection changes - sometimes wide, sometimes thin, then small. We still have 30 minutes before returning to the bus to catch a glimpse of the Bergstadtfest and enjoy a Weges ice cream.
14:45 When the "Ö" looks at you in horror
Our last stop is the Flöha (culture) railway station. In addition to the textile exhibition "Verstrickungen" in the former station concourse, we take a look at the art installation "Glance", which gives the walls of the station subway a new shine: very colourful and with large letters that form the city name FLÖHA.
We return to Chemnitz in the afternoon with many new impressions and realise that there is also a lot to discover in the Capital of Culture region, true to the motto "C THE UNSEEN".