In the volunteer editorial team, volunteers for Chemnitz 2025 publish reports on their experiences, assignments and adventures around the European Capital of Culture.
Bodo is 66 years old and lives in Neukirchen in the Ore Mountains. The former group and project leader has been a "volunteer from the very beginning" and has been involved with Chemnitz 2025 for several years. He uses his organisational expertise in the volunteer editorial team and takes care of archiving the texts.
This story tells of a unique, unforgettable experience that other volunteers have also had. It reflects a mix of colourful impressions and background information.
When it was announced on the radio and TV in 2020 that Chemnitz would be the Capital of Culture 2025, it was immediately clear to me that I would be there. So I browsed through the offers on the Caritas volunteer website from time to time. In September 2022, the #3000 Garage team was looking for reinforcements and I stumbled across Agnieszka Kubicka-Dzieduszycka's advert. The idea of the garages is unique and so I became Volunteer 1 from October 2022.
I created a data-based Excel list for the project with information on most of the garage yards in Chemnitz. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack - or rather untangling a huge ball of wool. So many photos, so many details. It felt like a puzzle maze that catapulted me back to my childhood and youth in the garage yards.
From mid-2023, I was fully active in the volunteer team. We started a new chapter - full of unknown paths, but with really good vibes. The initial period was spontaneous, but not a blind flight: our "conductor" Dirk Zinner, the head of volunteering, calmly guided us - the first volunteers - through the initial steps.
There were lots of new things: a deployment database for all volunteers, our shirts and outfits for all weathers, training courses, safety training, voice training, tandem language courses, craft evenings, first aid refresher courses and much more. A real highlight was the visit to the maximo factory - there I was able to experience the production of our cool winter hats live and watch how enthusiastic women from Chemnitz made them with great joy.
Step by step, we slowly got into the routine. At the beginning of 2024, a few volunteers and I founded the volunteer editorial team - we wanted to share the feeling of our missions with the world.
The opening of the Hartmannfabrik and the distribution of the official flyers really got the positive mood in the city buzzing. The 18.01.25 was a goosebump moment for us volunteers - the Opening Day - the energy was palpable everywhere. Our volunteer team from the Capital of Culture (Kuha) supported us. April saw the start of the Free Walking Tour - organised by volunteers. There were also lots of event briefings for volunteers, sun cream and everything else you need.
We have gone from strangers to a close-knit community - with a common goal and a lot of passion for our city. Many of us meet up at various events and are happy that we have been able to play our part in making it a success.
In the hot final phase, the Kuha volunteer team consists of Michelle, Delfina, Dirk, Anton and Carsten, who pull the strings and look after 1,192 volunteers .
In a few years' time, we will look back and say: "How cool was that?" We were part of the Capital of Culture and collected memories that will stay with us.