In the volunteer editorial team, Volunteers for Chemnitz 2025 publish reports on their experiences, assignments and adventures around the European Capital of Culture.
Heidi is 72 years old. She lived and worked in Chemnitz for many years. She is interested in art, culture, languages and music. She grew up in a musical family and plays instruments herself. Together with her husband, she created an extensive lecture on the subject of "C-the unseen", reflections on Chemnitz as the European Capital of Culture. In the process, they came up with the topic "Chemnitz, the cradle of the bandoneon". Heidi has been a volunteer in Chemnitz since April.
My assignment as a volunteer at the "Bandoneon - Exhibition in the Hartmannfabrik" on 21 and 22 May 2025
When I read in the volunteer rota: "Volunteers needed to set up the bandoneon exhibition at the Hartmannfabrik", I immediately ticked the box. This assignment was extraordinary for me because I am particularly fascinated by the theme of "Tango and Bandoneon" in the Capital of Culture year.
This project is intended to honour Carl-Friedrich Uhlig. The Chemnitz instrument maker invented the predecessor of the bandoneon, the concertina, in 1834. His factory was located very close to today's Karl Marx Monument.
The exciting history is made visible through exhibitions, storytelling, bandoneon lessons, milongas and concerts.
The brilliant idea in the Capital of Culture year was to bring the instrument back to its origins together with the Tango Argentino. The marvellous danced tours of the city are a successful example of this.
The presentation of around 40 of these historical instruments in the Hartmannfabrik can be seen as a special highlight. On 21 May, a minibus arrived from Naunhof with the extraordinary exhibits. The specialist and expert in the trade, Heiko Guter, and his wife brought the valuable cargo to Chemnitz.
They were later joined by Jürgen Karthe, a legendary Saxon bandoneon specialist.
The valuable instruments and packing boxes were skilfully draped on velvet cloths under their direction. The idea that I was carrying an AA (Alfred Arnold) bandoneon that had travelled the world gave me goose bumps.
The grand opening of the bandoneon exhibition took place on 22 May.
It was exciting to experience the expertise of Mr Guter and Mr Karthe and how patiently they passed on their knowledge to the many visitors.
The Naunhof factory band (bandoneon, bass, saxophone and violin) played two concerts, which were enthusiastically received.