In the volunteer editorial team, volunteers for Chemnitz 2025 publish reports on their experiences, assignments and adventures around the European Capital of Culture.
Gabriele is 61 years old and works as a customer advisor. She lives in Schlosschemnitz and enjoys doing her bit for her home town. This is why she can be found volunteering at various events, which she then writes about for the volunteer editorial team.
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Kerstin is 59 years old and works as an office communications clerk. Born in Burgstadt, she is present as a volunteer at various Chemnitz 2025 events; among other things, she initiated the countdown to the Capital of Culture year together with Lord Mayor Sven Schulze and other guests.
It all began with the following email from Mareike Holfeld, press spokesperson for Chemnitz European Capital of Culture 2025:
"Dear Kerstin, dear Gabi,
would you have the time and inclination to come along to the live programme "MDR um 4" next Thursday and be interviewed here in the Hartmannfabrik? The programme will be broadcast from here in the Hartmannfabrik from 4.00 pm to 4.45 pm. The mayor will appear, a tour guide and you as volunteers. In terms of content, it's about talking in general terms about what Chemnitz 2025 means for you and to what extent you are involved and what you have already experienced."
Of course we had the time and the desire!
When we arrived at the Hartmannfabrik at around 3.45 p.m., there were around a dozen people bustling around, lots of cameras and even a drone flying through the large hall.
We were first sent to the mask and then we had a short small talk with the Lord Mayor of Chemnitz, Sven Schulze, and his press spokesman, Matthias Nowak. We were joined by a member of the MDR team and the reporter from the programme "MDR um 4", Stephanie Müller-Spirra. Together we discussed the schedule for the live programme. Our broadcast time was scheduled from 4.33 pm for a time slot of exactly 4 minutes. Before us, the city guide, Ramona Wagner, was to give information about Chemnitz and then we were to answer questions about our volunteer work. We asked which questions we would be asked, but unfortunately (only) received the answer that these were easy questions and that we should answer spontaneously. From this point on, our hearts began to beat faster and we were more excited than ever before. The time until our appearance passed quickly and we were already led to the prepared stand-up table, briefly explained how to hold the microphone, how far we should keep our mouths and which camera we should look into. Stephanie Müller-Spirra asked us again for our first names and then we were waved and shouted "Start" and off we went. We were LIVE on television. Our families, friends and lots of people were sitting in front of the telly and we were looking out! The four minutes flew by and the next programme about the Capital of Culture 2025 was already on MDR. Stephanie Müller-Spirra and the director were full of praise for us and, like us, they were obviously happy that our programme went so well.
After our TV appearance, we went to the town hall together with Mareike Holfeld for the citizens' meeting and did a lot of advertising for the Capital of Culture Year 2025.
It was a wonderful day. We can say: "It was exciting, exhausting, beautiful and it was worth it to make such an effort and give everything, because the people watching on TV hopefully got a good picture of Chemnitz from us. They are excited about 2025 and are coming to Chemnitz, the Capital of Culture 2025."
