01:27 pm Sylvia Amann, chairwoman of the jury, announced the winning city: “Chemnitz”

This decision in favour of Chemnitz marks the end of a four-year application process, which was supported by many tireless actors, volunteers and civic initiatives. And so it is no coincidence that the programme year is focusing on the people who made it happen.

Chemnitz won with an impressive bid book. With the motto “C the unseen”, Chemnitz2025 focuses on the unseen: on the unseen of the “silent middle of the society”. On the unseen city, the unseen European neighbours, the unseen places and biographies, the unseen talents in each individual.The programme also includes many other unseen cities or regions in Europe that make a strong statement for a democratic coexistence and especially the people who help to live an open-minded community across national borders should be seen.

The European jury today voted in favour of this proposal. Chemnitz will be an impressive host in 2025. We would already like to invite in particular Makers from Hannover, Hildesheim, Magdeburg and Nuremberg to turn this European Capital of Culture year into a joint one.

We thank the jury for their confidence in Chemnitz2025. And we would like to thank the Kulturstiftung der Länder (Cultural Foundation of the Federal States) for the excellent organisation of this competition in Germany. But above all we would like to thank all the inhabitants of Chemnitz and the region for their great support over the past years. We have achieved great things together.

Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig: “The penultimate day of work as Lord Mayor of this wonderful city is clearly the best of my 14 years in office. This title is a great opportunity for Chemnitz to give a lot and to get a lot, to show a lot of the unseen. Not just pictures of Nazi demonstrations, but a tale of hard work and creativity for lived European values. An active, diverse urban society in international exchange. The title will give the city a boost, pooling resources here that can have an impact over generations. I would like to thank the jury for their confidence. Thanks to all those who have accompanied and encouraged us with their hearts and minds on the way to winning the title.

Barbara Klepsch, Saxon Minister of State for Culture and Tourism: “I am overjoyed with the decision of the European jury. This moves a strong city in the heart of Europe even further into the heart of the continent. The award is a distinction for cultural work on the ground and opens up new opportunities for cultural life. Here I think it is important that we also consider the surroundings of Chemnitz. As a meeting place, the region will become a central magnet for visitors to the Free State of Saxony. I invite all those interested in culture from Europe and beyond to Chemnitz in 2025 to experience the riches the city has to offer”.

The road to the year of the European Capital of Culture and beyond will be a major economic stimulus package for Chemnitz. We will see an enormous boost in tourism, new jobs will be created and wages may rise.

Future Lord Mayor Sven Schulze: “This is a really good decision, which I consider a great gift for my assumption in office. I am very grateful for it and look forward to the challenging but also invaluable years ahead. The work continues.”

Project manager Ferenc Csák: ” There are intensive months behind all five German candidate cities, which, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, also presented some unexpected challenges. I think all the application teams have done a great job. I therefore wish them all the best and hope that they can continue the processes they have begun. But of course I am incredibly happy that we have now actually brought the title to Chemnitz and that we will be able to pursue this exciting path in the coming years.”