Dr Peter Seifert
Lord Mayor of the City of Chemnitz for many years
Honorary citizenship awarded on 04.11.2016
Dr Peter Seifert was born on 27 July 1941 in Zwickau. He studied and graduated from the Technical University of Karl-Marx-Stadt. His professional stations included the Robotron combine and the Zwönitz measuring instrument factory.
Dr Peter Seifert joined the SPD at the time of reunification in December 1989. In 1990, he was elected to the Chemnitz City Council as chairman of the SPD parliamentary group and first mayor.
Prior to this, he had already briefly been a member of the city council as a representative of the opposition movements and parties during the reunification period. On 15 September 1993, Dr Peter Seifert was elected Lord Mayor of Chemnitz by the Chemnitz City Council in accordance with the still valid GDR municipal constitution and on 12 June 1994, he was directly confirmed in office for the first time by the citizens with over 73 percent of the vote in accordance with the new Saxon municipal code.
In 2001, he was re-elected as Lord Mayor of the city with almost 70 per cent of the vote. After 13 years in office, Dr Peter Seifert left office on 31 July 2006 for health reasons. Even in retirement, Dr Peter Seifert is still active in various offices and functions for his city. He is President of the LAC Chemnitz and Chairman of the University Council and the Society of Friends of Chemnitz University of Technology.
In May 2011, Dr Peter Seifert was awarded the Saxon Constitutional Medal for his services to the city of Chemnitz, and in October 2012 he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class. In November 2013, Dr Peter Seifert was honoured with the "Hot Potato" business and media award from the Central German Press Club for his outstanding commitment to the economic region.
On 31 August 2016, the City Council of Chemnitz decided to award Dr Peter Seifert honorary citizenship in recognition of his work and services to the city of Chemnitz.
The awarding of the city's highest honour took place on 4 November in a ceremony in the City Council Chamber of Chemnitz City Hall. Mayor Barbara Ludwig was the laudatory speaker. Other former companions of Seifert delivered personal words. During the ceremony, Dr Peter Seifert signed the Golden Book of the City of Chemnitz.
Laudation
The laudatory speech for the award of honorary citizenship to Dr Peter Seifert was held by Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig. In an emotional speech, she recalled Dr Peter Seifert's professional achievements, but also made the audience smile with anecdotes.