Speech OB 22.01.2011

The spoken word counts!

Honourable Member of the German Bundestag,
Mr Frank Heinrich

Honourable Members of the Saxon State Parliament,
Mrs Annekathrin Giegengack, Mrs Ines Saborowski-Richter, Mr Horst Wehner,

Dear Honorary Citizen, Mrs Jutta Müller,
Dear Honorary Citizens, Mr Siegmund Rotstein and Mr Christoph Magirius,

Dear Mr Philipp Rochold, Vice President of the Chemnitz State Directorate,

Dear City Councillors,

I would like to welcome the former Lord Mayor, Dr Peter Seifert,

Dear Mr President Mothes,
Dear Professor Erfurth,

Ladies and gentlemen, mayors,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome the representatives of the tradesmen and companies who realised the renovation of the City Council Chamber,

Dear people of Chemnitz, dear guests.

The city is festively decorated. With flags, coats of arms, guild symbols, flowers and dressed-up people. The king arrives by train from Dresden. It is a great day of celebration for Chemnitz. On 2 September 1911, the New Town Hall is consecrated.

The city council chamber is the centre of the building. The first meeting of the city councillors takes place in this hall on 21 September 1911. The head of the city council, Oberjustizrat Eulitz, opens the meeting with the following words:
"The common good shall be the first and supreme law."
"I am therefore convinced that there is no better way to dedicate this hall today and hand it over to its intended purpose than by renewing our pledge to devote all our energies in future to what is right and duty.rn to do what the law and the duty of self-government impose on municipal bodies, namely to serve our city and its inhabitants dutifully, selflessly, impartially, faithfully and conscientiously."

Salutation,

The language may sound a little antiquated. But the content is close to us. Local self-government 100 years ago.
And now - embedded in a democracy. Local self-government is a traditional, high and proud asset.

This area has given five social systems their outward form. Great moments of humanity, factual debates, the baseness of human behaviour, indifference, laughter, tears, music - the room has encapsulated all of this during this time.

Citizens represented urban society then and represent it today. Never before have city councillors been as free and democratically legitimised and therefore as challenged in their responsibilities as they are today. Local self-government is a key driver and component of our democracy. You, dear city councillors, assume responsibility for all citizens of the city for a limited period of time.

You place yourselves at the service of the common good. A high office, a high demand. It also applies to the Lord Mayor.

What is both fascinating and exhausting about local self-government is being close to the issue and the citizens affected by it. And that there is almost nothing in the life of the city that we are not somehow responsible for. Many tasks have been added over the past 100 years.

The essential treatment of these tasks, the decision on whether and how, takes place in the city council meetings.

Even if the social circumstances in the German Empire in 1911 were completely different to those in our republic today in 2011: There are things that seem familiar to us. Even though they were 100 years ago.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, the first meeting of the city council took its course in September 1911. After ceremonial opening remarks by City Councillor Eulitz and Lord Mayor Dr Sturm, the agenda got straight down to business and a petition:

I quote from the minutes of the meeting. Mr Eulitz presented the following:

"I have further to inform you that a petition has been received from a number of residents of Brückenstraße to the effect that the Chemnitz City Council should exert influence on the Chemnitz City Council to ensure that the planned construction of a newspaper kiosk at the junction of Königstrasse or, if this is not possible, be realised in dimensions that at least mitigate the serious damage to the neighbouring house owners and business owners.

In support of the request, it is stated that the planned construction at a point with lively traffic would have an immensely inhibiting effect. There was no compelling need for the extension. It would also prevent the development of the southern part of Brückenstraße as a shopping street."

"The architecturally pleasing line of the trees in particular would be disrupted for all time by this building. The petitioners do not believe that anything similar would be created in other cities, and Chemnitz probably has a particular need to avoid anything on this side that could diminish the impression of the inner city." (end of quote)
It seems that we Chemnitz residents have remained true to ourselves.

Salutation,

We have come together here today to take possession of this special hall once again. Thank you very much for coming to this unique event in our lives.
The fact that we are able to work in this room, which has been restored to its former glory, is not something we take for granted.

Our predecessors made the decisive decision in 1905.

After the Opera House and the King Albert Museum, city architect Richard Möbius took another major step towards Chemnitz's new cityscape with the New Town Hall.

There was an urgent need for action 100 years ago. With a population of over 300,000, the city was outgrowing itself in almost every respect.

Space had to be created in the narrow streets and squares of the city centre, which was still largely shaped by the Middle Ages. For new urban spaces, for functional and prestigious buildings. Space was also needed for an efficient municipal administration.

The tasks of the city administration had grown. The spirit of the times was fuelled by seemingly relentless growth. It was fuelled by an ever-increasing economic power. In 1911, no thought was given to war and destruction. No thought was given to the rupture and reversibility of urban development as a consequence of war.

It was probably because of this self-confidence that the councillors wrestled intensively with city planning officer Möbius over the design plans.

The first draft was rejected by the building committee. The design was not representative enough for the councillors.
Among other things, they demanded spacious balconies "...from which (and I quote) homage could be paid to the sovereigns or speeches could be held at festive events...". (end of quote)
No expense was to be spared in the interior either, according to the will of the council. Based on this requirement, a preliminary decision in favour of Max Klinger's large painting was already made in the initial planning phase.

Solid construction, beauty and the numerous design wishes of the councillors had to be reconciled and realised within the budget if possible. A demand that could not be realised.
This building, too, I have to say frankly, caused considerable additional costs 100 years ago. These were gradually and somewhat reluctantly approved by the city councillors.

Where new things are to be built, sometimes old things have to give way first. And as occasionally happens today, the demolition of the old buildings on Markt and Neumarkt did not meet with the undivided approval of the people of Chemnitz. After all, the old Latin school from the 14th century was among them.

As a result, the responsible committee had to deal with submissions from the "Städtischer Verein" (municipal association) on monument protection more than once. As a result of these petitions, the old portal of the Latin school was integrated into the new building and the gable on the market side was modelled on the old Gewandhaus.

Making compromises is often a good basis for communal creative power. Now as then.

Salutation,

Almost 100 years later, the city council chamber was not in good condition.
Nevertheless, what the Chemnitz City Council decided in June 2009 cannot be taken for granted.
There is still so much to do in our city. Schools, day-care centres, roads and sports halls are waiting to be renovated. That's why we waited a long time to urgently refurbish this hall.

It was - in my opinion - a well-considered and smart decision at the right time. Respect and pride in and for our traditions underpin the decision. And the knowledge that this building represents identification and 100 years of city history like hardly any other in the city.

The aim of the refurbishment and reconstruction was to emphasise the original historical character of the room. At the same time, the hall should be functional for our meetings and a few selected events. The classic combination of tradition and modernity. Or, as Lord Mayor Dr Sturm said in the first meeting of the city council: "New life wants a new style, but not in the sense that we break with the tradition of the past and disrespect the work of our fathers."

Salutation,

This room has regained all its dignity thanks to the subtle refurbishment. It is up to us to fill it with spirit, meaning and life.

By embracing the spirit of this space, we are honouring the pledge made by our colleagues 100 years ago: "The common good is the first and supreme law." This is as true today as it was then.

The purpose of our actions is to increase the benefits for the city and to avert harm from it.

We want to help organise life in the city community. We want to do this well and democratically.

This space is full of creative harmony and cultural conciseness. A stylish serenity, character and dignity fill this space.

And then the picture:
"Labour-prosperity-beauty" - the motif by Max Klinger. He gave it to this city in 1918. Enigmatic and beautiful.
A life motto for our Chemnitz: "Labour-prosperity-beauty"

The best conditions, dear city councillors, to get to work in this constitution, in this space with character. Not easy when I think about our next meetings.
But today we want to be happy, grateful and proud.
I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who planned, thought, made and built. Almost 20 companies have invested around € 1.7 million in a way that is compatible with the preservation order.

We, the temporary users, will appreciate and preserve their work and that of their colleagues 100 years ago.

Everything stable in the room is now built in such a way that it can support and last another 100 years.

May this room, may this city, be given this fate in peace.