Honorary citizen of the city of Chemnitz

Honourary citizenship awarded on 20 April 2018

Ingrid Mössinger, who grew up in Stuttgart, initially studied library science and later art history, archaeology, ethnology and philosophy. She worked as a curator at the Frankfurter Kunstverein, served as director of Art Frankfurt in 1992/93 and subsequently as director of the Kunstverein Ludwigsburg. In 1996, she was appointed director of the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 4 November 2016

Dr Peter Seifert was born on 27 July 1941 in Zwickau. He studied and completed his doctorate at the Technical University of Karl-Marx-Stadt. His professional stations included the Robotron combine and the Zwönitz measuring instrument factory

Honourary citizenship awarded on 3 October 1990

The pastor Christoph Magirius, born in Meerane in 1937, was superintendent in Chemnitz from 1979 to 1 September 1990. For more than a decade, Magirius was a negotiating partner between state authorities and the church. He fearlessly used the power of his personality and his office to promote mutual understanding and conflict resolution.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 22 December 1988

Katarina Witt was born on 3 December 1965 in Staaken near Berlin. She began figure skating at the age of five in the junior group of the SC Karl-Marx-Stadt. Her talent was recognised and actively encouraged there. After attending the children's and youth sports school, Katarina Witt was able to dedicate herself intensively to competitive sport and became GDR champion for the first time in 1981.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 12 December 2008

Jutta Müller, née Lötzsch, was born on 13 December 1928 in Chemnitz. She was initially a German and sports teacher. But her love was roller skating and figure skating. In 1949, she became the GDR pairs champion. Jutta Müller later studied at the German University of Physical Education Leipzig (DHfK Leipzig).

Honourary citizenship awarded on 9 June 1994

The long-serving VW manager Carl Horst Hahn was born in Chemnitz on 1 July 1926. His father Carl Hahn senior was involved in the early days of car manufacturing in Germany and was one of the co-founders of Auto Union AG in Chemnitz in 1932 from the merger of Audi, Wanderer, Horch and DKW.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 21.04.2017

Justin Sonder was born on 18 October 1925 in Chemnitz, the son of a housewife and a merchant and wine salesman. He was confronted with growing anti-Semitism as a child and experienced the pogrom night in Chemnitz on 9 November 1938.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 16.05.2007

Siegmund Rotstein was born on 30 November 1925 to Jewish parents in Chemnitz.
Siegmund Rotstein's childhood and youth were marked by repressive measures against the Jewish population after the National Socialists seized power.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 25 September 1978

Dr Sigmund Jähn was born on 13 February 1937 in Rautenkranz, Vogtland. After attending school and completing his apprenticeship, he worked as a book printer. From 1955 to 1958, he studied at the Officers' Academy of the Air Force of the National People's Army of the GDR, became a fighter pilot and studied at the Soviet military academy "Yuri Gagarin" from 1966 to 1970.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 25.09.1978

Valery Fedorovich Bykovsky was born on 2 August 1934 in Pavlovsky Posad, Moscow Region. After studying at the Kachinsk Military Aviation School and a career as a military pilot in the Soviet Air Force, he was accepted into the world's first cosmonaut group in 1960.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 22 November 2004

Dr Folker Weißgerber was born in Chemnitz on 25 March 1941, attended school here and completed an apprenticeship as an electrical fitter from 1955 to 1958. From 1961 to 1964, he worked as a factory electrician at the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg and qualified as an electrical engineer in a distance learning programme while working.

Honourary citizenship awarded on 02.10.2001

Stefan Heym was born on 10 April 1913 in Chemnitz under the civil name Helmut Flieg, the son of a Jewish merchant. As an 18-year-old pupil at the Hohe Straße state grammar school, Helmut Flieg, who was characterised by a humanist upbringing, was already grappling with the social contradictions of the Weimar Republic.