The 75th anniversary of the city of Salzgitter was celebrated by members of the 17th electoral term of the city council, honorary council members, city medal holders and the administrative leadership of the city of Salzgitter together with personalities from the city's history and Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel, in anticipation of the actual anniversary on April 1, with a ceremony in the Kulturscheune in Salzgitter-Lebenstedt.
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The Lord Mayor had invited the honorary citizens Hermann Struck and Rudolf Rückert, the former Lord City Directors Dr. Hendrik Gröttrup and Detlef Engster as well as former Lord Mayor Helmut Knebel to an exciting and entertaining panel discussion as contemporary witnesses of the city's recent history.
Before the personalities closely associated with the city's history recalled history and stories in a stimulating chat, Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel looked back on the history of Salzgitter's origins. He thanked the former and active members who have worked and continue to work for the common good of the city for their extraordinary commitment to the well-being of the people in the city.
Salzgitter, founded 75 years ago as Watenstedt-Salzgitter, may not be a historically grown old town compared to cities over 2,000 years old, but it is still something special, said Frank Klingebiel in his welcoming address.
"Salzgitter was formed on April 1, 1942 from around 30 villages, a small town, barrack camps, the small housing estates that had been built since 1938 and the large housing estate named after Hermann Göring that was started in 1939," said the Lord Mayor, looking back on the circumstances surrounding the founding of the city. Thousands of people from all over Europe lost their lives in the construction of a huge steelworks and the creation of a new industrial district. Nevertheless, the city's 75th birthday was a reason to celebrate.
Since the reconstruction phase, Salzgitter has developed into a cosmopolitan, friendly and tolerant city. "This birthday should therefore be a day on which we remember together the fact that the city was founded," emphasized Frank Klingebiel.
As guests of honour and contemporary witnesses, honorary citizens Hermann Struck and Rudolf Rückert, former city directors Dr. Hendrik Gröttrup and Detlef Engster and former Lord Mayor Helmut Knebel provided a look back with a varied conversation about historical events and anecdotes from their time in office.
With Pomeranian tenacity, he had spent 72 years in Salzgitter somewhat involuntarily, but in retrospect felt welcome as a stranger in a foreign land, Hermann Struck recounted. He particularly remembers his start in Salzgitter as a young teacher, but also the beginning of the politically difficult partnership with the geographically close and politically distant twin town of Gotha. Hermann Struck revealed himself as the first campaigner against Schacht Konrad and wished Salzgitter a hearty "Glück auf!" ("Good luck!") that the town would remain intact.
Rudolf Rückert also confessed that he did not want to stay when he came to Salzgitter - and yet he did. During his time in office, there were six districts, which were called sections at the time, and the conditions in the schools were unbearable with cold in winter and heat in summer. Rudolf Rückert recalled the political constellations and coalitions in the council, which had demanded a great deal of skill and willingness to compromise from him as head of the city. It had always been important to endure disputes and find ways out of them for the good of the city.
Dr. Hendrik Gröttrup, the former Chief Town Councillor, set his priorities for urban development by creating the position of Head of Economic Affairs for the first time and advancing numerous initiatives in cultural policy. He recognized that "the heart of industry beats in Salzgitter" and campaigned for the future of Blaupunkt and Salzgitter AG in difficult times. During his time in office, the Kulturscheune, the Salder Castle Museum, the city library and the Stadtmonument were created as significant cultural achievements for the city. His aim was to "spruce up the gray mouse that is Salzgitter". "My time in Salzgitter was the most important 20 years of my life and a thousand times more exciting than the thousand-year history of Hildesheim, for example," said Dr. Hendrik Gröttrup.
As the first Salzgitter native to head the city administration, he followed in the footsteps of his predecessors with a queasy feeling, admitted Detlef Engster. For example, he experienced many critical moments in the city's history with the sale of a large housing portfolio and the spin-off of Salzgitter Stahl und Technologie. On the other hand, he saw the expansion of Ostfalia and the construction of the new Federal Office for Radiation Protection as successes in the city's development. The city has always solved problems through a sense of togetherness between politics and administration. Looking back, he sees this as a particular strength.
When Hermann Struck came to Salzgitter, Helmut Knebel, Frank Klingebiel's direct predecessor in the office of Lord Mayor, had not even been born yet. The challenges have always been similar over the years, assessed Helmut Knebel. He was the first directly elected Lord Mayor. "Salzgitter was never doing well financially. In this respect, the Lord Mayor is no better off today than his predecessors," assessed Helmut Knebel. Nevertheless, there has always been urban development for the benefit of the citizens and the city as a whole. Helmut Knebel mentioned the construction of the water ski facility and the IKEA distribution center, which were built during his term of office. Helmut Knebel particularly praised the strength of the citizens' movements, which succeeded in ensuring that the swimming pools in Thiede and Gebhardshagen, for example, were preserved. He was proud of the fact that Salzgitter, although consisting of 31 districts and thus unique, had achieved recognition as a regional center. He wished that the city would remain open, accept people as they are and continue to shape the city together.
Mayor Frank Klingebiel paid tribute to these life stories, which have played a key role in shaping the face of the city of Salzgitter. With a quote from a young citizen's certificate from 1957, he appealed to the rights and duties of the people of Salzgitter to play a constructive role in shaping the city.
"Salzgitter stands for diversity, dynamism and determination. The strategic orientation as a child and family-friendly learning city and the consistent investment in education and family and thus in the future are bearing fruit. The opportunity to play a decisive role in shaping the destiny of my home town as mayor since 2006 means a great deal to me and makes me proud. It is a huge challenge, but it is one that I will continue to take on with great pleasure in the future," said Frank Klingebiel on the occasion of the city of Salzgitter's 75th birthday.
To mark the city's birthday, there are plans to invite the people of Salzgitter to a cultural event in the summer.