structural development

Commitment and collaboration: The “Machen!2024” award honors volunteers in East Germany. Among this year's award winners: Hirschfelde! We report on how a small village wants to shape its future and how those involved find support and appreciation for this.

Last Tuesday in Berlin-Köpenick: an exuberant atmosphere in the Alte Försterei , the stadium where the East Berlin newcomer club Eisern Union usually receives its guests. Chancellor Olaf Scholz , the Federal Government Commissioner for East Germany, State Minister Carsten Schneider , and the German Foundation for Commitment and Volunteering (DSEE) invited and honored committed people from all over East Germany.

This year, for the fifth time, the “machen!2024” engagement competition Of over 200 award-winning project ideas, 106 received their prizes in Berlin. Minister of State Carsten Schneider underlined the importance of the competition: “The many committed people in our country work every day for their communities and their fellow human beings. In doing so, they enrich life in the communities and strengthen cohesion in society. Our aim is to recognize and support these people and their achievements. They are supporting pillars of our democracy.”

The project ideas were selected from over 800 submissions and a total of over 830,000 euros in prize money was paid out to the winning ideas. The aim of the competition is to recognize voluntary commitment in East Germany, to make it publicly visible and to support the implementation of project ideas in rural areas.

Appreciation of the voluntary commitment in East Germany - also in Hirschfelde

Thomas Günther Hempel (3rd from left) taking a group photo with other award winners

We spoke to Thomas Günter Hempel , a doer who has taken on the challenges in his immediate living environment and founded the association “Zukunft Hirschfelde” iG . has become active. In the lounge of the Alte Försterei he is happy about the appreciative certificate from DSEE and the 5,000 euros in prize money that he can now bring to the club.

Beautiful and characteristic of Hirschfelde: the porch houses

The association's vision is to transform the historic porch houses in Hirschfelde into a lively meeting place for all citizens. The revival of these important buildings aims to strengthen social cohesion and create a place characterized by democratic citizen participation and passionate monument protection.

In a conversation with Thomas Hempel, we find out how the village community of this small town of 1,300 people is working resolutely to take its own future into its own hands. And how to apply for “Machen! 2024” came.

Apply to “Make! 2024”

“During the consultation with Ms. Nixdorf-Munkwitz, I was first made aware of the possibility of joining the ‘Machen! 2024',” says Thomas Hempel. “'Machen' aims to support actors and projects that promote the development of rural areas." - and it is precisely this neighborly and communal development of the homeland that "Zukunft Hirschfelde" iG is committed to.

The big project: converting the old smithy into a village community center

The project for which the association is currently primarily committed can make good use of this support - for example for the reactivation of a historical monument. Because "At the center of our association 'Zukunft Hirschfelde iG' is the citizens' action platform ' Alte Schmiede Hirschfelde ', an ambitious project that aims to revitalize the historic porch houses in Hirschfelde and transform them into a lively meeting place for the community," reports Thomas Hempel with shining eyes. You can tell how passionate the man is about this project and shaping the future of his homeland: "This initiative embodies our vision by strengthening social cohesion and preserving our cultural heritage. The first thing that matters is a change of perspective: from complaining to doing something!” he explains further. The jury of the popular simul-plus competition ( which we also advise on as the ENO task force ) also saw things similarly in the spring of this year and awarded the project 10,000 euros.

Together, the club members, including Anja Nixdorf-Munkwitz, managed to enter into a cooperation with the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and the Saxony State Association of Industrial Culture in order to combine historical use as an industrial object with modern, digital instruments,” said Hempel. You can be happy about that, you can also be a little proud, but above all: continue "extremely motivated" with new confirmation and recognition from the highest authorities, say Thomas Hempel and Anja Nixdorf-Munkwitz, who are pleased with their initiative " A basket full of happiness " was also awarded. We'll report on this next week!

Are you also involved in volunteer work or do you have an idea for community involvement in your immediate living environment in the Görlitz district and would you like support? Then This email address is being protected from spam bots! To display JavaScript must be turned on. !

Our task force project manager Anja Nixdorf-Munkwitz was also invited on stage to receive the honor. You can find out more about her project “A Basket Full of Happiness” here !

Until then -

Best regards!

Your Jasna

Photos: Federal Chancellery/Federal Photo Laurin Schmid, UBL blog, Zukunft Hirschfelde iG