Networking and Civics at Bremen City Hall
On April 22, 2025, around 60 members of the Alumni Association of the University of Bremen had the opportunity to visit the Bremen City Hall as part of an exclusive guided tour. The event was particularly popular among our members.
After the welcome in the historic Upper Town Hall Hall, the participants were divided into two groups and guided through the landmarked building, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, by Mayor and President of the Senate, Andreas Bovenschulte, an alumnus of the University of Bremen, and our board member Annette Lang. The tours not only provided fascinating insights into the history and architecture of the City Hall but also into the development of Bremen, political operations, and key aspects of regional politics – essentially a civics lesson firsthand.
A few curiosities were also revealed. From the ceremonial hall, visitors can look into a small round room, which was dedicated to Emperor Wilhelm II as the "Altar of the Fatherland" in his honor when he visited Bremen City Hall for a Senate reception in 1913. On the walls, symbolic representations of the eight virtues can be found: courage, wisdom, justice, temperance, faith, love, and hope. Today, this small room is sometimes used by City Hall staff for a coffee break.
Following the tour, an open discussion took place in the Fireplace Hall with the Bremen government leader, where current issues in science policy, the role of the university in the state of Bremen, and varying perspectives on the Civil Clause were discussed. The Fireplace Hall is historically significant for Bremen, as it was here that, on July 7, 1978, the summit of the heads of government of the European Community (EC, now EU) took place. With the decision made in the Fireplace Hall to create a single currency for Europe, the meeting is considered the "birthplace" of the Euro – then still known as the European Currency Unit (ECU). And by the way, the next EU Council of Ministers conference in Bremen after 1978 will be held in November 2025. European ministers for aerospace will meet for the "ESA Ministerial Council Meeting" and may make historic decisions again.
The event was part of our series “Networking by, for, and with Alumni”. Many thanks to Bremen City Hall, Andreas Bovenschulte, Annette Lang, and the many engaged and interested members of our network.