On September 26, 1971, Lord Mayor Schmitt and City Councillor Krekel welcomed the executive board of the Metalworkers' Industrial Union, which was holding its tenth regular trade union conference in Wiesbaden at the time.

The politicians expressed their delight that the representatives of one of Germany's most powerful trade unions had chosen Wiesbaden as the venue for their conference. First Chairman Otto Brenner expressed his thanks for the warm welcome and praised the organization in the spa town. He declared solidarity between people to be the aim of the union and hoped that differences with politicians could be overcome.

He then signed the town's Golden Book, followed by his colleagues on the Executive Committee.