Dear people of Wiesbaden,

At the start of a new year, many people resolve to be more active. More exercise is at the top of the list - and for good reason. Physical activity not only improves health, but also has a positive effect on mental well-being. It is particularly valuable when sport is not practiced alone, but together: in a club or in small groups. Exercise creates encounters, promotes social cohesion and strengthens our community.

A good example of this is the sports badge campaign in Wiesbaden. Last year, Turnverein 1887 Amöneburg celebrated the 40th anniversary of the sports badge campaign, which is organized jointly with the Kalle-Albert Biebrich company sports community. The season began with an opening ceremony on April 29 at the Jürgen-Grabowski-Sportfeld in Biebrich - and the closing ceremony of the anniversary season is now on Tuesday, January 20, in the Fröbelhalle of the Johann-Hinrich-Wichern-Schule in Amoeneburg.

The German Sports Badge of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) is the highest award outside of competitive sport and is awarded as an achievement badge for above-average and versatile physical performance. As Lord Mayor and Head of the Sports Department of the state capital of Wiesbaden, I am delighted that numerous Wiesbaden residents train for this award every year.

The special thing about the German Sports Badge is that anyone - regardless of age and gender - can take the award in bronze, silver or gold. Former German President Richard von Weizsäcker took the exams for the first time in 1985 at the age of 65. He has earned the German Sports Badge in gold ten times, most recently at the age of 85. Even today, many senior citizens take on the challenge. Last year, for example, 89-year-old Peter Gröner from Esslingen completed the sports badge for the 70th time - an impressive achievement. People with disabilities can also earn the German Sports Badge - with exercises tailored to the type of disability in question.

I myself have also taken the German Sports Badge. I did it deliberately to encourage people: Nobody has to be a top athlete. The decisive factor is the will to exercise and to keep at it.

If you have decided to take part, you don't need to be a member of a club. You have a whole calendar year to successfully complete four exercises and also show that you can swim. The performances to be achieved are based on the basic motor skills of endurance, strength, speed and coordination. Within these four groups, everyone can choose which discipline they would like to be tested in. Further information can be found here: www.deutschessportabzeichen. de. Information on the sports badge and training opportunities in Wiesbaden can be found at www.tv-amoeneburg.de/seite/657397/sportabzeichen.html.

The sports badge campaign in Wiesbaden has been a successful joint initiative of TV Amöneburg 1887 e.V. and the Kalle-Albert Biebrich company sports association for decades. On behalf of the state capital of Wiesbaden, I would like to thank all those responsible at TV Amöneburg and BSG Kalle-Albert for organizing the training sessions and the respective performance tests. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the many volunteer examiners, without whose commitment the sports badge campaign would not be possible. For 40 years now, examiners from TV Amöneburg and BSG Kalle-Albert Biebrich have been on hand to help all those interested in sport to achieve the German Sports Badge.

Exercise, health and community - the German Sports Badge combines these values in a special way. With this in mind, I wish you an active and healthy 2026.

Gert-Uwe Mende
Lord Mayor