Our state museum has become a global topic of conversation this year. With her music video for "The fate of Ophelia", Taylor Swift has managed to draw attention to a work of art by Theodor Heyser presented there, which forms the pictorial basis for the video. Since then, many "Swifties" from near and far have made the pilgrimage to the Landesmuseum to be close to Taylor Swift's source of inspiration. A selfie from Wiesbaden is almost always included.

In May, "Antenne Wiesbaden" went on air. Since then, highly entertaining reports on local and regional topics and events have been broadcast from the studio in the Brita-Arena. Well-known personalities "talk" about sporting events, companies can present their products and events in city politics are brought to the country. With the slogan "Wiesbaden - the most beautiful city in the world", the station strengthens the reputation of our city. Please spread the word!

There were several birthdays to remember at the beginning of October: Hesse turned 80 as a result of "Proclamation No. 2" by the US occupation, the Wiesbadener Kurier was also the first independent press to be launched 80 years ago and Wiesbaden has been the state capital of this new "Greater Hesse" for 80 years. State Parliament President Astrid Wallmann invited guests to a video show on the creation of the state on Schlossplatz. In the fall of 2026, we will celebrate the birth of the Hessian state constitution - hopefully once again on Schlossplatz.

In cultural Wiesbaden, art lover Frank Brabant will take center stage in 2025. His large private collection of modern art includes works by Jawlensky, Beckmann, Schlichter and Pechstein, among others; it is considered one of the largest of its kind in Germany. Back in 2018, Brabant decreed that parts of his collection would one day be donated to the Landesmuseum Wiesbaden. Brabant became known to a wider public this year through a documentary film. It also shows the difficult life of a homosexual man in the 1970s. Brabant moved to Wiesbaden, took courage and founded the Pussycat in Adlerstraße, which became a trendy bar. Along the way, Brabant financed his growing art collection. His life is characterized by courage, civil courage, but also by a special modesty. Wiesbaden thanks him!

The expansion of educational and sports infrastructure is progressing in leaps and bounds. The Elisabeth Selbert School went into operation, several elementary school are under construction or being expanded and the vocational training center is getting another large building. Housing construction is also making good progress. The Kärntner-Viertel on Gräselberg and the Bierstadt-Nord development area are being built together with the social infrastructure. The development of new building areas and the reorganization of state authorities and training facilities are underway. The federal and state governments are proving to be robust players when it comes to investment. Further money for infrastructure measures comes from the federal government's special fund. The state is promoting the construction of swimming pools, because everyone should learn to swim. Nevertheless, the city's financial challenges are huge - also with regard to future climate neutrality targets. It is therefore important to keep up the pace for 2026, even though the economic framework conditions are hampering private investment.

The relocation of the adult education center to Luisenstrasse can help to revitalize the city centre. A good decision! There is an ambitious utilization concept for the historic Walhalla building. Whether it can be realized must be discussed. The desire for a new location for a city museum is becoming increasingly clear. This seems to be within reach in Langgasse. Culture is another important pillar for a vibrant city center alongside retail, services, gastronomy and housing. In addition to these offerings, it is also important to provide recreational areas without the pressure to consume. Young people rightly demand spaces and places that meet their needs: Movement and communication. These are lacking in Wiesbaden. The Schlachthof has also been brought back into the discussion. There is no lack of ideas from the public!

This small selection of topics shows that local political decisions can be experienced directly. I would therefore like to draw your attention to a special date in 2026: the municipal elections on March 15, 2026. On this day, the municipal council will be newly elected. It consists of 81 elected representatives who do not pursue politics as their main profession, but who work on a voluntary basis for the good of the city. The municipal council is the place where our city's local democracy is most visibly realized. This is where the important decisions are made that often have a direct impact on daily life. On March 15, the local councils and the Foreigners' Advisory Council will also be newly elected. The youth parliament and the cultural advisory board are also up for re-election in 2026.

I would like to thank all those who have been or will be involved in these committees. You are doing a service for democracy. It can only remain stable through the active participation of citizens. At the same time, I hope for a lively but fair election campaign. This officially begins at the end of January 2026!

I appeal to you: make use of your right to vote. The voter turnout at the last local elections shows that the majority of eligible voters do not go to the polls. This is not good, neither for democracy nor for social cohesion. The municipal council is the heart of democracy in our city. Everyone is called upon to participate in its composition.

And it is not only there, but also in many other areas, that we can rely on the voluntary commitment that is deeply rooted in our citizenship. Some do this out of gratitude to their country or city, says Thomas Michel, Chairman of the Wiesbaden Foundation. The art and carpet expert had the idea of setting up a community foundation in Wiesbaden more than 25 years ago. Under his leadership, this idea developed into one of the most successful community foundations in Germany. Thomas Michel will be honored for this lifetime achievement by Federal President Steinmeier in January 2026. We already say: Well deserved, dear Thomas Michel!

Volunteering is supported by many people who contribute to urban society with their wealth of experience, their ideas and, above all, their deeds. The Wiesbaden Foundation and the Volunteer Centre provide meaningful mediation services and organize new volunteer projects. These include the district historians and the readers' knights. We need the commitment of volunteers in almost all areas of society, and in view of the limited public funding, this will probably be more important than ever in the future. This is another reason why volunteering needs the best possible framework conditions so that the desire to volunteer prevails among young and old alike. We need them!

The political situation is a cause for concern. The preservation of fundamental democratic values, national and European security, but also prosperity, freedom, trust in the rule of law and in political institutions are at stake. Hesse is consistently expanding its civil defense. The Bundeswehr, the state police and all members of the blue light family are facing new challenges at all levels. Our special thanks go to all of them for their forward-looking actions and for their commitment when others are celebrating.

I hope that social cohesion and peace among all nations, cultures and religions will not become fragile in our city despite the many conflicts in the world. For some time now, our special solidarity has been directed even more than before towards the protection of Jewish life in our city. Jews must feel safe in Wiesbaden. That is our claim!

Let us work together to ensure that Wiesbaden remains an open and tolerant city and that there is no room for aggression, hatred or incitement. Freedom and security are not opposites. Rather, it is our duty to stand up for the fundamental rights of all citizens in our city.

I wish you all the best, happiness and health for 2026. Stay optimistic!

Dr. Gerhard Obermayr

Chairman of the City Council