Honorary citizens of the city of Wolfsburg
Honorary events are held for deserving citizens of our city as well as, for example, for athletes who have represented Wolfsburg in an outstanding manner.
The city's highest distinction is the award of honorary citizenship. Honorary citizenship expires upon death.
Honorary citizenship was last awarded to Rolf Wolters on March 10, 2019. For over 40 years, he played a key role in shaping and developing the Wolfsburg shooting festival and made it an attraction for numerous guests from near and far. As a local politician, he was a member of Wolfsburg city council for 25 years and a member of Detmerode local council for 10 years. Rolf Wolters passed away on 07.09.2020.
To mark his 80th birthday, the city of Wolfsburg hosted a reception for honorary citizen Dr.-Ing. e. h. Udo Willi Kögler. Around 100 invited guests paid tribute to the life and work of Wolfsburg's honorary citizen at Wolfsburg Castle.
"With your ideas, you have changed our city sustainably and positively and brought it forward. You have always guided and supported volunteering and the well-being of our city," said Lord Mayor Dennis Weilmann in his laudatory speech, paying tribute to Dr. Udo-Willi Kögler. "You have put your heart and soul into many activities here. On your 80th birthday, I, the city and the whole of Wolfsburg would like to say thank you for your many years of loyalty to Wolfsburg and its citizens."
Around 90 invited guests attended the reception. The event was accompanied by many of Kögler's long-time companions and musical accompaniment from the group Tremozioni. In addition to Lord Mayor Dennis Weilmann, Prof. Dr. Christoph Herrmann (Professor TU Braunschweig and Director of the Fraunhofer IST), Georg Weber (CEO Maschinenfabrik Kurt Neubauer -__-0000-__-) and Manfred Hüller (Chairman of the Wolfsburg Civic Foundation) also addressed the birthday boy and those present.
To mark his 90th birthday, the city of Wolfsburg hosted a reception for Prof. Dr. Carl H. Hahn. In the Wolfsburg Art Museum, around 130 invited guests paid tribute to the life and work of Wolfsburg's honorary citizen - including Lord Mayor Klaus Mohrs and Hans-Dieter Pötsch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG.
In his laudatory speech, Lord Mayor Klaus Mohrs highlighted Prof. Dr. Carl H. Hahn's commitment to the development of Wolfsburg: "Professor Hahn is an incredibly committed Wolfsburg citizen, both in the past and today. Time and again, he makes outstanding suggestions for urban development. One example is the flagship project 'Early Birds', a learning and language program for kindergarten and preschool children, which Professor Hahn co-initiated. The project of bilingual support expands and promotes tolerance and cosmopolitanism in Wolfsburg, even among our youngest city citizens. It is a good investment in the future of the city, which has grown to its actual size and importance through global trade. Prof. Hahn has played a major role in this development, both professionally and in an honorary capacity."
Prof. Carl H. Hahn was born in Chemnitz and was Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG from 1982 to 1992. He then moved to the company's Supervisory Board, where he remained until 1997. In 1990, the Wolfsburg City Council awarded Prof. Dr. Carl H. Hahn honorary citizenship for his extraordinary services through numerous initiatives and support in the economic, cultural and social fields.
Honorary citizens of the city of Wolfsburg
As a senior executive at Volkswagen AG and a long-standing member of the Wolfsburg City Council and the Vorsfelde Local Council, he was particularly committed to the sustainable networking of Volkswagen and the city.
His involvement in the founding process of the University of Applied Sciences in Wolfsburg was decisive. He played a key role in the development of the "Lower Saxony Vehicle Technology Research Center" at Braunschweig Technical University and the "Open Hybrid LabFactory". His tireless work has made a significant contribution to consolidating Wolfsburg as a location for vehicle research.
Since the establishment of the Civic Foundation Wolfsburg in 2006, Dr.-Ing. Udo-Willi Kögler has successfully built it up, decisively shaped its development and, in an unmistakable way, given it a visible profile for the city society.
With an almost unrivaled 40 years of uninterrupted service on the Wolfsburg City Council, he single-mindedly helped shape and successfully shaped the city's development. His actions, also as mayor for many years, were characterized by great closeness to the citizens and deep personal ties to his hometown.
As a proven art connoisseur and art lover, Dr. Hans-Joachim Throl has been chairman of the local art advisory board for many years. His special concern was always to promote art projects, to support young artists and to set special accents for art in the cityscape.
During his 17-year term as Lord Mayor (1995-2001) and subsequent Lord Mayor (2001-2011), Prof. Rolf Schnellecke was the first person born in Wolfsburg and the first Lord Mayor to be elected by the citizens, and his strategic and visionary thinking had a lasting impact on Wolfsburg's urban history.
He is associated with the joint efforts of the city and Volkswagen to create and maintain jobs and to upgrade Wolfsburg into an attractive and livable city with a high quality of experience. The foundation of Wolfsburg AG in 1999 formed the basis for this. Prof. Schnellecke established the civic foundation in 2006 and initiated the founding of the "International Circle of Friends e.V. (IFK)" in the same year.
From 1991 to 1996, Ingrid Eckel was Wolfsburg's first female mayor, up to and including 2001. She served on the Wolfsburg City Council for almost 23 years. Ingrid Eckel was particularly committed to school education, equal educational opportunities and the establishment of comprehensive schools.
In 2009, the Federal President awarded her the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Rocco Artale is one of the important personalities who have helped shape the history of Wolfsburg at various points. He personifies the integration achievements that the young city of Wolfsburg made at an early stage and with today's exemplary character beyond the state borders.
Rocco Artale's biography makes it clear how closely successful integration is linked to political and social commitment at various levels.
As a role model for voluntary commitment and high dedication to the community of the city of Wolfsburg, Manfred Kolbe shaped and continues to shape the cityscape in decisive places.
During his 38 years as a member of the Wolfsburg City Council, including almost a decade as mayor, he showed outstanding commitment to the interests of the city of Wolfsburg and its citizens.
A piece of Wolfsburg's history is associated with the person of Walter Hiller.
Through his exemplary and trustworthy actions for the benefit of the employees of Volkswagen AG and the citizens, he rendered outstanding services to the city as Chairman of the General and Group Works Council of Volkswagen AG.
Prof. Dr. Carl Hahn has rendered extraordinary services through numerous initiatives and support in the economic, cultural and social fields.
His special civic commitment and partnership with the city during his time as Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG deserve special mention.
Rolf Wolters
- Awarded on 10.03.2019
(deceased on 07.09.2020)
Dr.-Ing. Udo-Willi Kögler
- Award on 22.04.2018
Dr. Hans-Joachim Throl
- Award on 22.04.2018
Prof. Rolf Schnellecke
- Award on 30.11.2014
Ingrid Eckel
- Award on 04.10.2014
Rocco Artale
- Award on 25.09.2012
Manfred Kolbe
- Award ceremony 11.11.2007
Heinrich Heidersberger
- Awarded on 12.10.2003
(deceased on 14.07.2006)
Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch
- Awarded on 15.11.2002
(Deceased on 25.08.2019)
Katharina Schmidt
- Awarded on 04.05.2001
(deceased on 25.05.2004)
Helmut Simson
- Awarded on 08.09.1999
(deceased 13.03.2013)
Dr. Volkmar Köhler
- Awarded on 08.09.1999
(deceased 06.06.2012)
Werner Schlimme
- Awarded on 19.12.1996
(deceased on 12.08.2010)
Walter Hiller
- Awarded on 19.12.1996
Prof. Dr. Carl Horst Hahn
- Awarded on 30.06.1990
(deceased on 14.01.2023)
Dr. Wilhelm Wolf
- Awarded on 30.06.1985
(deceased on 22.02.1992)
Prelate Antonius Holling
- Awarded on 01.07.1984
(deceased on 07.09.1996)
Count Günther von der Schulenburg
- Awarded on 15.04.1981
(deceased on 12.03.1985)
Hugo Bork
- Awarded on 20.11.1977
(deceased on 16.10.1998)
Max Valentine
- Awarded on 30.09.1971
(deceased on 13.01.1979)
Fritz Weiberg
- Awarded on 29.11.1965
(deceased on 15.09.1977)
Otto Wolgast
- Awarded on 16.05.1965
(deceased 08.08.1994)
Prof. Dr. Heinrich Nordhoff
- Awarded on 05.08.1955
(deceased on 12.04.1968)