Christmas sounds on the glockenspiel

The glockenspiel at Wolfsburg town hall has been playing Christmas tunes for a few days now. Until December 27 at 8 p.m., Advent and Christmas melodies will once again delight citizens and guests instead of the usual carols. The carillon was designed by Professor Erich Fritz Reuter from Berlin. It was delivered and installed in 1957 by the company Eduard Korfhage & Söhne from Melle. It comprises 24 bronze bells with a total weight of 3,000 kilograms. The largest bell weighs around 350 kilograms and the smallest still eight kilograms.

The melodies were selected in 1956 as part of a competition involving the citizens of Wolfsburg. The first prize was awarded to Louis Kummer, who suggested three of the five melodies at the time and also submitted extensive explanations of them. Initially, the melodies were played from a perforated tape using an electromechanical control system. An electronic system replaced the old system in 2001. Since the last complete refurbishment in 2012, the songs have been stored electronically and their playback is processor-controlled.

During the Advent and Christmas season, the following sounds can be heard during the day: 8:00 a.m. "Macht hoch die Tür", 10:00 a.m. "Leise rieselt der Schnee", 11:00 a.m. "Süßer die Glocken nie klingen", 12:00 noon "Fröhliche Weihnacht überall", 1:00 p.m. "Kommet ihr Hirten", 2:00 p.m. "Zu Bethlehem geboren", 3:00 p.m. "O du fröhliche", 4:00 p.m. "Tochter Zion, freue dich", 6:00 p.m. "Macht hoch die Tür" and 8:00 p.m. "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht". Further information can be found on the municipal website at www.wolfsburg.de/glockenspiel.