Voluntary heroes in the Barnim: Awards for outstanding achievements!

Voluntary heroes in the Barnim: Awards for outstanding achievements!

On Friday, June 27, 2025, the annual reception of the district administrator in the Barnim district took place, a festive highlight that honors the numerous volunteer citizens. People were awarded here who, with their many years of commitment and their special merits, promote the common good. A particularly emotional moment was the awarding of the Medal of Merit of the State of Brandenburg by Interior Minister René Wilke.

The guests included District Administrator Daniel Kurth and the chairman of the district council, Othmar Nickel. Nickel praised the constructive cooperation in the district council and thanked the many actors who make the Barnim a place worth living. Kurth emphasized how important the commitment of this volunteer is for the community.

excellent personalities

The awards were handed over to various deserves. Jochen Wunschen from Ahrensfelde was honored for his commitment to the Lenné Park and Jörg Erdmann from Bernau, who heads the fire brigade in his city. Ilona Trometer from Panketal also received an honor as a disability officer, although she could not be on site. Other award winners included:

• Andreas Beier (Melchow) for recruitment in the fire brigade
• Lothar Ast (Werneuchen) for landscape maintenance and youth work
• Gabriele Lange (Joachimsthal) for her cultural commitment
• Uwe Kleber (Eberswalde) for his commitment to the Finow Canal
• Wilfried Riemer (Schorfheide) for his work in the football association
• Martina Hähnel (Oderberg) for her commitment as mayor
• Norbert Thron (Bernau) for educational work in the natural sciences

A special guest of honor was Martin Horst from Chorin, who was awarded for over 50 years of commitment in various functions. The evening ended in a happy atmosphere with music, food and drinks. Wilke spoke about the challenges that both land and municipalities know.

volunteer in Brandenburg: Support for the helpers

Such events for honoring volunteers are also very important in other parts of Brandenburg. Woidke, the Prime Minister, and Ulrike Liedtke, the Landtag president, recently thanked around 100 deserved volunteers for their commitment to the Potsdam State Chancellery. They emphasized how important this commitment is for a living society and warned that local politicians should not be threatened for their commitment. Measures were also announced to increase the attractiveness of the volunteer.

The Medal of Merit of the State of Brandenburg stands for special recognition, and its award takes place in various regions to reward the diverse engagements. It is the people who provide concrete help on site and actively work for their community, which form the basis for a strong society. Here it is worth taking a look beyond the region, because volunteering blooms throughout Brandenburg, in many cities and municipalities.

The events for honoring these great achievements are a valuable tradition that not only strengthens the welfare state together, but also the awareness of how much engagement is in the hearts of people. A big thank you to everyone who volunteers and thus enrich the life of the community.

For more information you can see the reports from Barnim Aktuell , volunteer in Brandenburg and visit Brandenburg