Brandenburg honors 15 committed citizens with the 2025 State Parliament Medal

Brandenburg honors 15 committed citizens with the 2025 State Parliament Medal

Today, June 27, 2025, a ceremonial awarding of the State Parliament Medal took place in the plenary hall of the Brandenburg State Parliament. Over 15 citizens who have made a name for themselves through their special commitment to the community were honored by the President of the State Parliament, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Liedtke and other MPs were honored. The voluntary work of these individuals extends across a wide range of areas, including local politics, social work, youth work, environmental and climate protection, art and culture as well as animal protection and sport. Particularly noteworthy is the commitment of the volunteer fire department, which is essential for the safety of the population.

The names Rüdiger Bayer from Spremberg, Nancy Fechner from Wiesengrund and Andreas Ziemer from Brandenburg an der Havel can also be found among the distinguished personalities. The latter impressed with his tireless commitment to insect protection and biodiversity, which earned him special recognition. Ziemer is known for his work with NABU and the “Brandenburg buzzes” initiative, which raises awareness of environmental protection in the region.

Volunteering as a pillar of the community

Volunteering is an indispensable part of social life in Brandenburg. Whether children's soccer coaches or initiators of theater groups - the range of activities is enormous. The state government has declared volunteering a “top priority” since 2005 and actively promotes civic engagement through various programs and awards, such as “Volunteer of the Month”.

The 2025 medal recipients are:

• Rüdiger Bayer (Spremberg)
• Nancy Fechner (Wiesengrund)
• Kathrin Freundner (Caputh, Schwielowsee)
• Torsten Höricke (Teltow)
• Kurt Kaps (Cottbus)
• Beate Kerkhofer (Bernau)
• Mario Köppen (Panketal)
• Klaus Leistner (Potsdam)
• Gerd Lerche (Kremmen)
• Gerd Mörl (Straupitz)
• Hagen Pusch (Forst)
• Norman Schlüter (Wiesengrund)
• Armin Paul Georg Schubert (Brandenburg a.d. Havel)
• Karen Schulze (Forst)
• Ernst Werner (Niederer Fläming)

The celebrations were also dominated by music: a string ensemble from the municipal music school “Johann Sebastian Bach” from Potsdam provided a festive setting. The moderation was taken over by Juliane Sönnichsen from Radio Potsdam, who skilfully led the evening.

A token of appreciation

Andreas Ziemer was not only happy about the award itself, but also about the appreciation that the voluntary commitment receives. MP Heiner Klemp from the Alliance 90/The Greens faction, who congratulated Ziemer on the medal, emphasized the need to provide political support for insect protection projects and to overcome challenges. Ziemer has had to struggle with resistance in the past, including from a campaign by the CDU parliamentary group.

The awarding of the State Parliament Medal is seen as an important signal of recognition of voluntary commitment. Carla Kniestedt, also from Alliance 90/The Greens, gave a moving laudatory speech in which she emphasized the importance of untidy urban areas and Ziemer's commitment to their care. She noted the importance of allowing wild growth to protect the environment and promote diversity.

Overall, the award shows how important voluntary commitment is for the social structure in Brandenburg. It is not only an award, but also an invitation to everyone to get actively involved and help shape the community. If more people like today's honorees do their part, the country can only benefit.

For more information about volunteer work and opportunities in Brandenburg, visit Volunteering in Brandenburg.

Also read how the State Parliament Medal for Committed Citizens was awarded.

Find out more about [andreas Ziemer and his award].