Meeting of the BDK pensioners: Oranienburg under the sign of history!

Meeting of the BDK pensioners: Oranienburg under the sign of history!

A lively meeting for former police officers recently took place in Oranienburg when the pensioners of the BDK Brandenburg came together. From May 21 to 26, 2025, numerous activities were organized that brought back memories and offered new perspectives. A varied program was put together around the Hotel “Da Gianni” in the Germendorf district, which promised engaging discussions and historical insights.

The participants traveled individually and were able to enjoy an exciting night watchman tour of the city in the late afternoon, which was organized by Kurt Gottschalk. A tourist information employee shared anecdotes about historical criminal cases in Oranienburg. A city bus took the group back to the hotel, where dinner in the well-known restaurant “Zum Taubenschlag” was a culinary highlight with the classic pigeon dish. Topics such as the current police situation, especially in the criminal police and in the BDK, were on the agenda.

Conversations and excursions

It was particularly pleasing to welcome new pensioners, who were included in the question and answer session about their experiences in “unrest”. After breakfast together the next morning, a visit to the Brandenburg Police University was on the agenda. A reception by the press spokesman offered an insight into the history and level of training of the institution, while the university president, Prof. Dr. Heike Wagner reported on future challenges and plans.

The university, which has been located in a modern campus environment in Oranienburg since 2006, trains all police officers in the country and promotes police-related science through excellent teaching and research. Numerous training formats are available for the more than 1,000 candidates, including an accredited bachelor's degree program and the advanced master's degree program in “criminal studies”. These programs support the securing of skilled workers in the criminal investigation department and promote the development of middle and senior levels of service. Brandenburg Police career explains how decentralized training locations in the state of Brandenburg create short paths to police training.

The conclusion and the outlook

After the educational moments, the group was invited for a boat trip on the “MS Pirol” across the Havel and adjacent lakes, where coffee and cake created a relaxed atmosphere. The meeting was rounded off with a photo show from the previous year in Eberwalde, which was presented by Uwe Schulze. The BDK state chairman Christoph Wenzlaff and the chairman of the Brandenburg North district association, Torsten Wagner, were also present and underlined the importance of looking after pensioners and retirees in the state association.

The end of this lively meeting was a heartfelt thank you to Rainer Thiel and Kurt Gottschalk for the excellent organization. The view is already ahead: the pensioners' meeting in 2026 will take place in Cottbus. BDK informs about the upcoming events and the exciting development of police training in Brandenburg.