Chemnitz' Cultural Capital Song: A sound journey through the past!

Chemnitz' Cultural Capital Song: A sound journey through the past!

What's happening in Chemnitz? Anyone interested in the city's eventful history and cultural changes should check out the current special exhibition Chemnitz Industrial Museum not to be missed. Under the title “Tales of Transformation” the rapid development of the city from industrialization to the present day will be outlined from April 25th to November 16th, 2025. Chemnitz, once the “Saxon Manchester”, developed into an important innovation center, which was shaped by many industrial companies.

On a tour of the museum, visitors concentrate on the diverse sounds of the industrial past - steam engines, coils and locomotive wheels are part of this soundscape. Beate and Felix take readers on their journey through these sounds and also explore the quieter tones that arise in the artist Jan Kummer's studio while they can be heard in the old spinning mill. A special highlight is the carillon in the Chemnitz town hall, where you can listen to the artistic playing of the tower bells.

Sound and art combined

An exciting part of the exploration is the Purple Path art and sculpture trail. The raw materials that have had a major impact on the region are presented here. Felix makes artistic works sound with a special percussion mechanism and thus creates a unique sound. Felix Räuber processes all of this into a Chemnitz song, which makes its first appearance in a special premiere under the title “GRAU WIRD BUNT” at the historic location of the former Schocken department store. He is supported by the artist Nirit Sommerfeld, which promises a unique experience for the audience.

The exhibition not only addresses the industrial past, but also how to deal with the industrial heritage and the city's future strategies. Numerous activities are planned to accompany the exhibition - guided tours, workshops, readings and even concerts will provide plenty of entertainment. These events are part of the “European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025” project, which deals with the city's transformation processes and takes up the stories of people who are revitalizing historic industrial buildings, such as from foundries to universities or spinning mills to luxury lofts. The entire project is sponsored by tax and federal funds, decided by the Saxon state parliament and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media.

Chemnitz in a national context

Chemnitz's cultural aspirations are not only locally significant, but also compete with cities such as Mulhouse (France), Tampere (Finland), Gabrovo (Bulgaria) and Łódź (Poland). All of them have their own industrial history, but Chemnitz stands out for its profound transformation processes. The city was not only a pioneer in machine production, but also developed innovations that had an impact far beyond the region. For example, in 1932, Heinrich Gottlob Bertsch invented the first fully synthetic detergent, known as Fewa, and a group of regional automobile manufacturers formed Auto Union – a forerunner of Audi.

With this combination of sound, art and history, Chemnitz offers a comprehensive cultural offering that is sure to fascinate both local and international visitors. Anyone interested in the development of the city and the preservation of industrial traditions will find the event in ARD media library and the exhibition in Industrial Museum numerous opportunities for inspiration and deepening.