Chemnitz 'Capital of Culture Song: A sound trip through the past!

Chemnitz 'Capital of Culture Song: A sound trip through the past!

Chemnitz, Deutschland - What is happening in Chemnitz? Anyone who is interested in the eventful history and the cultural changes of the city should not miss the current special exhibition in Industriemuseum Chemnitz . Under the title "Tales of Transformation", from April 25 to November 16, 2025, the rapid development of the city will be outlined from industrialization to the present day. Chemnitz, once the "Saxon Manchester", developed into an important innovation center, which was shaped by many industrial companies.

During 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 sound landscape. Beate and Felix take the readers through these sounds on their journey and also explore the quieter tones that are created 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 listen to the artistic game of the tower bells.

sound and art combined

An exciting part of the exploration is the art and sculpture path Purple Path. Here the raw materials are presented that have strongly shaped the region. Felix makes artistic works sound with a special percussion and thus develops a unique sound. All of this is processed by Felix Räuber into a Chemnitz song, which in a special premiere entitled "Gray becomes colorful" has his first appearance at the historical place of the former shock 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 dealing with the cultural heritage and the city's future strategies. Accompanying the exhibition, numerous activities are planned - guided tours, workshops, readings, and even concerts will provide plenty of entertainment. These events are part of the “Culture Capital of Europe Chemnitz 2025” project, which deals with the city's transformation processes and revives the stories of people, revitalize the historical industrial buildings, such as founding at universities or spinning mills. The entire project is sponsored by tax funds and federal funds, decided by the Saxon state parliament and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media.

chemnitz in national context

The cultural efforts of Chemnitz ’are not only 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 through the profound transformation processes. The city was not only a pioneer in machine production, but also developed innovations that had an effect far beyond the region. For example, Heinrich Gottlob Bertsch invented the first fully synthetic detergent, known as the FeWA in 1932, and a group of regional automobile manufacturers formed the Auto Union - a forerunner of Audi.

With this combination of sound, art and history, Chemnitz offers a comprehensive range of culture that should fascinate both the local and international visitors. If you are interested in the development of the city and the preservation of industrial traditions, you will find at the event in the ARD Mediathek and the exhibition in Industriemuseum Numerous options for inspiration and deepening.