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An 85-year-old treasure: The 1929 anniversary celebration rediscovered!
Meißen celebrated its 1000th anniversary with a historical festival program, a look back at 1929 and current projects to preserve tradition.
An 85-year-old treasure: The 1929 anniversary celebration rediscovered!
A remarkable find from the past has now reached the office of the 1100-year association in Meißen: a letter from an 85-year-old lady from Chemnitz, which contains a festival program for the millennium celebration in 1929 as well as a delicate decorative cloth and newspaper articles from 2004. This discovery gives us an exciting insight into the festivities that took place from June 2nd to 9th, 1929, and shows how vivid the memory of these events remains today. [Sächsische] reports that the lady found the program in the estate of her father-in-law, whose sister lived in Meißen.
The preparations for the millennium celebrations began in 1926 with the founding of the Meißen Local History Association. The ceremony on June 1st started at 4 p.m. in the Albrechtsburg and was accompanied by a snack for invited guests, which was provided by various guilds and retailers. The program also included a festival in the Hamburger Hof, which was scheduled for the same evening. [Stadtwiki Meißen] highlights that the preparations for the festival were rounded off with an advertising film and a poster competition for local artists.
Parade and highlights
One of the highlights of the celebration was the grand parade on June 2nd, which began at 1:30 p.m. and featured 79 different themes. The parade program was created using a typewriter in chronological order and attracted an estimated 100,000 visitors. The topics included historical aspects such as King Henry, as well as the first German fire department and various crafts. [Meißen City Wiki] also reports on art exhibitions and a special celebratory service in the cathedral, at which 500 school children performed on June 7th.
Last but not least, the city's illumination and numerous smaller events from June 3rd to 8th made the festival week an unforgettable experience for everyone present. Innovations such as the cathedral bells and the world's first porcelain carillon enriched the cultural offerings. [Meißen City Wiki] provides comprehensive details and confirms the great anticipation that people had for this far-reaching anniversary.
Today's perspectives
Simone Panitz, project coordinator of the 1100-year association, confirms that some program items from 1929 could offer interesting suggestions for today's events. The association is planning a modern festival year, which will culminate in community singing and the collection of stories by students under the motto “Meißen sings”. The association is also looking for active helpers to revive the diverse memories for people. [City of Meißen] emphasizes that these memories should be presented during the festival year in order to strengthen the connection between history and the present.
The lady from Chemnitz who sent this valuable letter will soon receive a reply - a small but important step towards honoring the history of Meissen. The history lives on and preparations for the new anniversary are already well underway as the city prepares for exciting celebrations next year.