Freiberg's honorary citizen Arnd Böttcher: A life for the city!

Freiberg's honorary citizen Arnd Böttcher: A life for the city!

Freiberg, Deutschland - In Freiberg, a very special honor was recently given. Arnd Böttcher, the former mayor of the city, received an entry in the Golden Book and thus due respect for his decades of commitment. Born in Freiberg in 1943, Böttcher is not only a locally anchored citizen, but also left numerous traces as a doctorate. From 1970 to 1990 he worked at the German Fuel Institute (DBI) before taking over the mayor's office in 1990, which he held until 2009. In his eulogy, a companion not only praised his merits, but also emphasized the challenges that the city has mastered in recent decades.

What is the German fuel institute?

The DBI has an eventful story that goes back until the foundation on November 1, 1956. As a research institute of the GDR coal and energy industry, his main focus was on basic research and practice-oriented studies, especially with regard to lignite, which was of crucial importance for the energy supply and chemical industry of the GDR. This fuel was a real jack of thousands that served as an important source of energy.

The development of the DBI

The institute was founded in Freiberg, not least because of the proximity to the Freiberg Bergakademie, which had been active as a research institution for lignite since 1924. In particular through Böttcher's work, many departments contributed to scientific and technological progress. In the 1970s, the DBI was subordinate to the VEB gas combination black pump, which meant that around 1000 employees worked there and worked in areas such as geology, mechanical engineering and coal finishing.

The DBI was known for its innovative approaches, developed procedures for material use and coal gasification and worked in international research bodies, especially in the Council for Mutual Economic Aid, which was still underlining its relevance in the industry.

A new building of the institute between 1961 and 1964 comprised office space, laboratories and test facilities for around 600 employees and cost 35 million marks. Even if the DBI has been restructured several times over the years and finally converted to the German fuel institute GmbH, the importance of this institution remains undisputed. The transition to successor organizations shows how dynamic and adaptable the institute was in order to adapt to the changing political and economic conditions.

The influence of Arnd Böttcher

During his term as mayor, Böttcher achieved a lot for the city of Freiberg. His experiences and training are not only useful for the city, but also represent a bridge to developments in the field of energy and research. In his time at the DBI, Böttcher has laid the foundations for innovative developments that continue to work.

For further insights and historical details, take a look at the reporting of Free press , as well as the comprehensive information in the article of the wikipedia-artikles and the historical records of the German digital library .