Masters celebration in Oberhof: 112 craft professionals honored and celebrated!

Masters celebration in Oberhof: 112 craft professionals honored and celebrated!

In the heart of Thuringia, more precisely in the AHORN Panorama Hotel in Oberhof, craftsmanship was celebrated on November 13, 2025. The South Thuringia Chamber of Crafts honored no fewer than 112 new masters from 13 different trades. This celebratory master's award took place as part of a special event: the 34th master's celebration, which also celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Chamber of Crafts. Under the motto “Mastery through Generations,” numerous guests of honor and graduates gathered to share this significant moment.

President Mike Kämmer opened the event and highlighted the outstanding role of the Chamber of Crafts since its founding in 1900. He praised the efforts of the graduates and described the master craftsman certificate as a “seal of quality for German craftsmanship”. Thuringia's Prime Minister Prof. Mario Voigt was also present as a guest of honor and emphasized the economic importance of crafts for the region. Voigt also happily announced that master craftsman training will be free from January 1, 2026, which is a great relief for many aspiring craftsmen.

Awards and honors

Together with Kämmer, Voigt handed over the master's certificates and honored the best graduates. The achievements of the award winners in various trades were particularly noteworthy. Here is an overview of the awarded champions in 2025:

• Elektrotechnikerhandwerk: Pascal Knott, Breitungen
• Fleischerhandwerk: Celine Schütz, Windischleuba
• Holzbildhauerhandwerk: Michael Dominik, Gotha
• Installateur- und Heizungsbauerhandwerk: Florian Schulze, Großburschla
• Kraftfahrzeugtechnikerhandwerk: Daniel Schorr, Straufhain
• Land- und Baumaschinenmechatronikerhandwerk: Thomas Keiner, Christes
• Maler- und Lackiererhandwerk: Sven Pchaik, Schmalkalden
• Geprüfte Betriebswirtin: Natalie Falkenhain, Bad Kissingen
• Gestalterin im Handwerk: Anne Brahmann, Dobel

The celebrations were enriched by impressive show acts. A laser show and a documentary film about the Chamber of Crafts amazed everyone. Anja Mann and Vinzenz Heinze set musical accents and rounded off the festive evening. Master painter and varnisher Constanze Schünecke took the floor and said words of thanks on behalf of the class. Moderator Daniel Ebert led the event with charm and opened the after-show party, which certainly offered some unforgettable moments.

A look at master training

The master's training itself consists of four parts, which can be completed in any order. However, education experts recommend taking Part III (Economics) before Parts I (Subject Practice) and II (Subject Theory) to ensure a smooth transition. The Leipzig Chamber of Crafts offers various options, from full-time to part-time courses, which is a flexible solution for many. Planning is particularly important in order to get through the training without long breaks, especially for those who would like to make use of funding opportunities such as BAföG. All of this shows that crafts not only represent an important economic pillar, but also have a positive and lasting influence on society.

The celebration in Oberhof and the resulting perspectives impressively demonstrate the vitality and value of craftsmanship in our region. At the same time, the new masters not only encourage further training, but also an appreciation of the craftsmanship in Thuringia.