Bochum-Wattenscheid.
Four carol singers from Bochum-Wattenscheid represent the Ruhr diocese of Essen at the Chancellor’s reception in Berlin. You’re already excited.
As representatives of the diocese of Essen, four carol singers from Wattenscheid will travel to Berlin on Thursday, January 5, to the reception at the Chancellery. After the 2022 edition, which was small due to the corona situation, carol singer groups from all over Germany will be guests at Scholz for the first time.
Journey leads Sternsinger from Wattenscheid to Berlin
Together with Mariella (12), Lilly (15) and Thea (12), 13-year-old Tale forms this group. And before they bring the blessing for the new year to the government headquarters with a crown, star and brand new robes and advertise children’s aid projects, they want to visit the capital with their two companions the day before.
Upset? “Yes, yes,” says Tale. After all, when do you meet the Federal Chancellor? And despite professional preparation by the Kindermissionswerk “Die Sternsinger”, one does not know exactly how it will turn out with 108 carol singers from all over Germany, lots of photo and camera teams, the heads of the Kindermissionswerk and the Bund der Deutschen Katholische Jugend ( BDKJ) – and the chancellor, say the four girls and their two carers from the parish of St. Gertrud von Brabant in Wattenscheid.
Carolinger reception at Chancellor Scholz
At the carol singer reception, children and young people from all German dioceses do the honor of singing about Christmas, bringing the New Year’s blessing into the house and, this year, above all to promote the worldwide protection of children from violence – the world’s largest solidarity campaign by children for children , for which the carol singers stand.
Until they took the traditional group photo next to Scholz, Tale, Lilly, Mariella and Thea had practiced songs the day before. But thanks to the music files sent on their mobile phones in advance, they are confident of hitting the right note at the joint dress rehearsal with all the carol singer groups on the evening before the Chancellor’s reception. “If necessary, we’ll practice a little more on the train,” says Katja Kanthack with a smile. She will accompany the group to Berlin together with Andrea Huber.
They also have the brand new velvety robes of the St. Gertrud parish in their luggage. A member of the community – a trained master tailor – has tailored these voluntarily for the Wattenscheid carol singers in the past few months. “The children have grown up, so the old clothes were too small,” says Kanthack. Of course, the robes weren’t just for the chancellor’s visit – but now the group is particularly well equipped for the appointment in Berlin.
Wattenscheid community in Berlin for the second time
The fact that the Wattenscheid women in particular represent the Ruhr diocese there is thanks – in addition to a portion of luck – to community officer Renate Aßheuer, who organizes the carol singers campaign in St. Gertrud. “Every year there is a riddle in the materials of the Carolingian work. I filled it out in the fall and sent it off – and then we were drawn by lot.” As early as 2004 – at that time still under Chancellor Schröder – the Sternsingerwerk had already chosen their community to represent the Ruhr diocese.
At that time Aßheuer had accompanied the group herself, now she has given this task to the two carol singer mothers Kanthack and Huber. So Aßheuer can now take care of the Wattenscheid carol singers campaign. “We’re on the road for half a day on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.” After the visit to the Federal Chancellor, the four girls can continue carol singing in their home community: with three new songs in their repertoire – and their well-travelled star.
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