Renate Aris and Fred Richter receive Federal Order of Merit

Great recognition for two committed personalities from Chemnitz

Lord Mayor Sven Schulze with the two honourees Renate Aris and Fred Richter. Picture: Nikolai Schmidt

Renate Aris and Fred Richter were honoured with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dresden. The ceremonial presentation was made by Minister President Michael Kretschmer in the Saxon State Chancellery. Lord Mayor Sven Schulze was also present.

Renate Aris (90) has been working for decades as a contemporary witness against forgetting. She reaches young people throughout Saxony and beyond with her reports on the Nazi era. She also played a key role in the rebuilding of the Jewish community in Chemnitz and supported the integration of Jewish immigrants.

As an amateur palaeontologist and long-standing chairman of the Friends of the Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz e. V., Fred Richter (85) has rendered outstanding services to natural history research. He donated his extensive palaeobotanical collection to the museum - a lasting contribution to science and education.

The City of Chemnitz warmly congratulates him on this special honour for his admirable commitment.