Monday, 3 March, 6.30 to 8 p.m.
Travelling in Russia as a SPIEGEL correspondent: Journalistic insights
Location: online, registration until 3 March, 12 noon. You will receive the access data by e-mail at least three hours before the start of the event.
Participation: free of charge,
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2510020
Since the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the pressure on journalists has grown considerably. How can they still work in the country, under what conditions can they travel and conduct research? What does their work look like on the ground? On this evening, journalist Christina Hebel will talk about her everyday life as a journalist and the topics she covers.
Christina Hebel is SPIEGEL's Moscow correspondent and has been reporting from Russia for more than eight years. She has headed the SPIEGEL office in Moscow since April 2022.
Thursday, 6 March, 6.45 to 8.15 pm
The fire salamander - small amphibians with high-visibility vests
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2533100
Many myths and legends once surrounded the fire salamander. It was said that its poison could kill people or that it could put out fires. This is, of course, superstition, but it shows how much this small tailed creature has fascinated people since time immemorial. On this evening, we invite you to explore the hidden habitat of the fire salamander. In the richly illustrated lecture, the way of life, distribution and endangerment of the amphibian species will be presented.
This event is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.
Fridays, 7 March to 11 April, 5 to 6 p.m. each day
Autogenic training for more balance in everyday life
Location: TIETZ, course room 5.31
Participation: 65.60 euros
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2532101
Are you longing for more peace, relaxation and time for yourself in these increasingly hectic times and want to do something good for yourself? In this course you will learn the relaxation technique of autogenic training under professional guidance. This relaxation method is based on your own imagination. This knowledge will enable you in future to put yourself and your own body into a state of relaxation and to use the method on your own initiative. This can alleviate physical and psychological complaints and have a positive effect on your own well-being.
Please bring: comfortable clothing, non-slip socks/warm socks, a towel, a drink.
Saturday, 8 March, 11.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday, 15 March, 9.30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Dance QiGong: The harmony of flowing movements
Location: TIETZ, course room 5.33
Participation: 25,20 Euro
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2531300
Dance meets QiGong and Taijiquan: an experience to discover the harmony of flowing movements. This course combines Tai Chi, QiGong, the principles of movement theory and a pinch of dance. The interplay between the two sides of the body and between the upper body and lower limbs is particularly emphasised - like a dancing spiral in space. The course is an invitation to continuous creative development. New participants are welcome at any time. No previous experience is required.
Please bring: comfortable sportswear, light trainers/socks.
Tuesday, 11 March, 5 to 7.15 pm
Become a pantry pro: How a food supply protects and provides
Location: TIETZ, cookery studio 5.23.0
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2533200
Whether it's extreme weather, a lack of electricity or an accident: exceptional situations change our everyday lives abruptly. What is the best way to prepare for them? With a well thought-out food supply, you can ensure that you are optimally supplied. You will learn how to do this in this course. The whole thing is rounded off with a meal together.
The event is a cooperation between the Saxony Consumer Advice Centre and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre. It is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.
Wednesdays, 12 March to 16 April, 5 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. each day
The practice of meditation: an introduction
Location: TIETZ, course room 5.31
Participation: 8 euros
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2532102
This course is aimed at people who want to do something good for their body and soul and take time out to relax. You will practise light physical exercises (gymnastics) and breathing awareness as well as having times of silence while sitting and walking.
The Christian practice of meditation is the basis of the short impulses and spoken instructions. These are formulated and designed in such a way that they are suitable for people of the Christian religion and for all those interested in spirituality.
Please bring comfortable clothing, warm socks and a drink.
Sunday, 16 March, 3 to 5.15 pm
Off to the forest! A forest experience for families with children aged 5 and over
Meeting point: Crimmitschau Forest, Botanical Garden car park
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2533102
The forest is a perfect playground for the whole family. There is plenty to explore and adventures to experience. With exciting activities, we will go on a journey of discovery together for around three kilometres, look for animal tracks, listen to the sounds of the forest, have fun, play games and get creative.
This programme is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.
Tuesday, 18 March, 4 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
Contradicting conspiracy narratives - digital argumentation and action training
Location: online, register by 18 March, 12 noon. You will receive the access data by e-mail at least three hours before the start of the event.
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2510200
Whether in voluntary work, at work or in their private lives, many people are confronted with conspiracy theory positions and ask themselves how they can deal with them, formulate their own position and still remain in contact with their counterparts. This digital argumentation and action training programme teaches techniques for dealing with conspiracy narratives. A sound background knowledge and an examination of the functions of conspiracy thinking will help, as will a joint exchange of strategies and difficulties in personal interaction. You are welcome to contribute your own experiences and questions.
The event is a co-operation between Courage - Werkstatt für demokratische Bildungsarbeit e. V., the Saxon sponsor of the nationwide Network for Democracy and Courage (NDC) and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
It is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.
Tuesday, 18 March, 6.45 p.m. to 8.15 p.m.
The seven lives of Stefan Heym. A graphic novel as an orientation guide for young people
Location: TIETZ, vhs course room 5.38
Participation: 11,50 Euro
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2528702
The development of the book - from the idea of a biography in pictures to the selection of photos and texts, research, storyboard development, realisation in picture styles and drawings to completion with texts and speech bubbles.
Tuesday, 18 March, 7 to 8.30 pm
Escape stories from the GDR. Exhibition opening and discussion with contemporary witnesses
Venue: Kaßberg Prison Learning and Memorial Centre, Kaßbergstraße 16c
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2512019
From 18 March 2025, the special exhibition "Shot while fleeing - remembering the victims of the GDR border regime in Saxony-Anhalt" will be shown at the Kaßberg Prison Learning and Memorial Site. The exhibition provides information about the GDR border regime and lists all known deaths with a connection to Saxony-Anhalt. At the opening, contemporary witnesses Veronika Brandt and Michael Teupel talk about their experiences of fleeing.
Veronika Brandt wanted to cross the Hungarian-Yugoslavian border to the West as a young woman in 1968. She was imprisoned in Budapest, Berlin-Hohenschönhausen, Magdeburg and Stendal. Michael Teupel was imprisoned in the Red Ox in Halle and in Brandenburg-Görden at the age of 18 after an escape attempt. In 1982, he was released from the GDR via Kaßberg to West Germany as part of the prisoner release programme.
How did the two of them feel about life in the GDR? What were the reasons for their planned escape? How did they fare in prison and afterwards? Dr Teresa Tammer, Deputy Saxon State Commissioner for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship, will moderate the event.
The event is a cooperation between the Kaßberg Prison Learning and Memorial Centre, the Institute of Political Science at Chemnitz University of Technology and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre. It is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament and supported by the Saxon State Commissioner for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship.
Thursday, 20 March, 5 to 6.30 pm
Happy snacks for everyday life
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.21
Participation: 11.40 euros
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2532206
This course will sensitise you to the possibility of happiness in everyday life. You will learn practical exercises for every day to recognise and appreciate moments of happiness. The course offers a mixture of theory and practice, focussing on integrating small, easy-to-implement "happiness snacks" into everyday life and thus increasing your personal sense of happiness in the long term.
This offer is also suitable as preparation for the two-day course "The Art of Happiness: Create your personal happiness formula in two days".
Thursday, 20 March, 6 to 7.30 pm
Icy silence downstream: Russia and its neighbours. Reading and discussion
Venue: TIETZ, event hall
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2510024
The German-Russian relationship cannot be understood without a historical and current look at the Russian neighbourhood and its border regions. How do people from Eastern Europe and Central Asia see Russia and how does this perception differ from the German view?
Michael Thumann, bestselling author and foreign affairs correspondent for DIE ZEIT, would like to discuss this with you.
The event is a cooperation between the Chemnitz Project Office of the Saxon State Centre for Political Education and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
Monday, 24 March, 6 to 8.15 pm
Women in a divided Germany: exhibition and discussion
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2510100
The division of Germany has been history for over three decades. Nevertheless, there are still many clichés that are attributed to women from East and West Germany. From the "little home at the cooker" or the tough career woman in the West or the ravenous mother in the East because she gave her children to the crèche. The East German woman is sometimes seen as a loser, sometimes as a winner of German unity. The list of attributions is long.
The exhibition "Women in Divided Germany" organised by the Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the Past and the panel discussion will explore the question of where these attributions come from. And what is there to them? The aim is to visualise the diverse experiences of women and their German-German realities.
This event is a cooperation between the Evangelisches Forum Chemnitz and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
Tuesdays, 25 March to 13 May, 5 to 6.30 p.m. each day
Yin yoga and somatic relaxation
Location: TIETZ, course room 5.46
Participation: 71 euros
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2531116
In this course, somatic yin yoga is practised with playful movement flows and elements from bodywork. Somatic Yin Yoga is practised slowly and gently, whereby the movements are mainly performed lying down and also with eyes closed, so that sensory awareness and body perception are strengthened. The practice promotes and supports the regulation of the nervous system between tension and relaxation, leaving space to savour and feel your own sensations.
Please bring comfortable clothing, warm socks, a towel and a drink.
Tuesday, 25 March, 6 to 7.30 pm
What makes good learning. A historical review and an invitation to a discussion
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2511010
Schools and education are changing rapidly and present parents, educators and society with a variety of challenges. From the influence of artificial intelligence to the possibilities of integration and inclusion, from the strengthening of the individual to the importance of a social community - education and learning are subject to constant change. The question remains: What constitutes good learning?
In the search for answers, a look back at educational concepts and ideas from recent years and decades can be useful. Right after 1989/1990, Barbara Ludwig and other co-founders of the Chemnitz School Model (CSM) were already thinking about this. They thought about a new type of school and brought it to life in 1990. What goals were they pursuing at the time and what did and do they understand by good learning?
This measure is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.
Wednesday, 26 March, 7 to 8.30 pm
For discussion: Japan as a laboratory for ageing societies
Venue: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2511020
When demographic change and ageing societies are discussed in Germany or Europe, Japan is often used as a point of comparison. The Japanese are one of the oldest populations in the world. A high life expectancy with a great need for care, a shortage of carers, high costs, the use of robots or shūkatsu, the self-optimised planning of one's own end of life, are widely discussed in Japan.
The lecture explores these issues and provides an insight into how Japan is dealing with the ageing society. Dr Dorothea Mladenova is a Japanologist and has been researching the topics of the evening for many years. In 2023, she published her dissertation "Self-optimisation until death. Active end-of-life planning in Japan".
Wednesday, 26 March, 5 to 6.30 pm
Voluntary work in the justice system: legal support
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2516010
This course will provide you with basic knowledge about legal guardianship. You will learn about the requirements for legal guardianship and who you can turn to for help and support. Voluntary guardianship can involve looking after a family member, but it can also involve looking after someone else who is in need of help.
As voluntary care takes precedence over professional care, we are always on the lookout for citizens who are willing to take on this role. The Association for Legal Care has the task of informing these volunteers and supporting them in their work.
Thursday and Friday, 27 and 28 March, 7 to 8.30 p.m. each day
Mindful through everyday life
Location: Course room 4.21
Participation: 30.80 euros
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2532210
Our everyday lives are filled with tasks and routine processes. There is often little time to "catch our breath". We are constantly thinking about tomorrow and what still needs to be done, or we are too preoccupied with the past. Constantly thinking about the future or the past is already an unconscious stress factor.
This course provides guidance on how to increase awareness of your own environment and develop different reactions to it. This requires contact with the body and the ability to be mindful and stay in the present. Then the mind comes to rest and relaxation becomes possible.
The course offers suggestions and exercises for finding inner peace in everyday life, tackling challenges more calmly and thus reducing stress levels.
Please bring comfortable sportswear.
Thursday, 27 March, 6 to 7.30 pm
vhs-Klimatreff: Think globally, act locally.
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.62
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2533201
The Chemnitz Adult Education Centre and the Saxony Consumer Advice Centre invite you to a climate meeting once a month under the motto "Sustainability connects". The format provides a framework for all Chemnitz residents who want to learn more about climate protection and sustainability and stay up to date. The aim of the regulars' table is to build a climate-conscious community in Chemnitz that offers the opportunity for networking, regular dialogue and discussion of current issues affecting Chemnitz and the region. The aim is to find ways to work together for a climate-friendly Chemnitz.
This month, the Environmental Centre and the Local Agenda introduce themselves with the following content:
Climate protection, resource conservation, species protection - what big and complex tasks! The good news is that there are concrete approaches, ways and means to achieve this locally. The Environmental Centre and the Local Agenda are trying to build bridges and hold discussions. For example, contact with the ecosystem is strengthened, knowledge promoted, scope for action clarified, community strengthened or collective action taken. Melanie Hartwig, Head of the Environmental Centre, will show you which topics are currently topical and what is being done about them. Afterwards, we will be happy to discuss your approaches and needs in relation to climate protection.
The event is a cooperation between the Saxony Consumer Advice Centre and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre. It is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget adopted by the Saxon state parliament.
Friday, 28 March, 3 to 6 p.m.
Career counselling in working life: Open consultation hours for career counselling for adults
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.18
Participation: free of charge
Course link: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S255B000
Pre-registration is not required.
Do you have questions about your individual career planning? If you are employed or returning to work, you can get advice on this at the adult education centre: Every fourth Thursday of the month, from 3 pm to 6 pm, there is an open consultation time for individual discussions on site. The careers advisors will advise you on issues relating to further education, work, jobs and careers, developments on the labour market and opportunities to return to work after parental or care leave.
Monday, 31 March, 7 to 8.30 p.m.
East German grandparents and their grandchildren in dialogue: Reading with Sabine Michel and Dörte Grimm
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge
Kurslink: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-S2510120
Christiana did not sign the voluntary commitment in 1961 and as a consequence she was not allowed to take up her dream degree programme. Ulla stood at the railway station that night with a poster asking her husband to get off the train to West Germany. Ernst, who had decided not to have a church wedding because of his work in the army, was only able to make up for it 25 years later. East German grandparents tell their grandchildren born after 1982 about painful experiences, inner struggles, their own guilt and shattered dreams. They often kept quiet about it for decades. For their new book "Es ist einmal", authors Sabine Michel and Dörte Grimm brought the two generations into dialogue with each other. Many insights into the reality of life in the GDR were completely new to the younger generation. This resulted in a completely new understanding of many a decision or the attitude of their grandparents.
What view of the world do people develop who have now experienced three different social systems? What feelings and longings are passed down through the generations in families - even unconsciously? How much of the "East" is still in the children of the post-reunification era? The authors pose this question in the foreword to their book, which is a continuation of their successful first joint publication "Die anderen Leben. Generationsgespräche Ost" (2023). After the reading, we cordially invite you to talk to the authors and share your own experiences.
About the authors: Sabine Michel is a director, filmmaker and author for cinema, television and theatre. She was awarded the Grimme Prize in 2012. She has been a member of the German Film Academy since 2019. Dörte Grimm writes children's books, shoots documentaries and works for television. She has been involved in the Perspektive hoch drei/Dritte Generation Ostdeutschland association since 2015. The book "Es ist einmal. East German grandparents and their grandchildren in conversation" is available free of charge for Saxon citizens at the book centre of the Saxon State Centre for Political Education.
This event is a cooperation between the Saxon State Centre for Political Education and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre as part of the "Controversial on Site" project.
Information from the adult education centre:
Prior registration is important for all courses and events. This can be done by telephone on 0371 488-4343,
by e-mail to info(at)vhs-chemnitz.de or online via the registration link provided in the course information.
If an event is already fully booked, it is possible to be placed on the waiting list without obligation. Up-to-date information is available at www.vhs-chemnitz.de.