Wednesday, 1 October, 7 to 8.30 pm
Russia, Ukraine, the new Iron Curtain and us. Reading and discussion with Michael Thumann
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, event hall
Participation: free of charge, registration at: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2510130
35 years after German reunification, the hope of a common European home lies in ruins. A new Iron Curtain separates Russia from the rest of the continent, the country is at war with Ukraine.
How did it come to this? How can we understand the background? These questions are highly personal for the historian, foreign policy and Russia expert Michael Thumann.
He began his studies of Eastern European history 40 years ago, which took him to Moscow for the first time in 1986, and since then he has continued to work as Eastern Europe correspondent for the weekly newspaper "ZEIT". In his book "Eisiges Schweigen flussabwärts" he explores the causes of the new European division. As part of the reading, he would like to talk about this.
Thursday, 2 October, 6 to 8.15 pm
Film and discussion: The Unyielding (2021)
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2510160
In his documentary film "Die Unbeugsamen", director Torsten Körner portrays female politicians from the old Federal Republic of Germany who literally had to fight for their participation in democratic decision-making processes.
Female politicians from back then have their say today. Their memories are both funny and bitter, absurd and sometimes frighteningly topical. We invite you to join us for a dialogue on this chronicle of West German history.
Saturday, 4 October, 8.30 to 10.45 a.m.
Bollywood dance - a way of life
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 5.46
Participation: 19.70 euros, registration at: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2523414
Prerequisites: The courses are suitable for beginners as well as experienced Bollywood fans. They can be attended individually or as a series of courses.
Bollywood dance is at least as much fun as it looks in Indian films. You combine steps, gestures and figures into a short dance routine that is easy to memorise to cheerful rhythms. The aim of the course is to enjoy dancing the choreography you have learnt independently. Dance together and experience the Bollywood feeling.
Please bring: comfortable clothes (also Indian), non-slip sports shoes (or barefoot)
Sunday, 5 October, 7 to 8.30 pm
Reading and discussion: "...and there was light! Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel"
Location: SLpB project office, Brückenstraße 10
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2510111
Does peace in the Middle East seem conceivable? Current news reports from the region tell of war and bombings, hunger, grief and countless victims. Without ignoring this reality of war, the journalist and author Igal would like to talk about his book "... and there was light! Jewish-Arab coexistence in Israel".
Igal Avidan travelled around Israel and looked for small signs of peace between Jewish and Arab Israelis - in neighbourhood life, in a kindergarten or choir. In his book, he describes examples of peaceful coexistence that defy hatred and conflict. These stories give the world hope that living together without weapons and walls is possible after the war.
Monday, 6 October to Saturday, 11 October, 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. each day
talentCAMPus
Location: Intercultural Garden, Franz-Mehring-Straße 39
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2525800J
talentCAMPus is an innovative holiday education programme run by the German Adult Education Association for children and young people aged between nine and 14.
During the autumn holidays, two holiday workshops will once again take place at the adult education centre and in the Intercultural Garden for children and young people aged eight to 18.
Here, everything is homemade. You will learn crafts and art techniques from different European countries. Beautiful objects are moulded in the ceramics workshop. You will learn printing techniques and design your own calendars and books. In the garden you will process herbs into delicious herbal salt and tea. In the textile workshop, you will print bags, shirts and scarves. You will discover international games and design your own. At the end, you'll take your home-made treasures home with you.
Monday, 6 October, 2 to 6 pm
Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine: Kugel
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, cooking studio 5.23.0
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2527500
As part of SUKKOT 2025, together with the Days of Jewish Culture, we invite you to a different cookery workshop on Jewish cuisine every day for a week. The speciality: In keeping with the basic idea of the Feast of Tabernacles, we cook for many guests and everyone eats together at the end in and around the Tabernacle in the Stadthallenpark. Get to know the basics and the versatility of Jewish cuisine.
The events are a co-operation between the Days of Jewish Culture and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
Evgenia Naletova is a cook from the Jewish community in Chemnitz. She will be cooking a traditional dish of Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine: kugel (also known as kugl and kigel). There are sweet and savoury variations. In the workshop, the potato kugel, a kind of potato casserole, will be baked. The poet Heinrich Heine, who came from a Jewish family, greatly appreciated this dish and described it in a letter as the "holy national dish" of the Jews. Kugel is traditionally served on Shabbat - on Friday evening or Saturday lunchtime.
Wednesday, 8 October, 6 to 7.30 pm
Climate and humans - What do humans have to do with climate change?
Location: online, registration possible until 8 October, 12 noon at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2533400. You will receive the access data by e-mail at least three hours before the start of the event.
Participation: free of charge
In the webinar series "Climate and Us", Prof Dr Mojib Latif, one of Germany's best-known climate researchers, will talk about human-induced climate change. As Professor of Oceanography and Climate Dynamics at Kiel University and President of the German Club of Rome Society, he is one of the leading voices in the climate debate. His research focuses, among other things, on the role of the oceans in the climate system and the causes and consequences of global warming.
In his lecture, Prof Latif vividly demonstrates how seriously humans are interfering with the climate by emitting greenhouse gases - with far-reaching consequences for the environment, the economy and society. He not only highlights the risks and challenges, but also the opportunities for sustainable transformation that lie in climate protection. His contribution invites you to reflect on your own actions in a scientifically sound, yet understandable and motivating way.
The series of events is part of the "vhs goes green 2" project and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate as part of the National Climate Initiative.
Friday, 10 October, 2 to 6 pm
Jewish-Ashkenazi cuisine: Challah
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, cooking studio 5.23.0
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2527504
The workshop will be held in English.
As part of SUKKOT 2025, together with the Days of Jewish Culture, we invite you to a different cookery workshop on Jewish cuisine every day for a week. What's special: In keeping with the basic idea of the Feast of Tabernacles, we will cook for many guests and everyone will eat together at the end in and around the Tabernacle in the Stadthallenpark. Get to know the basics and the versatility of Jewish cuisine.
The events are a co-operation between the Days of Jewish Culture and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
The two friends Karolina Kašeová and Alžbeta Glancová, who studied Hebrew and Jewish studies, publicise the hidden treasures of Jewish-Ashkenazi cuisine to a wide audience in the Czech Republic through lectures and tastings of delicacies. They recently translated a Jewish vegetarian cookery book originally written in Yiddish and dating from before the Second World War. During the workshop, long-forgotten vegetarian recipes for Jewish staple foods will be reinterpreted: Challah, vegetarian Wiener Schnitzel and Tzimmes.
Saturday, 11 October, 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Fashionable style advice - simply more beautiful through life
Location: Adult Education Centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, Room 4.11
Participation: 66.95 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2525408
Are you sometimes unsure what really suits you? Constantly changing fashion colours, cuts and the suggestion of supposed "must-haves" - none of this makes it easy to find an individual style.
After these interesting lessons, you will know better how to emphasise your charisma, how to select your wardrobe and accessories more specifically, how to avoid bad purchases and how to recombine the contents of your wardrobe.
You will learn about the effect of type-appropriate colours, get to know the styles that suit you and receive tips on hairstyle and make-up.
Please bring your own material/clothing, e.g. dresses, blouses, trousers in different colours and silhouettes.
Monday to Saturday, 13 to 18 October, 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
talentCAMPus
Location: Intercultural Garden, Franz-Mehring-Straße 39
Participation: free of charge, registration at https://www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2525801J
talentCAMPus is an innovative holiday education programme run by the German Adult Education Association for children and young people aged between nine and 14.
During the autumn holidays, two holiday workshops will once again take place at the adult education centre and in the Intercultural Garden for children and young people aged eight to 18.
Here, everything is homemade. You will learn crafts and art techniques from different European countries. Beautiful objects are moulded in the ceramics workshop. You will learn printing techniques and design your own calendars and books. In the garden you will process herbs into delicious herbal salt and tea. In the textile workshop, you will print bags, shirts and scarves. You will discover international games and design your own. At the end, you will take your home-made treasures home with you.
Friday, 17 October, 3.15 to 4.45 pm
City walk: Industrial culture along the Chemnitz - preserving and repurposing monuments
Location: Fabrikstraße/Höhe Bierbrücke
Participation: 8 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2528308
The walk leads along the Chemnitz river, starting at the Bierbrücke and ending at Georgstraße. In this area, there are still numerous architectural reminders of the industrialisation of Chemnitz, which still shape the face of the city today. In addition to the Hartmann Factory, which is now the centre of public attention as the Capital of Culture, other buildings and the adjacent bridges will be presented and explained.
Friday, 17 October, 4 to 6.15 pm
In the colourful autumn forest - a forest experience for families with children aged five and over
Location: Crimmitschau Forest, Botanical Garden car park; Leipziger Straße 147 (meeting point)
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2533105
When autumn arrives, the days get shorter, nature changes and it gets noticeably cooler. The plants and animals prepare for winter. During various activities, everyone gets to know and appreciate the beauty of the autumn forest in a playful way. They go in search of clues, get creative and experience nature with all their senses. An experience for the whole family!
This programme is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.
Saturday, 18 October, 6.45 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Bayreuth, Bad Weißenstadt, Hof - underground
Location: Bus station Karl-Liebknecht-Straße/corner of Georgstraße
Participation: 72.40 euros, registration at: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2528351
(Last free cancellation date: 18 September 2025)
Adit and cellar systems are a tourist trademark of northern Bavarian landscapes. The origins of these mostly multi-phase underground spaces are shrouded in mystery. But they have been used throughout their history.
Under the expert guidance of an employee from the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments, the three-city journey - underground - becomes a special kind of relevant learning and entertainment experience: in the "Star of St Georgen" in Bayreuth, it is easy to lose track and "end up in prison". In Bad Weißenstadt, rock crystals light up the cool darkness. In the catacombs of Hof, things can get spooky. You also explore the question of whether these underground facilities were originally planned and used as beer cellars. Perhaps a solution will be found during the guided tour and tasting at the Meinel brewery in Hof.
Lunch at the Hotel-Restaurant "Zum Waldstein" in Bad Weißenstadt as well as admission and tour fees are not included in the course fee.
Saturday, 18 October, 1 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Guided tour of the Hoheneck Memorial
Location: An der Stalburg 6/7, 09366 Stollberg, OT Hoheneck
Participation: Admission 7.50 euros, reduced 5 euros (to be paid in cash on site)
Registration at: www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2512211
The tour and the discussion with contemporary witnesses provide an introduction to the history of the former Hoheneck prison and shed light on political criminal justice in the GDR. The prison is synonymous with around 24,000 women, some of whom were imprisoned there for political reasons.
The guided tour provides basic information on the history of the building, the lives of the prisoners, the significance of this place in German history and the political background. We invite you to get to know the memorial, which opened in summer 2024.
Monday, 20 October, 7 to 8.30 pm
Organ donation - yes or no? What do I need to know to make a decision?
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2532300
This course will take place at the adult education centre, but will also be broadcast online. If you would like to receive the access data for this, please let us know before the event.
There is a lot of ignorance, uncertainty and misinformation on the subject of organ donation. But everyone is called upon to make a very personal decision: organ donation - yes or no?
This event provides information on the requirements and procedures for organ donation. Among other things, the following topics will be discussed:
- Legal basis of organ donation
- Brain death: What exactly does this mean and how is brain death determined?
- Who decides whether to approve or reject an organ donation?
- Who does what on the way to organ donation?
- Are age and previous illnesses important for organ donation?
After the lecture, there will be time to answer your questions about organ donation.
The speaker, Dr Gunnar Richter, is Head of the Transplantation Officer Unit and works in the Department of Neurology at Chemnitz Hospital.
This event is a co-operation between Klinikum Chemnitz gGmbH and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
Tuesday, 21 October, 4.30 to 6.45 pm
Upcycling and restyling through embroidery
Location: Adult Education Centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, Room 4.12
Participation: 27.70 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2525506
Embroidery is a great way to personalise fabrics and give clothes a new lease of life. In this workshop you will learn various embroidery techniques and realise them directly in your own projects.
No previous experience is required. If you like, bring an item of clothing or fabric to embroider. However, a selection of textiles will be provided.
Tuesday, 21 October, 5 to 8.15 pm
German autumn cuisine
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, cooking studio 5.23.0
Participation: 56.55 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2527200
(Last free cancellation date: 7 October 2025)
Discover the diversity of German autumn cuisine in this course. You will focus on traditional and authentic recipes as well as tried and tested preparation methods of German and old German cuisine. Learn how to make the best use of seasonal ingredients and prepare typical autumn dishes. The course includes both well-known classics and forgotten specialities. Immerse yourself in the original flavours of German autumn with apple, pumpkin and cabbage and expand your culinary knowledge of traditional dishes.
Tuesday, 21 October, 6.45 p.m. to 8.15 p.m.
Volunteering in Chemnitz: My start in volunteering
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.62
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2516020
Personal development, new impulses alongside studies, work or unemployment, compensation from everyday life or the desire for social contacts - there are many reasons for volunteering. The event will highlight key aspects of voluntary work that can make your decision in favour of or against volunteering easier.
Compensation for expenses, insurance and volunteering agreements will also be discussed. The project "Ehrenamt Inklusiv Chemnitz", which aims to make volunteering more accessible and open, will also be presented.
This event is a cooperation between the Volunteer Centre at the Caritas Association for Chemnitz and the surrounding area and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
Tuesday, 21 October, 7 to 8.30 pm
United in discord. The East German Generation Z between two worlds. Reading and discussion with Nora Zabel
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2510135
Germany has been reunited for over 35 years, but the walls in people's minds are far from being dismantled. The gap between East and West seems wider than ever. Nora Zabel addresses precisely these issues in her book "Vereint in Zerrissenheit. Die ostdeutsche Generation Z zwischen zwei Welten", which will be published in October 2025. She describes the hopes, wishes and fears of her generation, which is characterised by both the GDR past and the dynamic interrelationship between East and West. In dialogue with companions from East and West Germany, Nora Zabel traces the causes and backgrounds.
We invite you to a reading and discussion with the author.
Wednesday, 22 October, 7 to 8.30 pm
Exploring modern materials with the electron microscope
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2511010
Functional materials have become an integral part of everyday life. The surface and structure of materials play a key role in determining their properties. High-resolution electron microscopy is used to analyse material surfaces and areas of the near surface. Different types of interaction of electrons with the material surfaces are used for analysis. These possibilities will be illustrated using practical examples of materials.
We invite you on a vivid journey into the micro and nano world of material surfaces.
Wednesdays, 22 October to 26 November 2025, 4 to 7.15 p.m. each day
Family sewing course
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, Room 4.09.1
Participation: 156.45 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2525405
This course is aimed at parents and grandparents who would like to work creatively on a sewing project together with their children and grandchildren.
In a cosy and relaxed atmosphere, you will be inspired by beautiful fabrics and the togetherness of the group. Here you can give free rein to your ideas. Whether it's a jacket or dress, jersey or cotton fabrics, all sewing projects are welcome.
You will learn how to measure your body correctly in order to find the right pattern. Christine Werzner will advise you on the choice of fabrics and yarns. The experienced course instructor will patiently show you how to use the sewing machine and will be on hand with help and advice to help you realise your sewing project. Experience the great feeling of making something of your own together - and perhaps finding an interesting new hobby. Sewing machines are available or can be brought along.
Please bring your own: Scissors, fabric, accessories, sewing thread for the sewing machine, pins, sewing needles, tape measure, ruler, square, tailor's chalk
Wednesday, 22 October, 5 to 6.30 pm
On a lion safari - Chemnitz and its coat of arms
Location: Entrance to the New Town Hall, Markt 1 (meeting point)
Participation: 8 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2528409
The Chemnitz city coat of arms can be found on many facades and perhaps soon also on manhole covers. Whether as a mosaic, in sandstone or metal, the coats of arms speak of the pride of the builders in their city and are a piece of cultural history in their design. Go on a lion safari in Chemnitz.
Thursday, 23 October, 5 to 7.15 p.m.
High sensitivity - what is it?
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.21
Participation: 12.30 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2532206
An estimated 15 to 20 per cent of the world's population are born highly sensitive and bring this talent into our society, usually courageously but often underestimated. However, the hectic pace and pressure to perform are stressful for these people and can sometimes even have a detrimental effect on their health. Although high sensitivity can be a gift, it is unfortunately still often ridiculed and little respected.
This course takes a closer look at the topic of high sensitivity in order to understand people with high sensitivity a little better and to be able to visualise their potential.
Friday 24 October, 5 to 8.15 p.m. and Saturday 25 October, 10 a.m. to 6.45 p.m.
Intensive calligraphy course
Location: Adult Education Centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.09.1
Participation: 87.49 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2524309
Prerequisites: Basic calligraphy course or comparable knowledge
Immerse yourself in the fascinating art of beautiful writing. Here you will learn to utilise and expand your creative possibilities based on the knowledge gained in the basic course. With imaginative suggestions and offers, you will create your own imaginative calligraphy. A friendly atmosphere in exchange with like-minded people is guaranteed and inspiring at the same time.
Monday, 27 October, 5 to 6.30 pm
From fasting day to fasting cure: lecture on different forms of fasting
Location: Adult education centre in the TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.20
Participation: 9.20 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2532505
In recent years, the word "fasting" has become increasingly common in the vernacular. It is not always clear what exactly is meant by this, as there are very different forms of fasting. In this course, you will find out what these are, how they are differentiated and what distinguishes fasting from a diet. You will learn about the most common types of fasting and their special features. At the end of this evening, you will have a real understanding of the word "fasting" and perhaps the desire to (re)integrate fasting into your everyday life.
Tuesday, 28 October, 7 to 8.30 p.m.
Autonomous driving with artificial intelligence
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2511020
Cars and buses that don't need drivers: These are visions of autonomous driving that are still dreams of the future. The lecture will discuss current research questions on autonomous driving. What problems do cars and mobile robots face when they have to find their way around a complex environment on their own? This is also known as "Moravec's paradox": computers find it easy to do things that are difficult for humans, but they do not achieve the sensory and motor skills of a child.
Prof Dr Peter Protzel conducts research into these questions at Chemnitz University of Technology and will provide an insight into autonomous driving on this evening.
Wednesday, 29 October, 6 to 7.30 pm
What should sport achieve? A critical-theoretical view
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2510010
The integrative power of sport makes it a projection surface for political interests. How do political actors influence sports clubs? What is the significance of the idea of "non-political sport"? And is it even possible to separate sport and social developments?
The event addresses these questions. Away from the omnipresent (men's) professional football, the relationship between sport and politics in the amateur sector will be put up for discussion.
Thursday, 30 October, 6 to 8.15 pm
Camera Sensitive - Psychiatry in Film: On the Adamant
Location: Adult education centre at TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2532215
The event will show the feature film "On the Adamant" (France, Japan 2023) by Nicolas Philibert.
About the film: Like an elegant wooden ship, the Adamant is anchored on the right bank of the Seine in the heart of Paris. This unique day clinic, which opened in 2010, welcomes adults with mental disorders who receive therapeutic counselling, but above all develop their creativity here: They write chansons, organise film festivals, write poetry, paint and draw. Every day, the Adamant team demonstrates how it is possible to approach people with mental illness openly and with an open mind in times when the healthcare system is in crisis. Sensitive observations and conversations with the Adamant "passengers" result in a light-footed portrait of an institution whose existence gives hope. A utopian place of humanity in the centre of Paris.
French filmmaker Nicolas Philibert has been one of Europe's greatest documentary filmmakers since his popular success BEING AND HAVING. He was awarded the festival's main prize, the Golden Bear, at the 2023 Berlinale for THE ADAMANT. (Source: https: //grandfilm.de/auf-der-adamant/)
This event is part of a project by the Landesverband Gemeindepsychiatrie Sachsen e V. for more education and exchange about mental illness and to combat stigmatisation and discrimination against people with mental illness.
The film screening is being organised in cooperation with VIP Chemnitz e. V. and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
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.
Current information at www.vhs-chemnitz.de