Monday, 1 September, 6.30 to 8 p.m.
Travelling in Russia as a SPIEGEL correspondent: Journalistic insights
Location: Online event
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-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.
Monday, 1 September, 6.45 to 8.15 pm
Modern Hebrew/Ivrit - basic course A1.1
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.59
Participation: 122,00 Euro, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/fremdsprachen/modernes-hebraeisch-ivrit/modernes-hebraeisch-ivrit-grundkurs-a1-1-557-C-W254MH01
This course is an introduction to Modern Hebrew (Ivrit). Based on a communicative approach, participants are introduced to the alphabet and build up a basic vocabulary for everyday situations and simple conversations.
Thursday, 4 September, 7 to 8.30 pm
Discover Stefan Heym. Graphic novels about Stefan Heym. Exhibition opening
Venue: TIETZ, event hall
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-W2510171
The exhibition shows a large selection of student works on the works of Stefan Heym. Gerald Richter and Marian Kretschmer received the 2021 and 2024 Stefan Heym Award for the conception of their youth art project and involved twelve educational institutions from Chemnitz and Central Saxony, in which they worked with the graphic novel "The Seven Lives of Stefan Heym" and the film "Heymkehr". Pupils have illustrated works by Heym, which are presented in the exhibition together with originals of the graphic novel.
Vernissage with a tour of the exhibition with Ulrike Uhlig from the Stefan Heym Society and the creators of the graphic novel "The Seven Lives of Stefan Heym" Gerald Richter and Marian Kretschmer - with musical accompaniment by the duo Lintonix (vocals/piano) with young singer Katja Burghart (guitar/piano)
Friday, 5 September, 6 to 7.30 pm
Arguing instead of fighting. On the depth psychology of serious arguments
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-W2511100
Current social debates are sometimes characterised by hatred, conflict and violence. This lecture explores the causes. After an introductory conceptual distinction between fighting and quarrelling, depth psychological theories will be applied first to personal and later to social conflict scenarios.
The focus is not only on superficial differences between the parties involved, but also on fundamental differences. Finally, initial ideas will be developed on how these seemingly abstract theories can be put into practice in everyday small and large-scale disputes.
The event is a co-operation between SWK-Chemnitz e. V. and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
Monday, 8 September, 7 to 8.30 pm
Digitalisation in East Germany: Computer use in the GDR and its aftermath
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-W2511000
The use of computers also rapidly gained in importance in the GDR from the end of the 1950s. Computer centres in particular took over digital data processing. Chemnitz, then still Karl-Marx-Stadt, was an early stronghold of GDR computer production as the centre of the office machine industry.
The lecture traces the development of computer use in the GDR. What tasks did the mainframe computers fulfil? What consequences or unintended side effects did their use have? Dr Martin Schmitt, an expert in digital history at the University of Paderborn, will address these questions. We invite you to come and talk to him.
Tuesdays, 9 September to 16 December, 10 to 11.30 a.m.
Every life is worth a story. Biographical writing -NEW-
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.21
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2536140
"I could write a whole book about what I've experienced." Do you feel the same way?
Just as every person is unique, so is every biography. Writing them down is an excellent way to get in touch with yourself. This involves questions such as: How did I live? What have I experienced? How did I become the person I am today?
This course gives you the opportunity to look at yourself and your own history in a different, even more benevolent way. From today's perspective, you can look back on the highs and lows of your life to date. Writing down your own biography may also open up new perspectives for the future.
All you need for the course is an interest in writing and the desire to tell yourself or others about your own story.
Tuesday, 9 September, 7 to 8.30 pm
Reading and discussion on "The Mortal God. Power and rule in the Tsarist Empire"
Venue: TIETZ, event hall
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-S2510023
The historian Prof Dr Jörg Baberowski tells Russia's history from the perspective of rule and its constraints. Russia's rulers have always portrayed themselves as all-powerful autocrats who ruled their country with an iron fist. In reality, however, this staging was only a façade behind which the weakness of the state could be concealed. The Tsarist multi-ethnic empire was a fragile entity that had been ruled by improvisation ever since Peter I had opened it up to the West. But how did the tsars and their bureaucracy manage to successfully hold together a multi-ethnic, poorly integrated empire for two centuries?
The mortal god, as Thomas Hobbes called the Leviathan, lives from the illusion of stability and unshakeability. But the mortal god is vulnerable. He rests on preconditions that he himself must guarantee. This is what this book is about: crises and how to overcome them. In this respect, the story also points beyond Russia: because it questions the foundations of state and social orders and shows how quickly they can disintegrate. Anyone who wants to understand what power and rule are and why they took on different forms in Russia than in Western Europe can find answers in this historical volume.
We invite you to a reading and discussion with Prof Dr Jörg Baberowski. He is Professor of Eastern European History at Humboldt University in Berlin and the author of numerous books and essays on Russian and Soviet history.
The event is a co-operation between the Political Education Forum of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Saxony and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
Wednesday, 10 September, 3.30 to 5 p.m.
Learning more easily with brain gymnastics: parent-child course
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.21
Participation: 8.30 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2534200
Brain gymnastics (Brain-Gym®) helps children and adults to learn better. The exercises help to connect the brain and bring the left and right hemispheres of the brain into harmony - for better writing, reading, arithmetic, concentration and self-organisation.
In the course, you will learn some of the Brain-Gym® movements and practise them together with your child. You will also gain background knowledge, for example on the characteristics of the cerebral hemispheres and the changes that occur when you are under stress. After the course, you can carry out the first exercises together with your child at home - for example before homework or in preparation for performance reviews and class tests.
Brain Gym® is suitable for children and adults of all ages. Children pay the reduced course fee.
Wednesday, 10 September, 7 to 8.30 p.m.
Crises, wars, competition: Where does Germany stand in the new world order?
Location: Project office of the State Centre for Political Education, Brückenstraße 10
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-W2510112
How can the current news of the day about the world situation be categorised? As the world's fourth largest economy and a strategic partner in Europe and the world, Germany has considerable influence, but as an exporting country it is also particularly dependent on the global situation. Dr Christoph von Marschall, journalist, author and diplomatic correspondent for the chief editor of "Der Tagesspiegel (Berlin)", will discuss current issues and reports on Germany's role in international politics. We invite you to a lecture and discussion.
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.
Thursday, 11 September, 6.45 p.m. to 8.15 p.m.
Family mentors and foster parents - people with heart and time wanted!
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.21
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2534300
Many families would like to have individual support for their children from another carer in order to find relief in everyday life. These families are to be strengthened by providing them with voluntary family mentors. As a family mentor, you can be a companion when you regularly "give time" to a child to discover the world together in age- and child-appropriate activities.
For a variety of reasons, many girls and boys cannot grow up in their own family. They need a new safe place where they can be lovingly cared for. A foster family could be such a place of security. In order for these children to find a good home, either temporarily or permanently, it is important that there are enough foster families available. Unfortunately, there are too few foster parents for this demanding task in Chemnitz.
We would like to encourage and support people to open their hearts and their homes to a foster child. Can you imagine taking in a stranger's child and helping them grow up as a foster carer or foster parent?
In this event, you will receive comprehensive information about the path, the requirements and the task of being a volunteer family mentor and foster parent.
This event is a co-operation between the Caritasverband für Chemnitz und Umgebung e. V. and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre.
Thursday, 11 September, 7 to 8.30 p.m.
Does democracy still need parties? Between disenchantment with politics and a new culture of participation
Venue: TIETZ, course room 4.07
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-W2510110
Parties have long been regarded as indispensable pillars of democracy, playing a central role in democratic processes and decisions. But their reputation is dwindling. Too elitist, too opaque, too fixated on power? Many people no longer feel represented by traditional parties and their structures.
This evening will examine the functions of parties in democracy. The event will take a look at the history, tasks and criticism of parties. What characterises the current debates on the future of the party landscape? Are there alternatives, reforms or new ways of political participation? The lecture and discussion will invite an open exchange.
This event is a cooperation between the Saxon State Centre for Political Education and the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre as part of the "Kontrovers vor Ort" project.
Monday, 15 September, 7.30 to 9 p.m.
Economics for a just society. Joseph Stiglitz and Simon Strauss in dialogue
Location: Online event
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-W2510200
Critics of US President Donald Trump have observed a "cult of freedom" in American debates, which can be seen in the goal of deregulation and the free play of the markets, among other things. The "fetish of freedom" is at the expense of others, which could jeopardise democracy.
Prof Dr Joseph Stiglitz presents this thesis in his lecture and discusses how the reduction of bureaucracy and unregulated markets can slow down growth and make societies poorer. In conversation with Simon Strauss from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), the Nobel Prize winner and professor of economics will present his book "The Road to Freedom", published in 2025. The event will be held in English.
This event is part of the series "vhs.wissen live - the digital science programme" as a cooperation between the adult education centres in Chemnitz, Esslingen district and SüdOst in Munich district.
Thursday, 18 September, 5 to 6.30 pm
Uncomfortable monuments? The Chemnitz Grove of Honour of the Socialists
Location: Cemetery entrance Wartburgstraße 47
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-W2512240
Uncomfortable monuments include many buildings that cause unease due to their time of origin or use. In Chemnitz, this includes the Grove of Honour of the Socialists at the municipal cemetery, which was inaugurated in 1982. Until the fall of communism, it was a memorial to anti-fascist resistance fighters from the region and to people who contributed to the reconstruction in 1945. The memorial was designed by a collective of artists under the direction of Prof Clauss Dietel. The Grove of Honour will be preserved as part of the GDR cultural heritage.
The guided tour provides insights into its creation and history.
This measure is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.
Thursday, 18 September, 6 p.m. to 8.15 p.m.
Lovely Zwickau - a colourful city in black and white photographs. Exhibition opening
Venue: TIETZ, vhs gallery, 4th floor
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/zeitgeschehen-und-diskurs-557-C-W2510170
Katharina John's photos are snapshots of Zwickau, views through the keyhole without artificial light in analogue black and white. She tells stories with her pictures, not only depicting the outside, but also making the inside of the city visible. The exhibition "25 sights of Zwickau" not only shows the well-known buildings and places from the outside and inside, the artist focusses on the details.
Katharina John has worked as a stage designer at various theatres. Inspired by her many travels, she began to take photographs and worked as a theatre and portrait photographer. Today the artist lives in Berlin. The exhibition is part of the European Capital of Culture year in the cultural region.
Wednesday, 24 September, 6.45 to 8.15 pm
Japanese for Travellers A1
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.51
Participation: 23.20 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/fremdsprachen/japanisch/japanisch-fuer-unterwegs-a1-neu-557-C-W254JT01
This course gives you an insight into the Japanese language and makes you look forward to travelling. Without a lot of grammar, you will practise authentic phrases for a selection of typical travel situations: Greetings and farewells, accommodation, shopping or restaurants. The focus is on the spoken language. The topics will be supplemented by further information on Japan.
Thursday, 25 September, 5.15 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.
Meditative dancing to the rhythm of the seasons - The fullness of autumn
Location: TIETZ, course room 5.31
Participation: 13.00 euros, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2532104
According to the respective seasonal theme, four individual events invite you to calm down, find your inner centre and activate your own sources of strength with both calm and lively circle dances, physical exercises and short free dance sequences. The beneficial effect of symbolism, gestures, rhythm and music can have a healing and energising effect on body and soul.
The energies of the respective season and the cyclical circle of life can be sensed and experienced with impulses on the theme of the season. The major themes of life such as becoming new, growing, unfolding and letting go are echoed again and again in a variety of ways.
Tuesday, 30 September, 5 to 7.15 pm
Heroes in the shadow garden
Location: TIETZ, course room 4.19
Participation: free of charge, registration at www.vhs-chemnitz.de/p/557-C-W2533303
Gardeners know the problem when almost nothing grows under the canopy of a huge tree. But surprising discoveries can be made underneath. This event offers solutions for your green problem areas. These include flowering plants that inspire bees and bumblebees. They exist: the uncomplicated perennials that conjure up light even in the darkest garden areas. You will also learn lots of interesting facts about growing fruit in a shade garden and how to use bulbous plants for unrivalled spring magic.
This measure is co-financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.
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