New adult education centre course programme

The new winter semester at Chemnitz Adult Education Centre begins on 14 September. Interested parties can already view the new course programme from Monday 29 June. All courses and events can then be booked at www.vhs-chemnitz.de. Course bookings can also be made at the service counter in the adult education centre from this day.
The new course catalogue in printed form will be published as scheduled on 31 August. On the following day, the adult education centre will once again be distributing its programmes at Chemnitz Neumarkt.

Restart after the corona-related closure
During the lockdown, the adult education centre developed new formats, worked on new topics for the winter semester and trained in new teaching methods. In April, German lessons were moved to the vhs learning portal. Half of the integration course participants were thus able to consolidate their German language skills. "One month later, we were also able to offer Chemnitz residents a digital science programme with 'vhs.wissen live'. Our participants were able to experience the lectures on current social issues from home on their computer or tablet," explains Grit Bochmann, Head of the Adult Education Centre.

The adult education centre has been open again since 2 June. "The majority of our course instructors and participants wanted to continue the courses that started in March, despite the changed conditions. That's a great compliment to us," says Grit Bochmann. The face-to-face courses are currently being held in smaller groups due to social distancing rules. Learning together is and remains the most important format for the educational institution. "We also see learning as an emotional and social process. Personal encounters and dialogue are therefore just as important to us as a learning objective. For many of our participants, learning in a group is actually the most effective way to achieve their learning goal."

Winter semester with many familiar and new programmes
The adult education centre is presenting its usual variety of familiar and new topics. "In addition to the well-booked courses for Japanese, hatha yoga and watercolour painting, we would like to take a look at our city during this extraordinary time," explains the head of the adult education centre. Travelling and excursions were unthinkable during the Corona period. Even today, travel options are still limited. "In the spring of this year, we got to know our home in a completely new way," says Grit Bochmann. "In the winter semester, we are taking up this newfound awareness of Chemnitz and the surrounding area." With various courses, events and series, the adult education centre offers a wide range of interesting information about our home in autumn and winter.

Get to know Chemnitz and the region in a whole new way: the "Living Consciously" series provides lots of interesting information about natural gardening and the garden as a habitat. The courses and events present various regional initiatives and ways to lead a sustainable and resource-conserving life. The adult education centre would like to give gardening experts and newcomers inspiration to rediscover the diversity of nature in the city and in their own gardens:

• Heat-tolerant "dry artists" in the home garden are presented.
• Garden experts will explain how to plant and care for hedges.
• Animal protection is also a must: For example, the wild bee and its protection in the city will be discussed.
• The "Edible plants and mushrooms of the region" course is a practical one. During a walk, edible plants and mushrooms are presented, which are then prepared and tasted together.
• Community gardens in Chemnitz are explored on a "Cycle tour with a view over the garden fence".

The number of birds living here, such as lapwings, partridges, turtle doves and skylarks, is dwindling. The causes include wild bird diseases, increased use of fertilisers, lack of habitats and scarce food resources. The new three-part VHS course series "Native birds" is dedicated to these animals, some of which are endangered. Interested parties and amateur birdwatchers will learn more about the bird species in the region and suitable conservation measures. With the support of competent and committed speakers from the Saxon Ornithologists' Association and NABU, Regional Association of the Ore Mountains, the aim is to raise awareness of the situation of native bird species. In January 2021, the adult education centre invites you to a morning exploration of the local winter birds on the occasion of a nationwide counting campaign.

Our hometown has many forests: The forest area of the Chemnitz forest district is 34,465 hectares. The VHS is dedicating its own series of events to the forest. Together with Sachsenforst, it explains the situation of the Chemnitz forest in a vivid way based on current changes such as environmental influences, climate change and drought. It provides comprehensive information on how our forests can be protected and preserved. Forest fans can learn more about tree species and their pests, the effects of climate change and forest reorganisation on two forest walks in Rabenstein and Zeisigwald. The tours invite visitors to chat to the forest experts.

The close connection between Chemnitz and the nearby Ore Mountains is particularly evident in the run-up to Christmas. In Chemnitz, you can discover a variety of mining and metallurgical traditions: candle arches, miner and angel figurines and the annual miners' parade. To get you in the mood for Advent, the adult education centre will be discussing the Saxon mining region in several events in November. In collaboration with the Oelsnitz Mining Museum, those interested can explore the history of coal mining and industrialisation in the Ore Mountains. The development of traditional miners' clothing from the work uniform to the service and parade uniform will also be presented.

In its new programme, the adult education centre also takes a look at the history of the city. "Places of historical remembrance in Chemnitz" is the name of a new series dedicated to significant places, districts and neighbourhoods for the history of the region. The series kicks off in autumn and winter with a look at the 20th century. The adult education centre traces the history of the Chemnitz region and Saxony at the beginning of the Weimar Republic. A tour of stumbling blocks in the Reitbahn district with Dr Jürgen Nitsche on Jewish life in this part of the city until 1933 is also planned. The significance of the Fritz Heckert area for the history of the city is another focus of this series.

In November, the educational institution will follow on from the exhibition "The Kaßberg Prison and its Faces" currently on show at the adult education centre. Following cycling legend Wolfang Lötzsch, it will now also be talking to contemporary witness Falk Mrázek about his imprisonment in Kaßberg Prison in 1979. He will talk about the course of his imprisonment up to his release by the FRG.

Elections - democracy in action: Right at the start of the winter semester, the mayoral election will be the topic of an online lecture with Dr Ellen Thümmler. The political scientist will provide information in "Ankreuzen für Chemnitz! Worth knowing about the mayoral election", the political scientist will provide expert information on the formal basis of the election: What position do mayors have in local politics in Saxony? What are their responsibilities? How do they relate to the city council? No election programmes or candidates are discussed.

Elections are also a central topic in the digital science programme "vhs.wissen live". Specifically, it is about the election for President of the United States of America. On 29 September, Hubert Wetzel, USA correspondent for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, will ask the question: "The USA before the election - and on the brink?" He will talk about the current situation after the primaries and the political mood in the USA. Immediately after the US election, "vhs.wissen live" will broadcast a commentary on the presidential election by Stephan Bierling, Professor of International Politics at the University of Regensburg, on 5 November. Viewers will have the opportunity to engage in a lively discussion with the global politics expert in a live chat. Anyone interested can register for "vhs.wissen live" by email or online up until the day before the event. Participants will receive an access link by email on the day of the lecture.

Information about the Chemnitz Adult Education Centre:
The Chemnitz Adult Education Centre is located in the heart of the city, right next to the central bus stop in the TIETZ, Moritzstraße 20. As the largest municipal education provider, the Adult Education Centre occupies the fourth and fifth floors of the TIETZ with a total of 33 mostly multifunctional, state-of-the-art course rooms. Chemnitz Adult Education Centre employs 24 staff and 380 teachers from over 30 countries. Last year, the adult education centre recorded more than 31,390 lessons and around 12,270 participants. This means that the Adult Education Centre is roughly the size of a three-form grammar school.