Köln – A federal state celebrates with its citizens under a bright blue sky, and politicians mingle with the people. In Cologne, crowds flocked to the banks of the Rhine on Saturday to celebrate NRW Day.
North Rhine-Westphalia is turning 78 and, after a six-year break, is celebrating its birthday again with a large two-day civic festival. On NRW Day, organizations, regions and authorities presented themselves on a large site around the Rheinauhafen in Cologne.
Henriette Reker and Hendrik Wüst watch a demonstration by the Federal Agency for Technical Relief on dam construction during floods
Photo: Henning Kaiser/dpa
► In addition to representatives of the state government, Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (49, CDU) and Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker (67, independent) were also present on the more than two-and-a-half-kilometer-long celebration mile.
Presentations and concerts
According to a city spokeswoman, around 110,000 people came to the exhibition area on Saturday alone. “This exceeded our expectations.”
The politicians also paid a visit to the special forces of the Air Force, such as Hendrik Wüst here
Photo: Henning Kaiser/dpa
Many rescue and emergency services presented themselves and their equipment in the so-called blue light area. According to the organizers, the largest area is occupied by the State Policewhich demonstrated dog squads and water cannons.
Two Cologne bailiffs, Winfried Meyer and Markus Meusel, provided many laughs and a ringing cash register as auctioneers
Photo: Nora Wolfslast
A crowd puller on Saturday afternoon was the auction of confiscated items by the NRW judicial authorities on the Sparkasse stage.
Not only were 100 creative handbags made by imprisoned women in North Rhine-Westphalia up for auction, but the “potpourri of the evidence room” particularly delighted the visitors.
Under the bailiff’s hammer: From the Apple Watch for 190 euros to Jimmy Choo shoes for 95 euros (instead of 450 euros) and a Lego Technics set for 125 euros (instead of 289 euros) to a Kärcher for 200 euros, as well as bicycles, tools and BVB fan articles.
A little scary, but actually sweet: the Bundeswehr’s Transformer took photos with children and even threw a Frisbee
Photo: Nora Wolfslast
For the first time, the state government’s traditional summer concert will be integrated into the celebrations. In the evening, the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie will play on Roncalliplatz under the direction of Frank Beermann.
NRW founded in 1946
The state’s birthday is August 23rd. On this day in 1946, North Rhine-Westphalia was founded. On the state’s 60th birthday in 2006, a NRW Day was celebrated for the first time and since 2012 it has been celebrated every two years.
Essen organized the last one so far (2018). In 2020 and 2022, the major event fell victim to the corona pandemic.
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On Sunday the action continues in Cologne. Programmhighlights: Well-known Cologne musicians such as rapper Mo-Torres (3 p.m., Roncalliplatz stage) and reggae star Patrice (8.15 p.m., Roncalliplatz). For children: Pelemele at 11 a.m. and Johannes Stankowski at 1 p.m. (both on the Sparkasse stage).
