ruth901
26 years ago, Hünfeld became the secret capital of Hesse for ten days. Hessentag 2000 brought stars, full streets and a new self-confidence to the Haunestadt. What's left?
Hünfeld – Anyone who asks a Hünfelder about Hessentag 2000 today only has to say one sentence – and off they go. The teen band “Echt” on the Jahnschule sports field. Suzi Quatro and Status Quo on the Rhönkampfbahn. The very first Gaalbernfest with fine wines. The pageant in sweltering heat. And of course the hr tent at the indoor swimming pool. “We were there every evening,” they usually say with that look that people get when they think of really good times.
Memories of the Hessentag 2000 in Hünfeld
Hessentag 2000 is no ordinary town festival memorabilia in Hünfeld. It is part of the city's collective memory. Around 730,000 visitors came to the Haunestadt back then – and hardly anyone from the Hünfelder Land who wasn't part of it in some way. It felt like the whole city pitched in: music clubs, sports clubs, fire departments, associations and countless volunteers ensured that the state festival was even possible. Ten days of state of emergency – and suddenly the city of 16,000 residents had the feeling: We can do a lot.
It is exactly this feeling that has remained, says today's mayor Benjamin Tschesnok (CDU). “The successful Hessentag 2000 strengthened Hünfeld in many ways.” At first there was some skepticism as to whether a city of this size could host a state festival. In the end, Hünfeld proved quite impressively: Yes, she can. Guests from all over Hesse and Thuringia got to know the Haunestadt as efficient, organized and hospitable – an image that continues to have an impact today.
And that Hesse day – by the way, organized under the aegis of Mayor Dr. Eberhard Fennel – not only brought stars, a lively atmosphere and full beer benches. It became the engine for urban development. Streets were expanded, infrastructure modernized, and the historic abbey vaults were renovated. The cityscape was beautified with a facade program – so successfully that a Hünfeld painting company later even aggressively advertised with the title “Hessentag painter”.
Even some things that are a natural part of Hünfeld today might not even exist without the Hessentag, says Tschesnok. The Gaalbern Festival, for example, has its roots in what was then the wine village – and has long since become an institution itself.
So was the whole thing just ten days of partying with a lot of pathos? Rather not. From a financial point of view, the Hessentag was by no means an adventure with a rude awakening, emphasizes Tschesnok. Despite the enormous organizational effort, the total costs remained well under one million German marks thanks to consistent cost management and countless volunteers. At the same time, around eight million German marks in funding flowed to Hünfeld. So bottom line: a pretty good deal for the city.
And personally? Even the mayor briefly becomes a teenager again. “I just enjoyed these ten days to the fullest, was out and about every day and rarely in bed,” the now 42-year-old remembers with a laugh. It wasn't just the big concerts that stuck, but above all the variety and this special atmosphere that suddenly there was something going on everywhere. One memory in particular remains with him to this day: As a B-youth player for TSG Mackenzell, he was honored as district league champion in the state sports association's tent: “Unforgettable.”
Will there be a Hessentag in Hünfeld 2.0?
To date, the Hessentag has also contributed to the core city and districts moving closer together. Hünfeld has also grown even closer together with its neighboring communities. The Hessentag became more than just a celebration – it became a community project that people are proud of to this day. It was only last year that it became apparent how deeply the Hessentag 2000 is still remembered. To mark the anniversary of “25 Years of Hessentag”, the city organized a whole summer of festivals – and, as Tschesnok says, brought back “a piece of Hessentag feeling”.
The question remains: Would Hünfeld apply again? The mayor leaves the door open at least a crack. “Of course it’s never completely out of the question.” At the moment, however, Hünfeld enjoys the reputation of being “Hessentag-tested”. The 2000 state festival showed what was possible when a city stood together. Or to put it another way: Since then, Hünfeld has known pretty well what it can do. And this year the city is watching from the outside when Fulda celebrates Hesse Day. “And of course we from Hünfeld celebrate with us.”
