Worms celebrates: Michael Kissel turns 70 - an inheritance full of changes!

Worms celebrates: Michael Kissel turns 70 - an inheritance full of changes!

January 13, 2025 is a striking date for the city of Worms. Today, the long -time mayor Michael Kissel, who was in office from July 2003 to June 2019, is officially adopted. The ceremonial farewell takes place as part of the city's annual reception in the Herrnsheimer Castle, which increases Kissel's more monumental success in public life.

In a personal congratulatory letter from the current mayor Adolf Kessel, Kissel's commitment to the city is vigorously praised. Kissel, who celebrates his 70th birthday in two days, launched some major projects during his 16 years in office that significantly shaped urban development.

Kissel's unmistakable influence on urban development

An outstanding example of Kissel's merit is the redesign of the Worms Central Station. This project, which was carried out with an investment volume of 34 million euros and the support of the country, began in 2001 and was successfully completed in 2013. This included the construction of a central bus station and the adjacent Brunhilden Bridge, which was completed in August 2004. In order to facilitate access, two roundabouts and a parking garage on the west side of the train station were also built.

Another important project was the development of the cultural and conference center "Das Wormser", whose groundbreaking is dated to 2008. Not only was the listed theater building in general, but also a multifunctional new building was added to serve as a cultural meeting point.

Kissel's term was also shaped by substantial investments in education. A total of 27 schools in Worms were carried out for renovation and new construction work, with a financing package of almost 100 million euros. During this time, the former Kerscheinsteiner secondary school was converted into an integrated Nelly-Sachs comprehensive school, the largest school construction project during his term.

cultural and historical accents

A cultural achievement that Kissel established in 2002 are the Nibelung Festival, which have become an important cultural highlight in the city. Under the direction of the producer and director Nico Hoffmann, who took over the director of the director in 2015, the festival reached a new highlight. In addition, Kissel played an important role in the endeavor to add the cities of Speyer, Mainz and Worms to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The application for this was approved in 2021, although Kissel had already divorced from office at that time.

Mayor Adolf Kessel emphasizes expertise, political foresight and the tireless commitment to urban development in his letter of Kissel. Kissel's merits in Worms city policy are not only recognized in today's farewell, but are also remembered in the long term.