Gerd Lang and Wolfgang Schuler honored with the silver citizens' medal

At the annual general meeting of the Offenbach-Rumpenheim volunteer fire department, Lord Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke awarded Gerd Lang and Wolfgang Schuler the silver citizens' medal of the city of Offenbach. For decades, both individuals have stood for voluntary commitment, reliability and a sense of responsibility in a special way. In his speech, Schwenke emphasized: "People who have shown great personal commitment to the common good over many years deserve our special thanks and recognition. They don't make an impact through big words, but through reliability, by getting stuck in and working in the background."

Gerd Lang joined the Rumpenheim volunteer fire department in 1986. He was elected deputy fire chief in 1992 and was fire chief of the Rumpenheim fire department from 1996 to 2012. He has been the second chairman of the fire department association since 1998 and still holds this position today. With a total of 24 training courses and advanced training as well as his work as a district instructor, he has contributed his great expertise and reliability over many years. Lang also helped to organize the 120th and 125th anniversary celebrations of the fire department, was involved in the Schlossparkfest for many years and accompanied the construction of the new fire station on Mainzer Ring in 2010. He was awarded the Saxon Flood Relief Order for his work during the flood disaster in Dresden and Dessau in 2002. He has also been committed to the integration of Vietnamese citizens in Offenbach for many years.

Wolfgang Schuler has been a member of the Rumpenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade since 1969. In 1980, he took over the position of fire chief, which he held until 1996. Having already been active as an assessor for 4 years, he also took over the first chairmanship of the fire department association in 1980 and has shaped its work with reliable continuity to this day. Important milestones for the Rumpenheim fire department occurred during his time in office. These included the celebrations to mark the Rumpenheim fire department's anniversaries, the co-organization of the castle park festival and the conversion of the stables building at Rumpenheim Castle into a fire station in 1981. Like Gerd Lang, he was also awarded the Saxon Flood Relief Order for his efforts during the floods in Dresden and Dessau.

"What has been built up, supported and reliably shaped over many years can often not be reduced to a single moment or a single office. This is precisely where the special achievements of Gerd Lang and Wolfgang Schuler lie. In the consistency of their commitment and in the naturalness with which they have taken on responsibility and thus made an important contribution to society. Their many years of service therefore deserve not only recognition, but also special thanks and respect," concluded Schwenke.