The Chairman of the City Council

In addition to chairing the meeting, the Chairman of the City Council is responsible for the following tasks:
- Drawing up and publishing the agenda
- Timely invitation to the meetings
- Determining the quorum and the agenda at the beginning of the meetings
- Ensuring that meetings are conducted in accordance with the rules of procedure
- Exercise of domiciliary rights

The chairperson of the municipal council should act in a neutral manner. If he participates in the political debate, he must relinquish the chairmanship of the meeting for this period.

In addition, the "first citizen" of the city performs a variety of representative tasks in municipal, national and international areas. He represents the city at various protocol events, maintains relations with Offenbach's twin towns and acts as patron for special events.

Dr. Bruno Knapp (1925 - 2010) was Chairman of the Offenbach City Council from 1977 - 1985. He was awarded honorary citizenship in 1993 for his great services to the common good.

Dr. Bruno Knapp expressed his thanks in his own way: as the sum of his experiences, he formulated "9 commandments for city councillors" when receiving the certificate.

They are reproduced in full below:

For the good of the people, not for your own glory

1. become a member of the city council and not of the city parliament. Anyone who understands this difference retains the residual humility that is helpful in coping with the tasks they take on.

2) If a parliamentary group wins the majority, it does not assume power, but responsibility.

3. one is not elected to this house for the glory of a party, but to promote the welfare of the citizens.

4. an idea is not the devil just because it comes from someone who thinks differently politically. Rejoice with him and agree after examination.

5 Do not rule out the possibility that you are wrong, despite the firmness of your own point of view.

6. do not despair if your ideas are initially rejected and later reappear in a different guise. This can be annoying. The important thing is that the cause prevails.

7 Living in a coalition can be difficult. However, you are not judged by the failure of an alliance, but by the fact that it still works.

8. it is a classic blunder when politicians ask the pollsters what they should want in order to win the next election.

9. no one should talk longer than they can stand on one leg.

to*: Elsewhere, Dr. Bruno Knapp once put it like this:

"Be happy about your children even when they are looking out of other people's windows."