To mark the 125th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of its historic building, the Bremen Cotton Exchange opened its doors to the public on 5 April. Around 1,000 people seized the chance to explore the historic building on the Wachtstraße and learn about the fascinating history of the Cotton Exchange.
The diverse programme provided an insight into over a century of Bremen’s cotton history, which continues to influence the Hanseatic city to this day. The festivities began with a speech by former mayor Dr Henning Scherf, who emphasised the significance of the Bremen Cotton Exchange as a living symbol of the city’s international trade relations.
A particular highlight were the exclusive building tours, which were quickly fully booked. During these, visitors were able to marvel at the magnificent architecture and artistic mosaics, and gain access to the arbitration rooms, which are not usually open to the public. There, Bremen cotton experts Jens Wirth (BBB), Karsten Fröse (BBB), Axel Drieling (Faserinstitut Bremen e.V.) and Tenivoungognon Soro (BBB) vividly explained how cotton samples from all over the world are manually classed and instrumentally tested, and the global significance of an internationally accepted arbitration court such as the Bremen
Cotton Exchange has.
Actress Franziska Schubert’s charming readings, which brought the story of the laying of the foundation stone to life, were also well received. The accompanying photo exhibition, completed with an awards ceremony and a children’s rally through the building, ensured that the anniversary was an experience for people of all ages. The programme was rounded off with textile art and craftsmanship, as well as an informative ‘Walk of Cotton’.
The regional press was also present. Regional broadcaster Buten un Binnen covered the event, capturing the bustling atmosphere in a video report. You can watch the report online here (from 00:58, in German language).
Fotos: Carsten Heidmann