Young carpenters thrilled at the acquittal in Freiburg!

Young carpenters thrilled at the acquittal in Freiburg!

On July 10, 2025, numerous guests gathered in Freiburg's Meckelhalle for the ceremonial acquittal of the journeymen of the Freiburg Carpenters' Guild, who are celebrating their 199th anniversary this year. A total of 30 journeymen and women were honored for their successful completion, an event that was celebrated with pride and joy. The event, organized by head master Bernd Schwär, was very popular and set a special tone by awarding the “Young Carpenter Star” prize for the 22nd time.

The musical accompaniment was provided by 16-year-old pianist Diana Sarkisyan, who performed works by Claude Debussy, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Franz Liszt and Frederic Chopin with her virtuoso playing. Angelo Pellegrini provided a lively start with drum sounds as well as an impressive interlude and finale. The regional savings bank, represented by CEO Daniel Zeiler, supported the celebration and the accompanying exhibition. The invited speakers, including Christopher Ehret from the Sparkasse and district master craftsman Michael Rauber, emphasized the importance of craft training, while Christina Küppers, managing director of the state carpentry trade association, highlighted the perspectives of young craftsmen in her celebratory speech entitled “Youth and Future”.

The journeyman's pieces and creativity in the craft

The exhibition of journeyman's pieces, which will be on display from July 14th to 23rd during the Sparkasse's business hours, shows the creative diversity of the carpentry profession. Bernd Schwär emphasized the importance of individually designed pieces that reflect the apprentices' craftsmanship. Regional woods such as cherry, walnut and elm are particularly popular at the moment, underpinning the trend back to natural materials. During the training, which can take place both as a dual variant with in-patient instruction or purely at school, the prospective carpenters learn not only the technical skills, but also aspects of planning and design.

The training is varied and includes creative elements such as the production of furniture, stairs and interior design. The carpentry profession has recently enjoyed popularity, which is reflected in the large number of new apprentices. The recent acquittals showed that interest in this craft is increasing. The award-winning “Carpenter Star 2024” Anna Meier impressed with a piece of hallway furniture made of walnut. Other journeymen were also recognized for their creativity and high craftsmanship, which underlines the importance of traditional professions. A number of awards were presented at the last event, honoring the best work and demonstrating the fascination of the profession. For example, Bianca Moser, the guild winner, received the highest recognition for her desk.

A look into the future of carpentry

The Freiburg carpenters' guild, which currently has 74 member companies, is committed to the goal of promoting the carpentry trade not only regionally, but also nationally. A special anniversary is coming up next year: in 2026, the guild will celebrate its 200th anniversary with a planned special exhibition. This shows how strongly rooted the craft is and at the same time how it responds to the future needs of the industry. As an integral part of the planning, the focus is also on passing on knowledge to the next generations in order to ensure the high quality and creativity of the carpentry profession in the long term.

For those interested in training to become a carpenter, further information can be found on the guild's website, including apprenticeships that are still available. The Freiburg Carpenters' Guild is a stable partner for craft training and is therefore at the forefront of training the next generation of talented craftsmen.

The acquittal ceremony and the associated exhibition impressively show that the carpentry trade is alive and offers promising prospects for the future - for apprentices and customers alike.