Deserved award: Rudolf Fendt receives medal for local politics

Deserved award: Rudolf Fendt receives medal for local politics

On October 3, 2025, Rudolf Fendt was awarded the bronze medal for special services to local self-government at a ceremony in the Berchtesgadener Land district office. This high honor was bestowed on him by District Administrator Bernhard Kern on behalf of the Bavarian State Minister Joachim Herrmann. Fendt, who has been a volunteer member of the local council in the municipality of Ramsau near Berchtesgaden since 1990, has shown himself to be extremely committed over the years.

Over the last 26 years, the second mayor - a position he has held intermittently since 1996 - has particularly promoted the interests of children and young people, which is not least due to his previous work as rector. Fendt is actively involved in the further development of kindergartens, schools and clubs. As a long-standing member and chairman of the Transport and Mobility Working Group, he has created important foundations for a transport concept in Ramsau. He also provided inspiration for e-mobility, traffic control and parking issues.

Involvement in the mountain rescue service

Parallel to his political career, Fendt is also involved in his role as on-call manager for the Ramsau mountain rescue service. There he is committed to improving mobile phone coverage in mountain regions, a topic that is of great importance in times of increasing digitalization. One of the most important tasks is to actively recruit young people in the mountain rescue service in order to constantly increase the chances of rescue in mountain accidents. He reported positively on recent operations, such as the one at the Watzmann, where the cooperation of the rescue workers under difficult conditions was particularly commendable.

However, Fendt's commitment does not end at the community's borders. He is a prominent supporter of the partnership with the municipality of Bohinj in Slovenia, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year - an event that Fendt actively organized.

The importance of local self-government

The importance of local self-government in Germany can be traced back to the Middle Ages. As early as 1074, the citizens of Worms received privileges from King Henry IV, which laid the foundation for the later developments of local self-government. This system has evolved over the centuries and to this day guarantees communities a certain degree of autonomy, allowing them to implement their own concerns and projects in the local community. These principles are important not only for administration, but also for citizens' identification with their community.

The social changes in Germany, especially the reforms in the 19th century, also ensured that the communities increasingly had financial and administrative skills. Article 28 Paragraph 2 Sentence 1 of the Basic Law secures this self-government and makes the municipalities a central part of the local executive. Despite the challenges caused by financial bottlenecks and legal framework conditions, the core area of ​​local self-government remains indispensable for local authorities.

With his commitment, Rudolf Fendt not only stands for local concerns, but also for the values ​​that local self-government embodies in Germany. His achievements have now been recognized in a worthy manner and his commitment remains an example for many.