New carillon Glock ‘n bach” delights Offenbach on its anniversary!

New carillon Glock ‘n bach” delights Offenbach on its anniversary!

In Offenbach, a city known for its lively cultural scene, a very special event will be celebrated on Saturday, September 20, 2025: the 255th anniversary of the Apotheke zum Löwen, which will be celebrated with new carillon melodies under the motto “Glock ‘n bach”. The initiator of this exciting project is the pharmacist Franziska Hoefer, who has worked with great commitment over the past few months to redesign the carillon.

The chime, which has been heard above the pharmacy since 1985, is very popular. It plays well-known melodies every day at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. and is now enhanced with fresh, contemporary sounds. In a remarkable citizen participation, over 600 song suggestions were collected from the population in advance of the project. An exciting voting that took place from July 16th to 30th enabled the Offenbachers to choose their three favorites from a total of 20 titles. An impressive 4,045 votes were cast in 1,610 voting processes, which shows the great enthusiasm and keen interest of citizens in shaping the musical identity of their city.

The anniversary celebration

To celebrate the premiere of the new glockenspiel, the Apotheke zum Löwen invites you to a big anniversary party. Anyone who thought the event would be boring is wrong: visitors can expect a colorful program. With a champagne bar, face painting and the cheerful mascots Leo and Leoni, a real celebration is on offer for families. In addition, a karaoke screen will put you in a good mood and the DJ music will further heat up the mood. The festival will be moderated by Carola Baumgarten, who will guide the guests through the program.

Among the guests of honor is another musician from Offenbach, whose song will be heard in the glockenspiel's repertoire. This once again underlines the local connection of the project, which is supported by cooperation with initiatives such as “Like Offenbach” and “Das ist Offenbach”, as well as the city's cultural management. Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke will also be present to honor the event with a celebratory speech.

Bell casting as a tradition

The history of the carillon in Offenbach is more than just the history of an instrument. It is part of a long tradition of bell casting and bell music that has contributed to the cultural identity of many cities for centuries. Casting and playing bells is a craft that requires technical knowledge and is passed down from generation to generation. This tradition is not only alive in Offenbach, but also in many other places where bells accompany religious, social and celebratory occasions. UNESCO recognizes bell casting and bell music as an intangible cultural heritage because it combines musical skills, traditions and cultural significance and conveys a strong sense of community, whether on ceremonial occasions or in everyday life.

With the new melodies in the “Glock ‘n Bach” carillon, this tradition is not only being continued in Offenbach, but is also being innovatively developed. The people of Offenbach can look forward to fresh sounds that will enrich their cityscape and reshape the rhythm of daily life.

For more information about this unique event you can visit the pages of-news.de, glocknbach.de and unesco.de visit.