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Volunteer senior firefighters celebrate 500 years of passion in Bad Lippspringe!
On October 27th, 2025, 500 senior firefighters met in Bad Lippspringe to remember and honor their efforts.
Volunteer senior firefighters celebrate 500 years of passion in Bad Lippspringe!
On Saturday, around 500 senior firefighters and their relatives met in the Bad Lippspringer Schützenhaus to celebrate a special afternoon. The event, which was organized by the Association of Fire Brigades (VdF) in the Paderborn district, had a festive atmosphere that brought back memories of active service in the fire brigades. Tasty delicacies such as around 70 tarts and cakes, baked by the women of the Bad Lippspring fire department, delighted the guests, while there was also coffee and sandwiches to fortify them. This social gathering provided a worthy setting to pay tribute to the deserving seniors for their years of voluntary work.
District fire chief Stephan Reckhaus took the time to thank those present for their commitment and to inform them about new developments in the fire department. These developments aim to make assistance even faster and more efficient. District Administrator Christoph Rüther praised the volunteers for their countless hours of service to the community and emphasized the difficulties in recruiting new volunteers. The focus on strong youth work, such as that carried out in the children's and youth fire departments, is of central importance for the future of disaster control in Germany.
Youngsters from the youth fire department
The importance of young talent working in volunteer fire departments is being increasingly recognized in Germany. Over 20,000 fire brigades are active in this country, with 96% of the positions being filled by volunteers. Every year, more than 110,000 volunteer youth leaders and supervisors train children and young people in firefighting technology, human rescue and preventative fire protection. This support for young people is not only important for the fire department itself, but also contributes significantly to strengthening democratic awareness and civil society participation. The German Youth Fire Brigade is therefore calling for financial support for the association's work and greater integration into regional processes.
The oldest participants were also recognized during the honorary afternoon. Heinrich Körning, 95 years old and a member of the Bad Wünnenberg fire department, was the oldest senior fire department member present. Edmund Hahn and Franz Lütkemeier, both 92 years old and from Hövelhof and Bad Lippspringe respectively, as well as Hilde Overkott, who is 91 years old and comes from Altenbeken, were also celebrated. The afternoon was accompanied musically by the Bad Lippspringe fire brigade band under the direction of Hendrik Taschen, which contributed to the festive atmosphere.
The challenges of recruiting young talent and promoting young people's commitment remain central topics in the conversation. By strengthening the federal government's child and youth plan and flexible educational offerings, the fire departments will be able to continue to attract young people to the important work in disaster control in the future and thus ensure the long-term safety of citizens.