Strolling Through Life

Rambles begin with the desire for unplanned discovery. And sometimes this desire lies dormant in the departure, in the search for the small unusual things in existence.
Isabelle Weh also came to Chemnitz with a desire - the desire to run her own theatre. Through an advertisement in which the Fritz Theatre was looking for new tenants, she came from Munich to Chemnitz. Under the direction of Isabelle Weh, Alicia Weirauch and Hardy Hoosman, the theatre offers, among other things, well-known crime classics, cheeky fresh comedies and a children's theatre.
The fact that Isabelle is in Chemnitz today is also thanks to Uwe Dziuballa. After an initial contact, they are now like familiar acquaintances who appreciate each other for their commitment to Chemnitz and have written a common history. Uwe has been running the Jewish restaurant "Schalom" for many years.

Here you will find insights into Isabelle and Uwe's own discoveries and recommendations.

Of course, the restaurant "Schalom", run for twenty years by Uwe Dziuballa in Heinrich-Zille-Straße 15, in good proximity to the Brühl, is definitely a recommendation from Isabell Weh. Not only because Uwe Dziuballa didn't advise her against Chemnitz and they have maintained a common bond ever since. You can meet him here and, if you're lucky, one or two celebrities not only from Chemnitz. Guests from all over the Federal Republic can be seen talking and enjoying themselves from time to time. A stroll through Chemnitz can thus begin well with delicious Jewish kosher food and very extensive conversations, in an ambience that would have to be invented for it if it were not to be found here. Uwe Dziuballa describes the basis of Chemnitz's successes as follows: "If you have a concept and you do your work honestly, don't let yourself be influenced by many external suggestions, then you can very well succeed within a large group, in Chemnitz."

The State Museum of Archaeology is a proposal of the Shalom operator and an exciting recommendation in that the deeper knowledge of Jewish culture is not only based on traditions, but also on archaeological research into history. The for short called SMAC in the former Schocken department store, deals with 300,000 years of Saxon human history. In the permanent exhibition and on 3,000 square metres, it presents the history of the region of Saxony from the time of the first hunters and gatherers around 300,000 years ago to the early industrialisation. With around 6,200 exhibits, it also provides an insight into the work of the Saxon State Office for Archaeology and, with its very modern educational design, whets the appetite for this journey of discovery from the hunters and gatherers to industrialisation in Saxony. As soon as you enter, you can immerse yourself in this world, where it is easy to learn how man shaped the cultural landscape in this country, and it is also quite an experience for children, not only on rainy afternoons. Especially as there are always exciting special exhibitions to round off the extraordinary experience. "One can always recommend the SMAC," says Uwe Dziuballa, "not only because of the remarkable permanent exhibition and the special exhibitions, but also because of the insight into the history of the former department stores'."

The recommendations lead back to Brühl, which they both recommend almost enthusiastically to visitors for a stroll. So much has happened here in the last few years, so many different cafés have moved in, a colourful variety of shops have settled here. For example, there is the Eierlikörz shop, famous for its excellent egg liqueur, or the delicious Fleischladen (meat shop) nearby. In spring, summer or autumn, you could stroll through the many small and large events organised by the residents who have turned this boulevard into what it was once intended to be: a living space in the city bubbling over with ideas and activities.

The castle pond, which Uwe Dziuballa highly recommends, is within walking distance not only from Brühl but also from the surrounding hotels. You have to go there, says the Chemnitz native, because some people envy us for this exceptionally beautiful inner-city cultural landscape. The Schlossteich, situated at the foot of the Schlossberg, on which the Chemnitz Schlosskirche is now visible from afar, is a piece of the city's prehistory and was created by Benedictine monks from the monastery of the same denomination. It used to be a fish pond and served to feed and support the economy of the monastery and its inhabitants. Today, once a year, the very charming young music festival Fuego a la isla conquers the island in the middle of the pond and otherwise the people of Chemnitz and their guests its banks.

It can also be reached on foot from the city centre, the Museum of Saxon Vehicles on Zwickauer Straße, which some people slightly euphemistically call the museum mile. But why not also use Chemnitz' modern Škoda trams, which roll through the city with grand silent elegance. Uwe Dziuballa recommends the museum not only because of its mobile exhibits. Rather, he says, there is also the spirit of a Fritz Theatre in the makers of the museum: "There is so much
There is so much enthusiasm among the operators, who don't just want to preserve. That's great and characterised by a lot of professional commitment," the restaurateur enthuses.

A stroll should end at the restaurant Janssen, says Uwe Dziuballa. If only because of the terrace, which, if it were no longer there one day, would be in front of his restaurant, he explains with a smile. After a long tour of the city, one can relax here and enjoy a delicious and stimulating meal, and conclude a self-fulfilling expedition through the city with a well-made coffee.