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A City for Discoverers
"You just have to dig a little, you have to get involved with people".
says Malte Ziegenhagen, who went out into the world from Berlin and then found his centre of life in Chemnitz. He is successful here with his Niners basketball club and has found his favourite places in the city.
Asking a basketball player his shoe size is almost a platitude. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
Yes. My name is Malte Sigurd Jürgen Ziegenhagen. I have three first names, which is what people often ask me about. Sigurd, for example, because my mum really likes Norwegian or northern names. That's why friends often call me Sigi. I have long hair, which is not necessarily normal for men. But I think you see it more and more, especially in big cities. Then I have blue eyes, am 1.93 m tall and have shoe size 47.
Malte, this question is inevitable: How big is the role that basketball plays in your life?
Well, it's been super formative for my whole life. I've had an incredible amount of opportunities and many doors have opened because of it. For example, I had the opportunity to go and live in Argentina for a year because of the sport. And at an American university, I was able to graduate in four years. Because of basketball and a scholarship. Through sport, I've been almost all over the world and now I've landed in Chemnitz. It's like a new home for me.
Really? What difference does it make?
What you notice when you travel is that you get around a lot, you see a lot of places, but the people in the places always make it. In Chemnitz, I'm so happy because the people around me care so much about me and also support me in what I do that I feel incredibly comfortable here.
What is the importance of basketball for Chemnitz from your point of view?
It is immensely important for the city. I think all over Germany people have noticed that Chemnitz is a basketball city. It's almost always the case that 5,000 to 6,000 people come when we play at the Chemnitz Exhibition Centre, for example. You don't get that in many halls in Germany. You can see that the euphoria is great.
From breakfast to dinner: On Saturday or Sunday mornings I would go toAlex, they always have a delicious breakfast. When I go out to eat in the evening, I like to go to Augusto on Augustusburger Straße, because I really like the pizzas. It's kind of my favourite food and I take my friends there too.
Sightseeing: We always have throwing practice on Saturdays at 11 am to 12 pm and then I usually prepare for the game, so I would recommend a visit to the Saxon Industrial Museum in Chemnitz to my friends. It looks great from the outside. And the Karl-Marx-Monument is at the top of the list.
Insider tip: The Haamit stationery shop, there are so many incredibly beautiful things, stationery, toys, pens and there is an atmosphere - you feel like a child.
„You can always find beautiful places where you can spend nice moments with your friends.”
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