The latest “premium year” on the Hildesheim timeline commemorates the year town privileges came into force

Hildesheim (bph). Another “premium year” in the history of Hildesheim has found some celebrity sponsors. In the year 1300 the municipal rights of the cathedral city came into force, meaning the city council was predominantly responsible for the well being of the city’s inhabitants and could act independently of the Bishop. This is why the three Lord Mayors of Hildesheim did not have to think twice about supporting the fundraising effort to help restore the cathedral. Heiko Klinge, Gerold Klemke and Kurt Machens are now patrons of this year in the cloister timeline, which looks back over 1200 years of the city and the diocese history.

Bishop Hans-Georg Koitz (second from the right) presents Hildesheim Lord Mayors Gerold Klemke, Kurt Machens and Heiko Klinge (from the left) with their timeline plaque for the year 1300. Photo: Pohlmann

On Monday afternoon the three sponsors were presented with the plaque by the retired Suffragan Bishop Emeritus and cathedral dean Hans-Georg Koitz.

However, in the history of Hildesheim things were not always so harmonious: “The citizens of Hildesheim had to wrest the city rights from the Bishop”, says current Lord Mayor of Hildesheim Kurt Machens, recounting the time of 1300. The bishop made it clear that the city and the diocese are now working together amicably during a tour of the gigantic construction site, as he explained the restoration measures to Machens and his predecessors.

In order to illustrate the long history of the diocese and to gain support for the cathedral renovations, the cathedral chapter launched the project “1200 years are looking for sponsors” in cooperation with the Dombauverein (Cathedral Restoration Society) at the beginning of 2010: a metal timeline has since been installed in the cloister behind the Cathedral apse, running from the entrance all the way around to the opposite side. The timeline symbolises the 1200 years of the diocese divided into individual years, decades and so-called “premium years”. Sponsorship costs 180 euros for an ordinary individual year. A small copper plaque is added to the timeline with the name of the sponsor’s choice. Additionally, entire decades can be acquired for 750 euros and are marked with a larger plaque. Those who would like to purchase a decade exclusively without the individual sponsorship of the years must pay 2500 euros. Premium sponsorship of a year can be purchased for twice this sum. The sponsorship of a premium year comes with an engraving on a forged copperplate decorated with a stylised rose.

“Initially I was sceptical about the timeline idea”, says Koitz. And this is why the Bishop is overjoyed at the response to the campaign. Over 160 years have already been assigned, says Dr. Ralf Tappe, managing director of the Dombauverein. Almost all of the 20th century is fully sponsored already and the interest isn’t only coming from Hildesheim: “We have patrons from all over Europe”, says Tappe. Support is even coming from Japan: “The lady was studying here and during a visit to the cathedral she spontaneously decided to become a sponsor”, says the managing director of the Dombauverein.