Gerlinde Kretschmann organizes a musical event at the zoo, inviting singers to perform there.
Gerlinde Kretschmann, the wife of the Minister President, is all about singing. She's been crooning in a church choir for nearly three decades, and she knows firsthand the dedication that choir volunteers put in. As a show of appreciation, she's hosting her third Volunteer Coffee at the Wilhelma for these talented, time-giving women.
Life in Leinfelden-Echterdingen shares a tourist destination with the Kretschmanns, as the support association of the city museum recently welcomed Johannes Kretschmann, a Green politician. Gerlinde Kretschmann expressed her gratitude to women who donate their talents to choirs, singing associations, and music bands, as well as those who volunteer in other roles, like note-taking, board duties, or concert organization.
In the previous year, these hardworking volunteers were praised for their help during the pandemic. This was Gerlinde's last appearance organizing such events, as her husband's tenure comes to an end in 2023.
Singers from various choirs across the region expressed their excitement about this unique invitation to the zoological-botanical garden, Wilhelma. Christa Erath from the New Choir Association Black Forest even shared that she's always loved singing. Monika Fecker, a representative from the regional association Zollernalb-Sigmaringen, noted Gerlinde Kretschmann's dedication to children's singing and her foundation, "Singing with Children."
Karin Bell, chairman of the Friedrich Schiller choir association, praised the invitation and shared her enthusiasm for Gerlinde Kretschmann's foundation, which seeks to incorporate singing in kindergartens. Daniela Hertenstein from Hockenheim, another devoted singer, brought a jar of pickled asparagus for Gerlinde as a gift.
Gerlinde Kretschmann's sister, Annette Kienle, also attended the event. Annette, who serves on the board of the MGV Einigkeit Lingenfeld choir, mentioned the family's love of singing, with four of the five Kienle children participating actively. Both sisters share a fondness for the Wilhelma, which they frequent often. Annette, a trained gardener and florist, taught floristry in Ludwigshafen for 20 years.
Gerlinde Kretschmann extends her appreciation not only to choir volunteers but also to those dedicating time to fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, and various roles within music and children's activities. In acknowledgment of their vital contributions during the pandemic, she hosted a Volunteer Coffee event at the Wilhelma, a shared tourist destination with her husband. As her brother-in-law Johannes Kretschmann supports the city museum association in Leinfelden-Echterdingen, the Kretschmanns' influence extends beyond politics.
Gerlinde's dedication to singing, echoed by her brother-in-law and fellow singers, has led to the foundation "Singing with Children," inspiring kindergartens to incorporate singing into their curriculum. This shared passion for music is evident in her family, with four out of five Kienle children actively participating in choirs.
While Gerlinde has shown her appreciation for fellow singers with gifts like a jar of pickled asparagus, she has also nurtured her own creativity with past careers in fashion and floristry, having worked as a trained gardener and florist in Ludwigshafen for 20 years. In her residence at the Wilhelma, she continues to encourage a vibrant lifestyle that embraces the arts, sustainability, and zoological exploration.
