Christmas time is known to be the time when we should remember values such as fellow humanity. Sharing, giving and cheerful togetherness are the main focus. This was also the case for media manager Bernd Reisig's "helfen helfen" foundation, which in 2019 - for the eighth time by now - once again invited the homeless to a Christmas dinner at Frankfurt's Römer. More than 600 Frankfurt homeless people came this year and experienced a Christmas dinner already 19 days before the start of the festive season. More than 40 celebrities from politics, business, media, sports and entertainment helped as waiters, including Eintracht President Peter Fischer, Hesse's Minister of Social Affairs Kai Klose, VGF CEO Thomas Wissgott and actress Radost Bokel. The patronage had, as with all previous invitations, Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann, for whom it was again a matter of honor to serve the homeless.
"With this action, we fill the Christmas spirit with life and enable the needy of this city to take a few hours break from their difficult everyday life," explains Peter Feldmann. "It is a special honor for me every year to serve food to the homeless together with prominent supporters and thus show them: they are, like all citizens, welcome in the Römer."
For Bernd Reisig, the large turnout for the Christmas event is a confirmation of how important this relief action is. "In the rich city of Frankfurt, there is unfortunately also poverty. With the Christmas goose dinner, we can ensure that the everyday worries of the homeless fade into the background for at least a few hours. Of course, this is only a very small ray of hope for the people in need of help. But if each of us makes such a contribution of support, we are on a good path towards a society in which people are there for each other," Reisig said. "For me, this event is a matter of the heart, and I am very pleased that so many prominent helpers have once again agreed to participate without hesitation. With the now traditional Christmas Goose Dinner, we want to exemplify respect and community spirit - values that are of utmost importance even beyond the Christmas season."
Already in the afternoon, long queues had formed at the Christmas market in front of the Römer. The homeless, who had registered at various drop-in centres such as Caritas, Diakonie or Frankfurter Tafel, were asked to the table in two shifts, once at 16:00 and once at 17:30.
"It always makes me happy to support this very meaningful action," says Radost Bokel. The actress has already slipped into the role of the waitress for the fifth time. For model Gina Lisa Lohfink it was a premiere: "I'm here for the first time today and I think it's great how warmly the homeless are received here. It is good and important that there are actions like this of Bernd Reisig and I am very happy that I can contribute a small part to give these people a joy in the pre-Christmas period."
For Robert, who is homeless, the Christmas goose dinner is a cherished tradition. "When you live on the streets, sumptuous meals like roast goose with dumplings and red cabbage are very special. I hope every year that the meal in the Römer will happen again - and not only because of the roast, but also because of the Christmas spirit and the feeling; to be really welcome." Most of the homeless, like Robert, have been to the goose dinner several times. Gisela brought her friend Angelika this time. "She hadn't even heard of the event, so I was able to give her a Christmas treat by signing her up. We made an effort to be served personally by the OB - and it worked out," she said happily.
More than 700 goose legs, red cabbage and around 2,000 dumplings made their way onto the plates, donated by REWE Bernd Kaffenberger and prepared by Lohrberg Schänke and wineBank. In addition to the Christmas meal, the guests received a gift bag from the DFL Foundation, filled with Christmas stollen, fleece hat and scarf, fleece blanket, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand cream, lip care and a thermal mug, sponsored by RMV. In addition, there was fruit and sweets to take home from REWE Bernd Kaffenberger.
The Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt am Main (VGF) made it possible again this year for all homeless people to travel free of charge by public transport within Frankfurt.
The guests were hosted by these helpers (in alphabetical order):
Reza Ahmari (Press Officer Federal Police Airport), Constanze Angermann (Special Olympics Deutschland in Hessen e. V.), Madeleine & Steffen Ball (Ballcom GmbH), Gerhard Bereswill (Chief of Police Frankfurt), Radost Bokel (actress ), Christopher Crell (star chef), Andre Dick (Sparda Bank Hessen, Director Frankfurt), Werner D´Inka (Publisher Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung), Angela Dorn (Minister of Hesse), Manuela & Christian Dressler (Lohrberg-Schänke), Nancy Faeser (SPD Chairwoman Hesse), Peter Feldmann (Mayor City of Frankfurt), Woody Feldmann (Comedian), Peter Fischer (President Eintracht Frankfurt e.V.), Jürgen Harrer (FRAPORT AG), Patrick Hausmann (festival host), Bernd Kaffenberger (REWE), Thomas Kaspar (co-chief editor Frankfurter Rundschau), Kai Klose (Hesse Minister), Karl-Heinz "Charly" Körbel (Eintracht Frankfurt legend), Manfred Krupp (Director of Hessischer Rundfunk), Frank Lehmann (TV stock market expert ), Gina Lisa Lohfink (Model), Marco Maier (Head of HIT RADIO FFH), Miriam-Juliane Nerlich (SIXT), Franzi & Lars Obendorfer (Best worscht in town), Markus Philipp (sports presenter), Marcelino Pohl (Bernd Reisig Foundation), Christopher Posch (TV lawyer), Bernd Reisig (media manager), Knut Ringat (head RMV), Claudia Roth (Bundestag vice president), Eva Rüther (Jacobs Sister), Benjamin Scheffler (head FES), Carlos Schoenig (wineBank), Julian F.M. Stoeckel (TV actor), Thomas Sulzer (Regional Manager BILD Frankfurt), Jürgen Vormann (Managing Director Infraserv Höchst), Michael Wies (religious priest), Dalia & Thomas Wissgott (Head VGF).
The event was accompanied musically by the saxophone quintet of the Hanover Federal Police Orchestra and comedian Woody Feldmann.
