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Farewell Ceremony for Bernd Tischler, Bottrop's Long-Serving Mayor
On August 29, 2025, a farewell ceremony was held for Bernd Tischler, the outgoing Mayor of Bottrop, in the school's light court. The event, attended by around 300 guests, marked the end of a 16-year tenure as Mayor and a total of 36 years of service to the city of Bottrop.
The ceremony was a celebration of Tischler's unifying aspect and his ability to listen and resolve issues conciliatorily, qualities that have shaped his term. NRW Minister of Education, Dorothee Feller, and Regional President, Andreas Bothe, were among the guests, praising Tischler's "unflagging future-orientedness" and the good and trusting cooperation they enjoyed during their time in Münster.
Mayor Klaus Strehl, in his welcoming speech, reviewed Tischler's years in office and highlighted his key role in the InnovationCity Bottrop project. Tischler's transformation of Bottrop into a model city for energy efficiency and climate protection was also acknowledged.
The ceremony included clear references to Bottrop's mining tradition, with musical accompaniment provided by the Ruhr Coal Choir and students from Bottrop's music school.
Bernd Tischler's approachable nature was another aspect praised by Klaus Strehl. Over the years, Tischler has been described as a caring mayor who listens, acts, and works in the best interests of the citizens. His reliability, trustworthiness, and his ability to maintain good relationships with neighboring cities have also been noted.
The ceremony also recognised the increase in the number of socially insured employees in Bottrop, which has grown by 8,000 since 2009. Additionally, the proportion of women in leadership positions in the city has increased significantly, from 18.5% in 2009 to 45%.
Bernd Tischler will not run in the upcoming municipal election in mid-September and will retire at the end of October. Dorothee Feller, in her speech, valued the cooperation with Tischler and expressed her hope that the achievements of his term will continue to shape Bottrop's future.
