Today, Thursday, Eberhard Riedel was awarded honorary citizenship by his birthtown of Lauter. What a great honor for my father, as it is the highest honor that someone can get in Saxony!

As part of the Erzgebirge Association's annual festival, the certificate was presented to him in a ceremonial setting by the mayor of Lauter-Bernsbach, Thomas Kunzmann. Numerous friends and companions came to celebrate with "Ebs", as he is called by his friends and companions.

The small paragraph that was published in advance in the citizens' information gets to the point in my opinion: "It is proposed that Eberhard Riedel's hometown of Lauter, now Lauter-Bernsbach, awards "Ebs", the best alpine skier in the GDR, honorary citizenship for his sporting achievements."

The honorary citizenship award is above all an honor that focuses on my father's sporting activities in the Ore Mountains. Born and raised in Lauter, he was born with a passion for sport and a need for exercise. Even as a small boy he discovered skiing as his passion. Like a maniac, he climbed the local mountain "Morgenleithe" several times a day from the village and then boldly plunged into the valley. At the "Ebertbank", Ebs and his friends set up a downhill course so that they could train together.

A number of supporters from the village quickly came together who shared Eberhard's enthusiasm and supported the young boy. Even though life and his career later took him out into the wide world, my father will never forget his roots in Lauter. Lauter was always the center of his homeland. It all started here and who knows: maybe my father would never have become who he is if he hadn't had this sporting environment in Lauter.

And it is not the first honorary title for "Ebs". In 2023, my father was made an honorary citizen of the highest city in Germany on the occasion of his 85th birthday due to his sporting achievements and his work for the city of Oberwiesenthal.

The fact that his hometown is now also paying him this tribute is really something special! Congratulations, Dad!