New Year's reception in Bad Kissingen: celebrations, honors and new strategies!

New Year's reception in Bad Kissingen: celebrations, honors and new strategies!

There was a festive atmosphere on January 16, 2026 in the Rossini Hall in the city of Bad Kissingen. At the New Year's reception, Mayor Dr. Dirk Vogel invited 280 guests from politics, business and society. The reception, which was dedicated to the anniversary year of the Kissinger Summer with the motto “Mazel Tov”, offered a colorful program and numerous speeches that stimulated discussion and reflection. The renowned marimba artist Nina Schroll brought additional joy to the hall with her sounds.

In his opening speech, Dr. Dirk Vogel highlighted the positive development of the city. Bad Kissingen can report on records in terms of trade tax, the number of residents and the number of visitors to the thermal spa. He encouraged those present to take active action to further shape the future of the city. Mayor Thomas Leiner referred to the crucial role of action in 2026: “We must now let actions speak for themselves and not just indulge in wishes.”

Political and social challenges

The event was not only a look back at successes, but also a platform for important social issues. Professor Michel Friedman, who gave a 45-minute keynote speech, called on everyone present to actively support democracy and the Basic Law. He mentioned a possible party ban against the AfD, which is being discussed as a response to the growing threat from right-wing extremism. “We must defend our democratic heritage,” said Friedman.

A highlight of the evening was the honoring of Thomas Köpplin, who was recognized for his courageous actions in July 2024. He had successfully prevented a suspected femicide and thereby set an example of moral courage. Such actions should give courage and hope that individual action can make a difference.

A strong cultural commitment

The importance of cultural institutions for society was particularly emphasized. The city of Bad Kissingen is proud of its lively cultural life and numerous events throughout the year. In this context, the city's new brand ambassadors, the comedians Volker Heißmann and Martin Rassau, were also introduced, who expressed their excitement about future projects and the city's special offerings. Both invited the guests present to their festival “The Merry Widow” and thereby promoted cultural engagement on site.

The New Year's reception in Bad Kissingen showed through the large number of guests and the lively atmosphere that the city is on the move - both socially and culturally. A similarly successful event had already taken place in the Kurgartencafé in 2024, which was equally well received by the participants and brought together numerous guests from various areas of society. On this occasion, migration events in Germany were discussed and the need to spread optimism was emphasized in Franconia reported.

The coming months and the new year hold many challenges, but Bad Kissingen shows that with determination and a strong community spirit it is on the right track to face them.

For further information on what is going on with the city, interested citizens can visit the report East Hesse News track.