125 years of the HWK Trier: Where tradition sparks and the future takes shape

The anniversary impressively demonstrated how deeply rooted the craft industry is – and at the same time how strongly it is thinking ahead.

125 years – a proud age. And yet, the Trier Chamber of Crafts and Trades appeared anything but antiquated at its anniversary celebration. Around 200 guests from politics, society, business, and the craft industry experienced a celebration that was more than just a retrospective: an elegant blend of tradition and the future – and a glimpse into the workshop of the future.

Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt called the Trier Chamber of Crafts a "proud chapter of regional history" – and at the same time a symbol of renewal: "Crafts are not just tradition, they are a driver of innovation and a piece of living democracy." Her words were like highlights of what the Chamber has built over 125 years: a network of businesses, volunteers, and institutions that supports – and drives – the region.

from left: Prof. Christoph Schäfer, Daniela Schmitt, Bernd Elsen, Axel Bettendorf Photo: © Constanze Knaack-Schweigstill

Chamber President Bernd Elsen He set a deliberate counterpoint to the usual protocol by first welcoming the skilled tradesmen and women. A strong message to the Chamber of Skilled Crafts members: "Without the many small and large businesses, our Chamber of Skilled Crafts would be nothing – then as now." His retrospective led from the arduous 16-hour days of the skilled tradesmen around 1900 to the state-of-the-art training and continuing education at today's Campus Handwerk – the passive house that sets standards nationwide as a skilled trades training center. "Today, the saying is true again: skilled trades are a gold mine," said Elsen. "But this land is hard-earned."

Crafts are an anchor for the region

Minister Daniela Schmitt during the celebratory address marking the 125th anniversary of the Trier Chamber of Crafts. Photo: © Constanze Knaack-Schweigstill

Crafts remain an anchor for the region – economically, socially, and culturally. This theme ran like a thread between retrospective and new beginnings. The anniversary itself reflected what crafts stand for: down-to-earthness and a spirit of the future. The fact that tradition and innovation complement each other in crafts was evident everywhere on this day – from the reception on the technical roof, where apprentices practice real-life operations on weekdays, to the exchange in the light-filled stairwell of the campus, which effortlessly transformed into a ballroom. The Trier historian Prof. Christoph Schäfer In a journey through the history of the craft and the Chamber, he made it clear how the craft has continually reinvented itself. 

The celebration thus spanned a wide range of topics: from the hardships of the past to the strengths of the present and the challenges of the future. Skilled labor shortages, digitalization, ecological transformation – these are tough issues to tackle. But the self-image was clear on this day: "Craftsmen don't wait for someone else to solve their problems," as the president emphasized, "they get to work themselves!" The anniversary was thus not just a look back, but above all a signal of new beginnings: 125 years of the Trier Chamber of Crafts and Trades (HWK) – a foundation upon which the future can be built. 

DHB now also digital!Simply click here and register for the digital DHB!Further news from the district of the Chamber of Crafts Trier