I have felt a deep love for Cologne since childhood and, at the age of three, sat on the lap of my thoroughly Kölsch great-grandmother, singing “Heidewitzka, Herr Kapitän.” My grandparents, who were also born in Cologne, were so eager to share the magic of their hometown with us grandchildren that they regularly took us on tours through the city.
Their efforts had a lasting impact—I’ve been a proud Wahlkölner (Cologne by choice) for 7 years now, and the city will undoubtedly remain a constant in my life. I love the warm and open-hearted people, the tolerance and diversity that can be felt everywhere, the international flair, and, of course, the carnival.
“Kölle is e Jeföhl”—that sums it up best.
