“Kontrastprogramm” a magazine’s title asks: Are you ready for a new contrast program? Well you’ve come to the right place.
The Volkshochschule Witten-Wetter-Herdecke is a beacon of lifelong learning. It serves the cities of Witten, Wetter and Herdecke. This institution offers diverse courses and programs for everyone.
Let’s step back in time. The Volkshochschule Witten was founded in 1919. It started in the aula of the Gerichtsschule. In the 1920s the city of Witten provided annual subsidies to the association-run VHS.
The Great Depression hit. In the early 1930s the city had to stop payments due to the global economic crisis. 1933 saw the last VHS Witten event for a while. During the Nazi era the VHS was closed. It was re-established in 1946.
In 1963 the VHS moved into the Villa Friedrich Lohmann senior. This became known as the VHS-Haus. In 1964 the city of Witten took over the sponsorship. This was previously held by the Volkshochschulverein.
Fast forward to 1977. The Volkshochschule Witten merged. It joined forces with Volkshochschule Wetter founded in 1974. Also Volkshochschule Herdecke founded in 1948 joined. This formed the Volkshochschulzweckverband Witten/Wetter/Herdecke.
Since the mid-1990s the VHS has used the former Ostermann furniture store in Annen as a seminar center. In 2011 the main office moved here. It relocated from Haus Witten. In late 2007 the VHS decided to establish a non-profit GmbH.
The Volkshochschule Witten-Wetter-Herdecke also engages in publicly funded employment. It runs two businesses in cooperation with QuaBeD. These are the second-hand shop Tragbar and the second-hand building supply store Cap Baumarkt.
Sonja Leidemann was the mayor of Witten from 2004 to October 2020. She was also head of the VHS Witten/Wetter/Herdecke from 1998 to 2004.
Today the Volkshochschule Witten-Wetter-Herdecke continues to thrive. It offers courses in various fields. These include society, politics, culture, personality, nutrition, art, creativity, health, wellness, languages, school qualifications, IT and professional development.
The Yogarium is a special part of the VHS. It is a yoga center in the region. It offers many yoga styles. It focuses on relaxation, health, well-being and strengthening life force.
As you stand here remember the Volkshochschule Witten-Wetter-Herdecke’s long history. It is a place of continuous learning. It adapts to meet the needs of the community. It enriches the lives of people in Witten, Wetter and Herdecke.