Close to people | Stories from Bethel
They have been working for Bethel for almost 70 years
She holds her crown cross up to the camera and he holds his certificate of honour. Both are smiling. Wiebke and Wolfgang Nitz, along with over 900 other employees of the von Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel, have received awards for their many years of loyalty to the diaconal organisation. The orthopaedic shoe technician has been working in the village for 40 years, the secretary for 25 years. Bethel not only plays a major role in their lives; without Bethel, the couple would probably not have got to know and love each other.
Wolfgang and Wiebke Nitz have been working for Bethel for a total of 69 years. They celebrated their service anniversaries in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic prevented them from celebrating, just as it did in 2021. As a result, the couple and many other jubilarians had to be patient before they were able to receive their certificate and the crown cross, the highest honour awarded by Diakonie. "It's nice to meet up here at Bethel-Platz and see many people again who we haven't seen for a long time because of coronavirus," says Wolfgang Nitz.
A true Bethel veteran
"I'm proud to receive the crown cross," says Wiebke Nitz, "27 years is a really impressive achievement." The 61-year-old works as an assistant to the regional management of Bethel.regional. She started in 1995 - also as a secretary - at Gilead Hospital, now the Bethel Protestant Clinical Centre. She then worked in strategic personnel and education work. She enjoyed and still enjoys her work "because it is varied and I always had and still have great people around me". She also looks forward to her retirement, which is not too far away, with melancholy, because "I will miss the people here".
Her husband is a real Bethel veteran. Wolfgang Nitz has been with the company since 1980, for 28 years as Operations Manager of Orthopaedic Shoe Technology. During his first twelve years at Bethel, the now 60-year-old worked for the former dairy and bakery alongside his work as an orthopaedic shoe technician. He supplied companies with milk, yoghurt and baked goods. Wolfgang Nitz sat at the checkout in the former Ophir department stores'. "I liked the fact that I met so many people and always had to adapt to new things," he says, looking back.
"I am proud to receive the crown cross."
The next anniversary is not far away
Like his wife, it is the contact with people that appeals to him about his job to this day. "I'm particularly fascinated by interacting with people with disabilities," he says. "Getting a smile from them motivates my team and me to find the best individual solution for shoes or insoles for each and every one of them."
Incidentally, Wolfgang and Wiebke Nitz didn't meet at Bethel. They met in a dance club in Bielefeld. An employee of Wolfgang Nitz introduced the two of them to each other. Without Bethel as a connecting element, the two might never have found each other. A year and a half later, Wolfgang proposed to Wiebke in the very place where he had first met her. That was almost 20 years ago. So the next anniversary is not far away for Wolfgang and Wiebke Nitz.
Text: Philipp Kreutzer | Photos: Christian Weische
This story simply told
Wiebke and Wolfgang Nitz have been a married couple for almost 20 years. They have been working at Bethel for a long time. She for 25 years and he for 40 years. The two have now been honoured for this along with many other Bethel employees. Wiebke and Wolfgang Nitz like their work. They feel at home at Bethel and enjoy being around people.
