Sparkling wine, not bubbly. Kai Wegner and VBKI President Markus Voigt emphasized this during the welcome on the Euref campus with the now glazed former gasometer tower Photo: Hildburg Bruns
From Hildburg Bruns
Sold out! All tickets for the Berlin Merchants and Industrialists (VBKI) summer festival were long gone (135 euros for members, 187 euros for guests). And President Markus Voigt (57) was not only happy about the rain-free, warm evening on the Euref campus (Schöneberg) – but especially about a birthday guest.
Around 700 guests serenaded Kai Wegner twice: “Happy Birthday!” Because the governing mayor turned 51 on Friday, he joked: “I have celebrated bigger times before. But never this big.”
In the hall, the 700 guests sang Happy Birthday Photo: Hildburg Bruns
The VBKI President’s speech was like a flowery gift to the head of the new CDU/SPD coalition: “The Senate is setting the right course. It’s wonderful to hear that the collaboration is great. “Before that it was no longer bearable.” He was of course referring to the Sauer-Zoff coalition of red-green-red.
There were delicacies at the stands Photo: Hildburg Bruns
After speeches and serenades, the food stands were stormed: tagliatelle with truffles, Iberico Presa from the charcoal grill, fresh oysters, saffron risotto and so on.
Ladies quartet (from left) Frauke Eustermann (Belona), Franziska Giffey / Economics Senator, Ute Weiland (VBKI managing director), Nadine Schroeder (University of Potsdam) Photo: Hildburg Bruns
Some visitors were in party-hopping stress. Former Economics Senator Stephan Schwarz (58, SPD) still had to go to his 40th graduation party. And Economics Senator Franziska Giffey (45, SPD) only arrived in the dark: “I had agreed at a citizens’ meeting in Spandau.”