Peter Heizer becomes an honorary citizen of Planegg

Created: 01/10/2023 17:51

By: Nicole Kalenda

When the Planegger weekly market celebrated its 40th birthday in October 2019, the then second mayor Peter Heizer (left), here with the market people’s spokesman Günther Abt, went to the microphone and said: “You and the visitors do it once a week the marketplace to what it was intended for: not as an appendix to Bahnhofstrasse, but as a meeting place.” © Dagmar Rutt

Great honor for a great personality: The municipality of Planegg will bestow honorary citizenship on Peter Heizer.

The council unanimously approved this in a closed meeting.

Planegg

– The title of honorary citizen is the highest award that the municipality of Planegg can bestow.

In the last session before the Christmas break, the municipal council voted unanimously in favor of awarding it to Peter Heizer, in recognition of his services to the community and his commitment at club level, especially in the fire brigade.

"He did a lot in and for this community," said Mayor Hermann Nafziger in a press conference on Tuesday.

The ceremonial award ceremony should take place in spring or early summer.

There have been ten holders of honorary citizenship so far, all of whom have since passed away: Georg Heide, Willy Heide, Richard Naumann, Franz Brugger, Anton Schneller, Karl Bach, Rudolf Freiherr von Hirsch, Alfred Pfeiffer and Günther Schuppler.

Peter Heizer's father Albert Heizer is also one of them, 1st mayor from 1945 to 1966, first appointed by the Allies, then re-elected twice.

Municipal councilor from 1978 to 2020

Peter Heizer became a municipal councilor in 1978, at that time the group was called "Party-Free Voters - Citizens Block Planegg", later it became the "Free Voters Planegg" and in 2008 finally the "Free Voters Dynamic".

From 1984 to 1996 he was 3rd mayor, from 1996 until he left the municipal council in 2020 he held the office of 2nd mayor.

He represented the mayor at 100th birthdays and diamond weddings or at the 40th anniversary of the Planegger weekly market, but also took part in all negotiations on the subway.

Heizer joined the Planegg volunteer fire brigade at the age of 18 and has been a member for 61 years.

He was a member of the board for 50 years and was vice commander for 17 years.

Heizer was the first youth warden of the Planegger Wehr and later also the first district youth fire brigade warden in the district of Munich.

The message from the town hall reached Peter Heizer in the mail last week.

"I was speechless," says the 79-year-old.

"I've received many honors, but that's the highest a community can give as an honor." In 2018, Heizer was awarded the Citizen's Medal.

And at the turn of the year 2020/21 there was a certificate with the text: "As a thank you and in appreciation of his voluntary commitment for 40 years on the municipal council from May 1, 1978 to the present day." In addition, a Planegger owl as a pin, made by a local jeweller.

The father as a role model

"I had very great role models and teachers," says Heizer, "starting with my father." But also Richard Naumann, SPD mayor until 1981, and Walter Roth, 18 years for the CSU in the municipal council and second mayor, as Heizer himself 3rd would have given him lots of tips.

“Relationships with the mayors have always been very good.

That helped me enjoy doing it,” says Heizer.

The heads of town hall changed, while Heizer remained deputy: Richard Naumann (SPD), Günther Schuppler (CSU), Alfred Pfeiffer (SPD), Ulrike Höfer (CSU), Dieter Friedmann (SPD), Annemarie Detsch (SPD) and finally Heinrich Hofmann (SPD ).

The cooperation with the administration and the municipal council was always very good.

"The family got involved.

That was important,” says Heizer, who has two sons, Andreas and Martin, with his wife Rita.

Since May 2020, Heizer is no longer a municipal councillor.

"I'm still interested in local politics, but being active there for 42 years was enough," he says.

On July 14, Heizer celebrates his 80th birthday.

"We're going to take it easy.

The family, the grandchild Benjamin, there are other important things.”