On 14 September 2021, 26 graduates of the former "Hochschule für Verkehrswesen" (HfV) met in Dresden. They had graduated together 50 years ago, in 1971. They wanted to celebrate the golden jubilee. To do so, they also visited the "Friedrich List" Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences which had emerged from the former HfV in October 1992. One highlight was the handing out of the "Golden Diploma Certificates". Afterwards, the group looks back on the wonderful meeting in a short report - which we are happy to publish here:

"For almost two years, a small Dresden team from the railway and motor transport seminar groups has been working towards 14 September 2021. Although Corona came in the way of the schedule, we never thought of giving up. We had too many fond memories of the 40th anniversary of our diploma, which we celebrated in September 2011 in almost the same formation in Dresden. (...)

Now, in September 2021, we started our meeting in the Reichenbachstraße refectory. The Studentenwerk Dresden had reserved a brand new room for us on the 1st floor - many thanks go to Ms Rüdiger and Mr Winter for this - we felt very comfortable (despite Corona rules) and the food was excellent!

After lunch, we headed towards Hettnerstraße 1. During the preparation of our Golden Diploma Anniversary, the representatives of the TU Dresden accompanied us very intensively over two years, mainly by email: Mr Bennet Wilhelm (Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences), Ms Susann Mayer (Head of the Alumni Department, TU Dresden), Ms Angela Buchwald (TUD University Archive) and in the final phase especially Ms Anke Richter-Baxendale (Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences). Even during homeoffice time due to Corona, they were always competent contacts and important supporters in the necessary verification of the data and the organisation of the ceremony.

At 1:30 p.m., the Managing Director of the "Friedrich List" Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Dr. Michael Krieg, was waiting for us in front of the Gerhart Potthoff Building and escorted 26 graduates of the 1971 academic year (...) into the AUDIMAX, which we knew very well. Among them were alumni from the railway and motor transport departments as well as two alumni from the tourism seminar group, and we were also able to welcome our much appreciated seminar group supervisor Dr. Dieter König back to our ranks.

In a very relaxed conversational style, Dr. Krieg informed us about "The Faculty today and Vision 2030", encouraged us to ask questions and also involved his small teaching team in answering them. It was not only about the successes, the focus was also on necessary changes in teaching and research. Since our departure from active working life was not yet light years away, some of the problems in attracting students, the material equipment in teaching and research and the goals in research seemed quite familiar to us - it was a very entertaining hour.

Afterwards, Dr. Krieg ceremoniously presented the golden diplomas. We "economists" had rarely experienced such a warm atmosphere during our studies - sitting in maths and physics among all the technicians in the AUDIMAX!

And then nostalgia came once again - after more than 50 years, we railwaymen saw our railway operating field again! We also still remembered the old mechanical points, locks and telecommunication equipment, track diagram signal boxes and many names of the stations. A big thank you to the staff of the railway operations laboratory who accompanied us here.

Finally, we took a photo of all the graduates with the golden diploma in front of the entrance to the "Friedrich List" Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences.

Many thanks to the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences and the TU Dresden as a whole for this very beautifully designed presentation of the Golden Diploma to graduates of the Railway, Motor Transport and Tourism Department of the Transport and Business Administration Section of the former HfV.

After this special highlight, the first day ended at the Feldschlösschen brewery headquarters on Budapester Straße. Still at almost 20 degrees, we sat on the terrace until around 10:30 pm and had plenty to talk about!

On the second day there were two options: With the Lößnitzdackel to Moritzburg, from the station carriage ride to the lighthouse - back to Adam's inn; then by bus back to Dresden. Or: City tour through lesser-known corners of Dresden - Postplatz, Herzogin Garten, modern industrial buildings at the Mitte railway station (Staatsoperette, Theater der Jungen Generation) and then towards the castle - guided by a "building expert" from our ranks.

In the evening, 22 people who had remained in Dresden met again at the Feldschlösschen Brewery Stammhaus to round off the meeting. Despite all the Corona rules, our assessment was that this meeting was worthy of a Golden Diploma!"

Authors: Rita Langbein, Andreas Kirsch, Beate Hilliges and Dr Hartmut Sommer (on behalf of the entire Dresden team)