A century full of commitment: Werner Friedrich turns 100!

A century full of commitment: Werner Friedrich turns 100!

On Sunday, June 22, 2025, a very special anniversary will be celebrated in Bad Arolsen: Werner Friedrich will be 100 years old. The Ludwigshafen native is not only a trained forester, but also a committed citizen who initiated numerous reforms during his 25-year term as senior administrative director of the Waldeck domain administration. He not only put his heart and soul into preserving the forest, but also actively maintained his garden.

The celebrant grew up in Upper Hesse, where he spent his childhood on his grandparents' farm. After graduating from high school in Alsfeld in 1946, he took the step to study forestry at the University of Freiburg. After starting his career as a forestry expert at the regional finance directorate in Frankfurt, he moved on to the regional council in Kassel. In 1965 he took over management of the domanial administration, which has a history of more than 800 years in Hesse and manages the largest municipal forest ownership system in Germany. With his commitment, he not only secured the special assets of the Waldeck communities, but also played a decisive role in shaping the new regulations for hunting leasing and forest management.

A life for nature

The Waldeckische Domanialverwaltung, under the leadership of Friedrich, manages around 20,600 hectares, including around 19,000 hectares of forest, as well as agricultural land and historical castles. This wealth was originally intended to finance the prince's court and now plays an important role in the region's forestry and nature conservation. Friedrich founded the forestry association, which effectively promoted the marketing of wood from the Waldeck forests, and was active on the board of the Waldeck Deaconess House for over 30 years.

His voluntary work continued even after retirement. Friedrich found himself on the supervisory board of Deutsche Saatgut Aktiengesellschaft and was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for his work.

A fulfilling family life

In his private life, Friedrich now lives alone since his wife Friedel died in March 2021. Despite the loss, he organizes his everyday life independently and uses the “Meals on Wheels” service. With his daughter, his son, a grandson and a granddaughter as well as two great-grandchildren, he has a lively family that supports him. He is now celebrating his 100th cradle with his loved ones and has also invited neighbors and friends to celebrate this special day.

For many, Werner Friedrich is a role model who wrote down his war memories and family history in order to keep the past alive for future generations. The experiences during his time as a Hitler Youth and in the Reich Labor Service bear witness to an eventful life that he concluded on March 30, 1945, when he ended his military service.

The history of the Waldeck domain, which Friedrich helped to shape, goes back to the time of the princes. After the prince was deposed in 1918, the special assets were divided between the royal house and the Free State of Waldeck-Pyrmont and since then it has found a permanent place in the regional forestry industry. The Domanium is not only an important economic foundation, but also part of the region's cultural heritage, which includes, among other things, the administration of five castles - a legacy that Werner Friedrich passionately advocated for in many of his years in office.

Werner Friedrich looks back on a fulfilled life that is not only characterized by professional success, but also by personal relationships and a deep commitment to his homeland.