What are you looking to do in Kassel?

What do you, a Hamburg native, want to do in Kassel?” This is frequently the response I get when natives from Kassel ask me where I come from. Kassel is a beautiful city, a classic “love at second sight” instance, offering a great many things to discover.

Back when I switched jobs within the Group and left Frankfurt to come to Kassel, I did not think at the beginning that I would enjoy being here over the long-term. After growing up in Hamburg, studying in the south of France, completing an internship in Sydney, Kassel could by no means stand a chance…well, that is at least what I thought at the time.

But the longer I lived here and the more I discovered, the more convinced I was that I wanted to stay in Kassel. The city here is not put on a unique display, for example, like Hamburg or Munich. Instead, you gradually discover it over time. For example, the castle grounds (Schlosspark) with its many small lakes, the beautiful Karlsaue public city park, many cultural offerings and above all, the comfort such a city rich in nature provides.

When I started at SMA in Human Resource Management back in February 2007, there was of course another added bonus that the city offered me: An exciting job with pleasant colleagues, many of whom I have grown quite fond of.

And when I get the craving to go back to my hometown, I board an ICE train and arrive in Hamburg in a solid two hours. And once I return from the hustle and bustle of the Hanseatic city, I am indeed happy that I live in Kassel…