The bridge builder – Knut Fleckenstein bids farewell to the federal chairmanship – a passionate mediator, European and political shaper
Sixteen years – that’s how long Angela Merkel was Chancellor, and that’s how long Knut Fleckenstein has served as chairman of the Workers’ Samaritan Federation (ASB). His term ends in November. “I feel like Angela Merkel: enough is enough,” he says with his characteristic blend of Hanseatic pragmatism and subtle humor. His tenure has been the longest of any ASB chairman this century. And yet, he adds, he’s pleased “that it’s ending so well.”
When Knut Fleckenstein looks back on these years, he doesn’t talk first about what he himself has achieved. He talks about the people who support the ASB. “I’m aware that a chairman or a board member can very quickly ruin the ASB’s reputation. But we owe the fact that we enjoy such a good reputation among the public to our volunteers and full-time staff. We couldn’t do it without them.”
Thirty-one years have passed since Fleckenstein’s journey with the ASB began. He joined the organization in 1995 via the St. Petersburg relief efforts of the Hamburg state association. For 15 years, he led the ASB Hamburg as state director, restructured the state association from insolvency, and had to make many difficult decisions. When he was elected federal chairman at the national conference in Dresden in 2010, he was already a member of the European Parliament. He remained an MEP until 2019, at times serving as deputy chairman of the European Social Democrats group. For his exceptional and diverse voluntary commitment, which extends far beyond the ASB, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class, in 2022.
For Knut Fleckenstein, politics and the ASB (Workers’ Samaritan Federation) were never separate worlds. During his tenure, the national association moved closer to politics and the media. “We’ve arrived in Berlin,” he says. The ASB has become more political – not in a partisan sense, but as an advocate for its 1.6 million members and the people it serves. The association took a clearer stance in favor of an open, democratic society and stood alongside those “who bring people together, not divide them.”
This reflects Fleckenstein’s self-image. He sees himself as a bridge builder: between people and generations, organizations and states. Listening, mediating, bringing together different interests – and taking a stand when democratic values are called into question. For him, bridge building was never merely a political strategy. It’s his way of interacting with people.
“Knut Fleckenstein succeeded in uniting people with different characters and personalities. This contributed greatly to the excellent development of the ASB Federal Association over these 16 years.”
Uwe Borchmann,
Deputy Federal Chairman of the ASB
His term in office also saw important decisions made for the future of the association. With the Potsdam Dialogue Process, Fleckenstein initiated a comprehensive strategy and organizational development process. The focus is on sustainability, diversity, digitalization, compliance, marketing, and fundraising – and on how the national association, state associations, and local branches can collaborate more transparently, reliably, and effectively across organizational boundaries. The policy on dealing with misanthropic and right-wing extremist positions and parties also bears his mark. It provides the ASB with a binding framework to enforce its stance within the association: misanthropy and right-wing extremism have no place in the ASB.
He also transformed the association itself. At the beginning of his tenure, only one woman sat on the federal board. “The ASB was a men’s club,” Fleckenstein says in retrospect. Today, half of the board members are women, Dr. Katarina Barley is the first female president since Annemarie Renger, and Sabine Wölfle is slated to take over as federal chair in November. “She is a good choice, especially in these political times,” says Fleckenstein. Moreover, she is the right person to initiate the necessary generational change.
His record also includes investments in new activities, the financial stabilization of parts of the organization, and the already agreed-upon collective bargaining agreement for the federal headquarters. He found it difficult to understand why an organization that originated from the labor movement had such difficulty with collective agreements.
Fleckenstein remains particularly committed to international work. He traveled along the Balkan route during the refugee movements of 2015 and 2016, visited aid projects in Southeast Europe, and traveled to Ukraine in 2023. He says the ASB (Workers’ Samaritan Federation) was already present there before the Russian attack, remained, and continued to provide assistance. Fleckenstein has been president of Samaritan International since 2011 – he was recently re-elected for another five-year term. This is one of the reasons he will remain connected to the ASB after stepping down from the national board.
Doubts about the “Wishes on Wheels” idea
And then there’s the “Wishes on Wheels” project. Initially, he wondered whether the idea could even be implemented. Soon, however, he recognized in it something that, for him, embodies the very essence of the ASB: an immediately effective, human gesture. The ASB helps people expand their opportunities in life – and doesn’t abandon them when that life comes to an end. What still inspires him about the organization today? “The high level of professionalism, the humanity, and the warmth.”
This warmth also characterizes the relationships that developed over the years. Fleckenstein says he always felt he was “working with eleven friends” on the Federal Executive Board. Disagreements were part of the process, but in the end, they always managed to find common ground. His long-time deputy, Uwe Borchmann, who is also leaving the Federal Executive Board in November after 16 years, describes their time together: “Knut Fleckenstein succeeded in uniting people with different characters and personalities. This contributed significantly to the outstanding development of the ASB Federal Association over these 16 years. Even though our time together on the board is coming to an end, Knut Fleckenstein will always remain my friend.”
Dr. Christine Theiss, whom he, in her words, “lured” into the federal executive board in 2014, emphasizes his calm, pragmatic manner, his experience and network, but also his subtle humor, his empathy, and his deep connection to the ASB (Workers’ Samaritan Federation). “I could write another 1,000 lines,” she says. “He deserves every word.”
ASB Managing Director Dr. Uwe Martin Fichtmüller has known Fleckenstein for well over two decades: as a fundraiser after the Elbe flood of 2002, as a colleague among the state directors, and finally as national chairman. “I experienced Knut as someone for whom the ASB was a matter of the heart,” says Fichtmüller. As national chairman, Fleckenstein “set new standards for this office,” initiating and guiding development processes and positioning. “Always approachable, empathetic, and firmly rooted in the organization.” Fichtmüller’s own move to the national management team also stems from Fleckenstein: “These six years were characterized by trust and dynamism, a period I wouldn’t want to miss, either personally or professionally.”
Knut Fleckenstein isn’t completely leaving the ASB because of his presidency at Samaritan International. He’s simply stepping back from the front line. Perhaps this is the fitting farewell for someone who builds bridges: He’s clearing the way for new people and ideas at the top – and ensuring that the bond between him and the ASB remains strong.
Knut Fleckenstein as ambassador of the day of honor
At the initiative of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a nationwide day of honor was held on May 23, 2026, to highlight volunteer work and strengthen democracy. The ASB Federal Association, together with the ASB State Association of Schleswig-Holstein and the Workers’ Samaritan Youth of Schleswig-Holstein (ASJ), participated in this “Day of Participation” and demonstrated its commitment to active involvement and social cohesion at the state youth competition in Bad Segeberg.
ASB Federal Chairman Knut Fleckenstein was present as an official ambassador for the day of honor. “Here, young people learn together, experience diversity and cohesion, and discover that their commitment can make a difference. It is precisely these kinds of experiences that strengthen our democracy and are therefore also a powerful symbol on the day honoring the Federal President.”
Text: Diana Zinkler, ASB Magazine
