A construction trailer for the NaturErlebnisGarten

An interview with Mr. Bernhard Vogt from the BUND Hamburg

Since May 2019, the Wilhelmsburg NaturErlebnisGarten, a nature garden to experience, has been home to a historic construction trailer, a loan from Mankiewicz to our neighbor, the NaturErlebnisgarten of the German Association for Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND).  Extensively restored by Mankiewicz apprentices as part of an apprentice project it has won many admirers.

The construction trailer once belonged to the traditional Hamburg company ‘Fritz Hack Straßen-, Tief- und Rohrleitungsbau’ known for road-building, civil engineering and pipeline construction. Joachim Hack, heir to the family business, is thrilled with the final result: "The loving effort that your apprentices have put in is immediately apparent". Mankiewicz apprentices involved also still look back on the project with excitement: "It's great that there was complete confidence in us. We really enjoyed it. We learned a lot – happy to do it again any time."

Ever since, a few months have passed and we asked Mr. Bernhard Vogt, the head of the NaturErlebnisgarten project, how the construction trailer has fared in the past months.

Mankiewicz: Mr. Vogt, how is the construction trailer today?
Mr. Bernhard Vogt: The construction trailer still looks very nice. We take very good care of it. The trailer hardly shows any trace of usage from the summer and has already been used by several groups.

What exactly takes place in the construction trailer?
If the weather is fine, the construction trailer is often used as material storage. In case the weather does not play along, we can occupy it with smaller groups. On Bee Day, the biggest festivity at our site, the construction trailer served our beekeeper as a shelter for honey production. So it can be used in multiple ways.

How exactly did the contact with Mankiewicz come about back then?
We have carried out joint projects with Mankiewicz several times in the past – for example, the "Wi mook dat" ("We do it!”) day of action. It gave the impression that this day was very enjoyable for everyone involved. Looking back, it's really great that the idea for the construction trailer ultimately arose from this collaboration.

Speaking of which: What did you think of the construction trailer idea?
That was really great. Not only the construction trailer itself, but also the idea behind it. For us at the NaturErlebnisGarten sustainability is just as important as it is for Mankiewicz. That's why we were really excited about the idea of restoring an old traditional construction trailer. And thanks to the Mankiewicz coatings, it is now ready for the future; from old to new, so to speak. We are indeed very grateful to Mankiewicz for making the construction trailer available to us on loan. 

What kind of reactions do you hear from the public regarding the construction trailer?
The Wilhelmsburg Inselpark, with which we work together very closely, thinks the construction trailer is great – as do we – and also appreciates the support from Mankiewicz. The construction trailer is already an integral part of the NaturErlebnisGarten. When new visitors come to us, they always say something about the construction trailer because everyone finds it so stunning. The trailer was deliberately placed in a very prominent position and because it has been so beautifully restored, it simply stands out.

What will happen to the construction trailer in the upcoming weeks and months?
On 21 September, there will be a big public festival in the Wilhelmsburg Inselpark, the so-called ‘Herbstleuchten’. Then the construction trailer moves from our area and is placed in the park. This will make the construction trailer accessible to an even larger public. During the winter our children's environmental group will use the construction trailer.