Helmut Ott: A life's work in Schwäbisch Gmünd is retiring!

After more than 43 years of service to the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd, Helmut Ott has now retired. He experienced five mayors in his career and held various positions, including environmental officer and press spokesman. Since 1998 he has held responsibility as head of the main office and managed around 1,300 city employees.

The farewell party took place in the Prediger and showed how popular Ott was among his colleagues and the public. Those present particularly noticed the humorous side of the office manager, who was known for causing laughter with his youthful charm and jokes, such as hiding a mouse in the office. Ott, who cycles over 5,000 kilometers every day, often with his wife Ute, looked back on his diverse and eventful career at the ceremony. Among other things, he went to the front in times of crisis, managing the refugee crisis in 2015 and the corona pandemic in 2020.

Career and commitment

Helmut Ott began his professional career in the public order office in 1982 and became Gmünd's first environmental officer in 1986 after the Chernobyl disaster. He immediately felt at home in Schwäbisch Gmünd and expanded his roots in the city. Before retiring, he slept at City Hall to protect ballots, underscoring his dedication to city government.

In his free time he devotes himself to running an old farm and is passionate about cycling and hiking. Despite his retirement, he plans to continue volunteering and has already held numerous honorary positions, including on the board of the St. Canisus support group and on the AOK district council. Requests for future engagements have already been received gmuender-tagespost.de reported.

Ott's popularity and his many contributions to the city were particularly evident at his farewell party. It remains to be seen how his involvement will develop after retirement.

Details about Ott's personal motivation and his upbringing on a farm in Neuler were also highlighted. His adventurous spirit as a child is evident in anecdotes such as his encounter with a village policeman while driving a tractor without a license. He decided against farming and sought a career as a civil servant in order to have better prospects. He is also a passionate woodworker who works with a chainsaw in his own forest and processes wood for his garden house remzeitung.de reported.