The Bundeswehr in Kiel wants to grow again and is currently negotiating with the city of Kiel to take over the former MFG-5 site. This also affects the area of the Plüschow harbour north of the Holtenau lock. Instead of anchoring sailors, clubs, shipyards and marinas, landing craft and combat boats are to be stationed there in future.
This is a hard blow for those affected. According to the current plans, they are to move away. This also affects the Sothmann couple. Together, they run the Kiel yacht shipyard at the northern tip of Plüschow harbour and the Bay keela place for community- and leisure-orientated activities and events on the site of the former British Yacht Club.
Mrs Rieckhof-Sothmann, no contract has been signed yet, but the cards are on the table. What significance does the marine expansion have for your company?
So far it is a declaration of intent, but there are fears that it will turn out exactly as it says. On the other hand, it is also only a declaration of intent. Affected citizens and property owners like us are now invited to enter into dialogue. This means that the city has taken the first step and now the other stakeholders are called upon to get involved.
That's why we're not throwing in the towel just yet.
And for good reasons: We believe that the Bundeswehr definitely needs to be built up and strengthened. We grew up in peace, and that certainly had something to do with the fact that the Bundeswehr was strong.
The only important thing is to take civil society with you. And not only that. We should also look at what existing structures are being destroyed and how this relates to the space required. Is this small corner in Friedrichsort at the end of Plüschow harbour really needed? Soldiers also have free time and need an offer that they can get from us.
Non-profit projects at Plüschowhafen harbour
You operate the Kiel Yacht Yard and Bay Kiel at Plüschowhafen harbour. What is this all about?
We have been running Yacht-Werft Kiel for 27 years. My husband founded it in 1999. The harbour and the slipway have been added. This earns the money that we use to co-finance Bay gGmbH, the non-profit organisation founded especially for the site. The company in turn uses the money to maintain the buildings where necessary, for example to retrofit fire protection equipment. On the other hand, it is used for charitable purposes.
What charitable purposes are these?
For example, there is children's sailing in the form of free sailing clubs for schoolchildren north of the canal. We already have seven Optimists, which are still being refurbished, and a trainer. We have been organising sailing clubs at our old location on the Schwentine for years. Now we are delighted to be able to do it here again.
We are also taking part in Kiel's Future Week at the beginning of May and offering workshops for schools on the topic of marine protection - under the heading "Education for Sustainable Development". We also fly the Blue Flag, an environmental award for particularly sustainable harbour management.
The site also includes a listed wooden hall, which is available for cultural and other events during the summer months. It is rented by the theatre, Musikfreunde Kiel and other event organisers, for example. The organisers of the Kiel Opera have already been on site to test the acoustics.
How long have you been building this up?
The tendering process for the site of the former British Yacht Club began in summer 2021 and we were able to sign the contracts in summer 2025. That took a very long time, longer than anyone wanted or thought. We've been at it ever since. We were already operating the harbour last summer. We then gradually got the licences for the existing buildings.
"Let's get on with it first"
What will become of all this in light of the new findings?
For now, we will continue. The contracts between the Bundeswehr and the city are not due to be signed until the end of the year or in the first quarter of 2027. There are still many unresolved issues.
However, we will also soon enter into talks with the city and the Bundeswehr and discuss the future of the Bay. After all, we have a 30-year leasehold contract here. The divers, who are also on the site, in turn have a 30-year lease. These contracts will initially be taken over by the federal government. But there is no point in playing for time here. We all have to take care of our future.
For us, this means that we will continue here on site as planned for the time being. We still hope to be able to stay. But we have to reckon with the fact that this will not work and we will have to adapt to a new location. However, the concept must also work there and that means we must continue to be able to earn money with the shipyard, harbour and slipway in order to secure the basic financing of the non-profit limited company. We will discuss this with the city and the federal government and will certainly find a good solution.
Fabian Boerger
Editor News & Panorama
