An Espresso with... Saint Nicholas
Dear Saint Nicholas, according to our Christmas lore, you once studied at the University of Bremen. What drew you to this course of study and this location?
Well, the university has only existed for a little over five decades, but I’ve always had a soft spot for young, open and modern places. Even back then I was an unusual type — coat, boots, long beard. In other places I probably would have stood out. In Bremen I didn’t. People simply accepted me as I am. Open, tolerant, curious. That attitude touched me and carried me through my studies. And the proximity to the river Weser made everything perfect. I like places that are calm yet full of life. For me, Bremen was just that.
Were there formative moments or people during your studies who influenced your path?
Oh yes. Especially the moment when a lecturer told me, “Nicholas, tradition is good, but it has to move with the times.” That shook me awake a bit. Back then I learned that you can preserve values without becoming rigid.
And the student groups where people from all over the world worked together were very formative for me. This international exchange broadened my perspective — and it still helps me today when I visit homes from Tromsø to Cape Town.
What role does your education at the University of Bremen play in your everyday life today?
A very big one. I learned to look at complex situations with calmness and to build bridges between very different people. The University of Bremen gave me this interdisciplinary mindset: pedagogy, communication studies, a bit of logistics — all useful disciplines when you’re in charge of a global delivery project.
In short: everything I learned there, I carry with me through every chimney to this day.
After travelling to many places around the world, you still return to Bremen regularly. What is it that draws you back?
I say this without comparing it to anywhere else: Bremen is something like my home port. The city is down-to-earth, open and not loud — and it’s exactly this understatement that I appreciate. Other cities and regions are of course just as valuable and special, but Bremen has a personal meaning for me: it’s where I developed part of my “academic identity.” And I find it wonderful that this spirit still lives on.
The pre-Christmas season is a major project. What does it mean to you personally to be part of it every year?
It is work, yes — but also a gift. The world has become more complex, wishes more diverse. That makes it all the more important to me that the Advent season remains a time when people come closer together. I don’t see myself as a symbol of perfection, but rather as a reminder that giving, listening and a bit of magic never go out of style.
What long-term impulses would you like to see — for society and for young people, regardless of where they live?
I hope for courage to be kind. And for people to look beyond their own horizons. Whether one lives in Bremen, London, Nairobi, Hong Kong or Melbourne: the ability to tolerate differences and find solutions together is becoming ever more important.
And every year I meet so many young people who stay committed and curious. That touches me deeply and gives me hope.
And on a personal note: Please complete the following sentence “The University of Bremen is for me …”
… a place where I learned to combine tradition with curiosity — and I take that with me on my sleigh every single year.