103 years young: The secret of a healthy life by Erika Ziefle!

103 years young: The secret of a healthy life by Erika Ziefle!

A remarkable occasion was celebrated in Ducherow on June 20, 2025: Erika Ziefle, the oldest resident of the community, was able to celebrate her 103rd birthday. Mayor Martin Weitmann offered his best wishes and brought flowers as a gift. The life story of the celebratory woman is characterized by simplicity and stability. She grew up in poor conditions as the daughter of a day laborer and still lives alone in her own four walls today. She is supported by her daughter Anita Rost and the Johanniter volunteer service. Another highlight awaits her on her 104th birthday, when she plans an ice cream dinner with Martin Weitmann. But what is her secret to such a long life?

“A solid lifestyle, health, no alcohol and loyalty,” reveals Erika Ziefle. This wisdom could certainly help at a time when the world around us is subject to constant change. These upheavals are not only noticeable in personal life stories. The social circumstances in the year she was born, 1922, were also characterized by enormous upheavals. In Germany, the transition to the Weimar Republic took place, which was established after the First World War. This time of upheaval not only brought with it new political structures, but also a change in consumer culture.

The beginnings of gummy bears

In the midst of this exciting era, Hans Riegel from Haribo invented the first gummy bears, which were then known as “dancing bears”. These little sweets symbolize not only a new trend, but also access to sweets for broad sections of the population. While prices were still affordable in the early 1920s - two gummy bears only cost one Reichspfennig - the popularity of these delicacies grew steadily. Doris Richter, manager of a gummy bear shop, describes the nostalgic value and joy these sweets still provide today. In Germany today, around 200,000 tons of fruit gum are consumed annually, which shows the continued success of this tradition.

A democratic society

The invention of gummy bears also reflects the changes in society. The introduction of universal suffrage and legal equality for citizens were milestones of the Weimar Republic. However, these developments were not without challenges. Sociologists such as Boike Rehbein have analyzed the effects of democratization on consumer behavior, pointing out that the quality of mass-produced products often suffers when access to consumer goods is democratized. This raises the question of whether true democracy and high-quality products can coexist.

The Weimar Republic also saw progress in industrialization, with electrification and mass production increasing significantly. Companies like Siemens and AEG made great strides and led to an increase in motorization in the 1920s. However, this economic boom was abruptly halted by the global economic crisis of 1929 and led to massive social and economic challenges.

Looking back at Erika Ziefle's life story and the social environment of her childhood, it becomes clear how strongly individual fates and collective historical changes are interwoven. A long and happy life, like Erika's, is always a testament to adaptability, resilience and the ability to appreciate the simple things in life.