The Düsseldorfer Jonges, described as Europe’s largest local heritage association, continue to meet as an all-male group. At a recent weekly gathering in the Henkel-Saal, around 400 men sat at tables decorated with the emblems of their communities.
The event featured a talk by Bert Rürup, known for the pension system named after him, on global trade and an ageing population. Afterward, march music played and attendees sang a song celebrating Düsseldorf as home, a ritual that brings the weekly meeting to a close.
Efforts to open the association to women have so far failed, with members resisting change. Some people have described the group as a “petty-bourgeois mafia,” while one woman said she could understand why the Jonges might not want her to join.
Sources: FAZ.