Awards for Civil Courage:
Handprints for Courage & Social Commitment

Courage, a sense of responsibility, and social commitment were once again the focus of this year’s Civil Courage Award ceremony in the Hildesheim district. KSM Castings once again supported the award ceremony with a special tradition: In the company’s training workshop, the award winners’ individual handprints were cast and presented to them – a visible symbol of their personal commitment and courage in the face of adversity.

„People who take responsibility and don’t look the other way make an important contribution to our society. This commitment deserves recognition and visibility,“ emphasizes Detmar Kampmann, CEO of the KSM Castings Group. „Every year, we look forward to contributing to this special tribute through our training workshop.“

Annabel Grube, a resident of Harsum, was awarded the first prize. About a year ago, the then 19-yearold had witnessed a man deliberately trip a toddler in a supermarket. The child took a bad fall and was injured. Annabel Grube took decisive action: She memorized the man‘s appearance, wrote down his license plate number, informed the store staff, and filed a police report. Thanks to her information, the perpetrator was identified.

The Otto family from Hildesheim won the second prize. Jan-Philipp Otto, his sister Ann-Kathrin, and their parents, Petra and Markus Otto, stepped in when they witnessed a violent incident in downtown Hildesheim. A man forcibly dragged a woman out of a store and threatened her. The family reacted immediately: Markus and Jan-Philipp Otto rushed to the woman‘s aid, while Ann-Kathrin Otto called the police. Together, they took care of the victim and detained the perpetrator until emergency responders arrived.

Handprints as a symbol of individual courage
A distinctive feature of the Civil Courage Award is the personalized design of the award. The honorees’ handprints were cast during the event at the KSM Castings training workshop. They symbolize the personal decision to take responsibility and take action in a difficult situation. The award was designed by artist Enrico Garbelmann.

For the trainees and employees at KSM Castings, creating the handprints is a special project every year. It combines craftsmanship with a powerful social message and underscores the importance of responsibility, respect, and solidarity—values that also play a central role in everyday business life.

Working Together for a Strong Society
District Administrator Bernd Lynack praised the honorees for their courage, commitment, and character: “It is often said that society is becoming harsher and that people are more likely to look away than to look on. Today, we celebrate the opposite.” At a time when there is frequent talk of indifference and social tensions, such examples send a strong message of solidarity and compassion.

Hildesheim Police Chief Christian Bomert also emphasized the importance of civil courage. This does not necessarily mean putting oneself in danger, but can just as easily involve providing important information that helps solve crimes.

Matthias Kaufmann, managing director of Kreiswohnbaugesellschaft (kwg), explained the housing development company’s long-standing commitment as a sponsor of the award: “We manage about 5,000 apartments, home to approximately 12,000 people. Our employees can’t see everything. “That is why we depend on people taking responsibility for one another and looking out for one another.” The kwg is supporting the award with prize money of 1,000 euros in total.

KSM Castings has supported the initiative for many years and views it as an important contribution to promoting social responsibility. “Civil courage often begins with a simple decision: to look into the matter instead of looking away. “This year’s award recipients have shown how important this attitude is for living together in our society,” said Detmar Kampmann.

KSM Castings extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the award recipients and thanks the organizers and partners of the Civil Courage Award for their long-standing commitment.

Featured Image: back row: Enrico Garbelmann, Landrat Bernd Lynack, Detmar Kampmann (COO KSM Castings Group), Markus Otto, Matthias Kaufmann (Geschäftsführer kwg), Amir Heydari (Ausbilder KSM Castings Group), Christian Bomert (Leitender Kriminaldirektor), Frank Kompe (Polizeiinspektion Hildesheim), Manuel Duarte (Betriebsratsvorsitzender KSM Castings Group), Malte Spitzer (Erster Stadtrat Hildesheim); front row: Jan-Phillipp Otto, Ann-Kathrin Otto, Petra Otto, Annabel Grube

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