Helga Schwarz (1928–2014)
Helga Schwarz was born in 1928 in Bautzen. After studying at the Music High School in Leipzig and taking an external state exam in mathematics, she became a music and mathematics teacher at the “Friedrich Schiller” High School in Bautzen from 1953 to 1988. In 1953, she founded the choir of the Friedrich Schiller School, which still exists today. For several years she organized the regionally significant choral conductor seminars.
In her decades-long activity as a music teacher, she taught generations of pupils the love of music, and with an exceptional commitment to her art, maintained a humanistic music culture even in times that had other ideological priorities. Her students still remember their lessons, which were largely free from the ideological presuppositions of this time, making her one of the most striking exceptions of her age.
In addition to her work at the school, she also took her music into the public arena and, alongside the school concerts, she staged further performances (for example “Judas Maccabaeus”, “Bastien and Bastienne”, and Wagner concerts) often with renowned solo artists. After her retirement, she continued to be committed to the musical and cultural life of the city of Bautzen. She took over the management of the music school in Bautzen for almost two years while the position was vacant. In the course of this difficult period of German reunification, she successfully led this institution, which has been so important to the musical education of young people.
In May 1997 she became one of the co-founders of the Foundation “Taucherkirche”, whose chairman she has remained, albeit with a short interruption. The foundation has been very active in the rescue of the dilapidated Taucherkirche and the restoration of its Renaissance portals. Of course, she played a key role in the organization of charity concerts for this Foundation. She was a member of the Music Committee of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church Community and active in the evangelical Cathedral choir.