Brandenburg Integration Award

Back in 1993 when Trippen started out, civil war was raging in the former Yugoslavia and it was young men from the Balkans fleeing military service who provided much of the energy and driving force behind our emerging firm; brightening up the daily routine for us and our 4 trainees in the little Berlin workshop. As Trippen moved production in 1998 we recruited a number of returning German-Russians, who were then being resettled in Zehdenick. We were told that we would have to expect trouble from the right wing scene. This threat proved a challenge and inspiration. Today our workforce in Zehdenick includes over 10 employees with Russian backgrounds, supplying the team leaders in nearly every area. Football in the lunch break helped the long levelling process, recognition and respect literally being won on the playing field. During the present crisis Trippen has taken on 4 Afghan refugees, who are living in Zehdenick with their families. We believe language is a big help to integration, therefore for over a year now we have been offering a German course regularly twice a week. We were recently awarded the Brandenburg Integration Award.