Dear President Dirk Kuchenbuch,
Mr. Minister President,
members of the Mainz Kleppergarde,
distinguished guests of honor,
fellow revelers,

and especially: dear award winner Sven Voss,

I am delighted that you have all arrived safely here in Finthen. After three snowflakes in our city last weekend even scared off the Chancellor and the entire CDU Federal Executive Committee, I had been worried about tonight. After all, there is no more wonderful event in the entire Federal Republic than the presentation of the Määnzer Jockelche.

It is an award that combines the most beautiful thing in life with the most important thing in life. The most beautiful thing is, of course, Carnival. The most important thing is that we work to ensure a good life for our children.

With such an important award, I naturally have a duty as mayor to conduct critical research: Is the winner a good choice? Sven Voss?

Voss… I learned from Professor Krausch, the president of our University of Mainz, that a good laudatory speech always begins with an analysis of the name.

Voss—as you all surely know, dear revelers: The name Voss goes back to the Old High German word for “fox.” For that reason alone, this year’s awardee is a perfect fit for the prize like no one before, because he essentially shares his name with the namesake “Jockel FUCHS.” And so we Mainzers are even willing to forgive him for living in Wiesbaden (!).

Back to the fox: The fox, of course, has very specific characteristics. He is smart and clever, versatile and adaptable, subtle, and above all, humorous and mischievous!

Dear Sven Voss, I think that characterizes you quite well. These traits of the clever fox have—and I’ll just go ahead and say this—contributed to making you one of the best-known and most beloved figures in Mainz. Yes, Mainz personalities—I say that quite deliberately, knowing full well that you “surely only by mistake” live on the wrong side of the Rhine. Did I actually mention that already?

Because at our Mainz-based ZDF, dear Mr. Voss, you’ve had a magnificent career: as a sports and television presenter from Lerchenberg, you’re known nationwide. You’ve mastered every genre, from children’s shows and “Logo” to “True Crime,” “XY Solved,” and “XY History.” And of course, your career is shaped—and here I finally come to a lovely commonality—by a love of sports: For decades, you’ve brought the most diverse disciplines into our living rooms: World Cups in bobsled and luge, the Tour de France, the 2006, 2008, and 2010 Olympic Games, the DFL Supercup—and, of course, plenty of soccer news from the latest Sportstudio.

So, to sum up: Sven Voss, a multi-talented journalist, host, commentator, creator, pacesetter—quick-witted, smart, and very, very likable.

That’s certainly impressive, but it’s not enough for the Määnzer Jockelche.

Because the Määnzer Jockelche is all about children, about the well-being of children. And Sven Voss’s commitment to children is impressive.

For many years, Sven Voss has been a strong advocate for children. He makes them smart and clever—like a fox! He serves as an ambassador for the Stiftung Lesen and the organization “Bildung Kickt,” and is a sponsor of a school in my hometown of Obertshausen.

Above all, however, Mr. Voss, you use your fame to support the Ronald McDonald House in Mainz. There, families of seriously ill children find a “temporary home” near the hospital so they can stay close to their children during treatment.

For parents, there is nothing worse than seeing their child suffer from a serious illness. In such moments, solidarity and closeness are what help most. At the Ronald McDonald Houses, families can live near the hospital. And I am very glad that you, dear Mr. Voss, support the house in Mainz so energetically—through visits, campaigns, fundraising appeals, and your strong network.

I thank you very much for that! I believe that in the years to come, it will remain just as important for prominent advocates with a clear moral compass to stand up for children and young people.

And that fits perfectly with the Kleppergarde: The Kleppergarde has a long tradition of supporting youth in many different ways. Thank you very much for that!

As early as 1856, the Garde was already championing youth: Karl Dremmel made it possible for children from Mainz to officially participate in the Carnival parade. To this day, the Garde remains committed to children and young people—a commitment particularly evident in the traditional “Jugend in die Bütt” event.

Last year, the young people of the Kleppergarde, together with the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Family Affairs, developed 11 Mainz Children’s Rights for Carnival. In 2026, a Children’s Rights Bench is to be installed at the Mainz Children’s Rights Square in front of the Blue Elephant.

With the presentation of the Jockelche, the Garde shows us every year that many people from all walks of life are committed to supporting children and young people.

The previous recipients of this award, dear Mr. Voss, include a wide variety of personalities. Marie-Luise Marjan, Ingo Zamperoni, and Malu Dreyer have been honored with the Jockelche, as have Harald Glööckler and Thomas Anders.

You are now joining this distinguished line of honorees, dear Sven Voss. Congratulations and heartfelt thanks for your commitment to the well-being of children and families.