“Wolfgang and Hannelore are such an asset to our team. When they are there in the morning, you are immediately in a good mood,” says Budni employee Evelyn Weiß about her two colleagues. Although Wolfgang Knothe (72) and Hannelore Hahn (78) are already retired, they work four days a week in the drugstore. They started because they enjoyed their job – but now they are dependent on the money.
The fact that the Budni employees in Dammtorstraße are a well-rehearsed team is immediately apparent from their funny and familiar conversations. They have the most fun four times a week in the morning, when Knothe and Hahn come to stock the shelves for two hours each. They get 450 euros for it – if they paid more, their pension would be reduced.
Wolfgang Knothe receives 1100 euros from the pension fund and Hannelore Hahn 1300 euros. “It used to be enough to live on and the salary was a nice bonus,” says Knothe. “But since the prices have been rising, I’ve been dependent on it.”
Apart from the financial reasons, Hannelore Hahn needs a task in life. “Since I’ve retired, I’ve first worked as a tutor, then as a tutor and now at Budni.” In her free time, she goes to a gymnastics course – “that’s how you stay fit!” – and meets up with her 15 friends. Before retiring, Hahn was a foreign language correspondent and secretary.
Wolfgang Knothe, who used to be a ship chandler in the port, keeps fit by going for walks. “I like photographing ships and I’m outside a lot,” he says, pointing to his smartphone. This also keeps his brain busy while his colleague reads a lot of newspapers.
Just like Hannelore Hahn and Wolfgang Knothe, every pensioner can start at Budni, even without experience – there are special training courses for that. The branch is freely selectable. Up to 42 hours per month are possible. Almost 100 pensioners now work in the city’s Budni branches.
How much longer do Hannelore Hahn and Wolfgang Knothe want to do this? “Well, as long as it’s physically possible! Just don’t be idle,” says Hannelore Hahn with a laugh. “Until the pension is enough to live again,” adds her colleague.
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The original of this post “Wolfgang (72) and Hannelore (78) work at a drugstore “until the pension is enough” comes from Mopo.
