Cologne, May 2026
Klosterfrau celebrates its 200th anniversary
On 21 May 2026, the Klosterfrau Group celebrated its 200th anniversary with a festive anniversary evening at the Flora in Cologne. This was followed on 29 May by a grand staff gala at the Gürzenich in Cologne, to which all of the approximately 1,500 employees were invited to come and celebrate the company’s 200th anniversary together.
Dr Stefan Koch (CEO of the Klosterfrau Group) opens the ceremony with a welcome speech
To mark its 200th anniversary, Klosterfrau hosted a celebratory ceremony at the Flora in Cologne.
At both events, Klosterfrau aims to emphasise that such a long tradition also entails a responsibility for the future – particularly for Germany as a centre of excellence in healthcare. The company sent a clear signal of this by presenting the Maria Clementine Martin Award for the first time at the anniversary ceremony. It is no coincidence that Klosterfrau launched this award in its anniversary year: It symbolises the commitment to actively carry the founder’s values into the future. The award was presented to Angelica Conraths (entrepreneur) and Jana Deckelmann (biologist and nutritional economist), the founders of fembites. Through their work in the field of FemHealth, they are committed to closing the gender data gap in health research and specifically improving healthcare provision for women.
“For us, 200 years of company history mean, above all, 200 years full of experiences, changes and shared development. We have grown, repeatedly realigned our course and, in doing so, learnt what truly endures – and how important it is to have the courage to constantly reinvent ourselves,” says Dr Stefan Koch, CEO of the Klosterfrau Group.
(from left to right): Judith Rakers (presenter), the winners of the 2026 Maria Clementine Martin Award, Angelica Conraths (fembites) and Jana Deckelmann (fembites), Elisabeth Labadie (Chair of the Foundation Board) and Dr Stefan Koch (CEO of the Klosterfrau Group) at the award ceremony during the anniversary celebrations.
As well as the presentation of the Maria Clementine Martin Award, the anniversary evening was one highlight after another. Hosted by Judith Rakers, the company welcomed numerous guests from the fields of business and politics, as well as business partners and friends of the company.
Speakers included Dr Stefan Koch, Herbert Reul and Thorsten Burmester. Michelin-starred chef Alina Meissner-Bebrout provided the culinary highlight of the evening with a menu created exclusively for the occasion. Musical entertainment was provided by the Matthias Kaufmann Orchestra and special guest Annett Louisan.
Dr Stefan Koch (CEO of the Klosterfrau Group) thanks Michelin-starred chef Alina Meissner-Bebrout for providing the culinary accompaniment to the anniversary celebrations.
About a week later, Dr Stefan Koch invited all Klosterfrau staff to a celebration at the Gürzenich.
The foyer at the Gürzenich during the staff gala to mark Klosterfrau’s 200th anniversary
A festively decorated table at the Gürzenich during the staff gala
The evening was truly a very special celebration. Hosted by Marlene Lufen, all 1,300 Klosterfrau employees in attendance had the opportunity to celebrate our 200th anniversary together and look back on many successful years. The event provided an opportunity to honour special milestones, shared successes and the people behind these achievements. In a pleasant atmosphere, memories were shared, interesting conversations took place and toasts were made to the future. Alongside video messages from Hendrik Wüst, Torsten Burmester and Franziska Giffey, as well as speeches from the Board of Directors and interviews with staff, there was first-class food and music.
Safri Duo, Dick Brave and, last but not least, the Cologne-based band Druckluft created a great atmosphere that lasted well into the late evening.
Klosterfrau Award
With the Klosterfrau Award, which exists since 2001, the Klosterfrau Group underlines its commitment to excellence in research. At the same time, the award recognises and motivates the next generation of dedicated scientists who are committed to improving the quality of life of children with respiratory diseases.