The Coach House Lives On

The Vetschau Coach House and the Suitcase Full of Memories

At the entrance to the coach house stands an old suitcase—for Katja Schade, it’s a suitcase full of memories. “At first, it had plenty of room for the life stories yet to come; by the end, it was bursting at the seams,” she says on the occasion of the opening of the Remise—which had been unused for three years and is part of the Vetschau Castle complex. She likes to use this as a metaphor to describe her line of work: Katja Schade offers her services in the spaces rented by the city—and not only there—  everything life has to offer in terms of moments worth celebrating and commemorating. What’s more, she’s not just concerned with creating a beautiful atmosphere—which is undoubtedly present—but with finding the right words for life’s milestones. The certified speaker organizes baby welcome parties as well as youth initiation ceremonies; she officiates weddings on a barge, guides couples through their wedding vows, and stands by the bereaved during times of loss. She named her office GENAU SO. Katja Schade: “I call it that because I encourage people to make their celebrations as personal as possible—not any other way, but exactly like this.”

At first, her life story gave no indication that this path lay ahead. A trained retail saleswoman, she lived in Munich for 20 years before returning to her hometown of Luckau. The deaths of her grandfather and, later, her father would prove to be pivotal moments: “Both eulogies intensified the pain I was already feeling; surely there must be a different way—one that speaks more to the emotions rather than just describing the loss,” recalls Katja Schade, reflecting on the decision that followed to become a eulogist and ceremonial speaker herself.

She has been living in Vetschau with her family since the summer of 2026, and she is determined to pursue her career here. Chris Mielchen, Vetschau’s mayor, was visibly pleased at the opening: “We’ve finally found a new use for the carriage house, which has been vacant for three years—though it’s more of a revival of what was already planned there in terms of celebrations, especially weddings.” As befits a good landlord, the city had previously renovated the property and even installed an internet connection.

The suitcase symbolism carried over into the reception hall as well, where two beautiful wedding dresses added to the dignified atmosphere—one was her grandmother’s from 1958, and the other was her own from 2013. “I want to create a sense of privacy and connect with people on an equal footing. I, too, am familiar with life’s ups and downs, and I see myself more as a trusted friend than as a helper,” says Katja Schade to the guests at her small opening celebration.

Peter Becker, November 13, 26