Interview about moments of happiness with Freddy Holzapfel

After 13 years at ENERGY Sachsen, nine of them as a wake-up-morning show aunt, Friederike "Freddy" Holzapfel knew what little sleep meant. Now as a mom, she has even less. Since 2011 she has been working as an afternoon presenter at Saxony's most popular radio station PSR!

Friederike Holzapfel (b. Lippold) was born on 26.08.1978 in the Lutherstadt Wittenberg and grew up in Bad Düben. She has been married to cinematographer Tilo Holzapfel since 2009 and has two children. In 2000, she dropped out of her studies and hosted the morning show "Knallwach mit Freddy" at ENERGY Sachsen. Friederike Holzapfel has been working as an afternoon presenter at RADIO PSR since 2011. In her private life, she is involved as an ambassador of the Central German Children's Cancer Research.

YOU WERE THE DISTINCTIVE VOICE AT ENERGY SACHSEN FOR 13 YEARS. SINCE 2011 YOU ACCOMPANY THE SAXONS ON RADIO PSR THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WHAT HAS CHANGED IN THE RADIO LANDSCAPE?

A lot has happened. Especially when it comes to social networks. I am glad to have been "the front dog" in a time when not everything on Facebook has been commented on, evaluated or even anonymously leaked. Also, the medium of radio was even more important, more present at that time. The competition of the entire Internet providers did not exist to this extent. We set trends ourselves, were pioneers and often also role models. Our actions were cheeky, funny, sometimes even at the limit of good taste. I remember calling on students to skip class to go to the movies with me. We blocked the Leipziger Ring with our own little love parade or chained two complete strangers to each other for a week at "Strangers in Chains". But everything had a certain charm. Now you have to show off and exaggerate so insanely to even stand out in the big colorful world of YouTube stars, bloggers, vloggers and influencers.

YOUR THREE FAVORITE ACTIVITIES ARE "EATING, SLEEPING, SPENDING MONEY". WHAT MOMENTS STILL MAKE YOU HAPPY?

Sleeping out or just staying asleep - that's a big moment of happiness for me as a mother of a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old. Also to have time together. My husband works as an independent cameraman often on weekends, I Monday to Friday, so it rarely works out that we have time for each other as a family of four. But if we do, then we are half the day in pajamas and the other half somewhere outside, preferably barefoot and in the sun. And the greatest happiness is that my family is healthy, my parents are fit and close. The house in the forest in Bad Düben is my little paradise.

YOUR EMPLOYER, THE LEIPZIG RADIO CENTER, IS LOCATED IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE LEIPZIG CASINO IN THE CITY CENTER, HAVE YOU EVER VISITED IT?

I used to go by it a lot when I was in the cinema. But I've never been inside. But I want to go to the LADIES FIRST event with my girls and I'm really excited about what awaits us there.

YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING STORY ON THE RADIO IS ...

Many years ago I was allowed to interview my greatest heroes, Depeche Mode. Together with other journalists, I was sitting in Berlin after a sleepless night. I was so nervous that I didn't ask a single question. And when the manager said after five minutes that the time was up, I only wanted one thing: a photo with my stars. It wasn't allowed, but I didn't care. With my old camera I ran after Dave Gahan and when I was at his height I pulled the trigger. That was so infinitely embarrassing and the photo so ugly that I couldn't even brag about it.

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED GREAT HAPPINESS?

The great happiness is my family. The births of my children have been overwhelming. But I'm more of a fan of the little happiness. I am absolutely delighted when the hydrangeas bear new blossoms, when a rainbow lights up in the sky, when it smells of freshly washed laundry, laughter and singing can be heard from the children's rooms or you wake up in the morning and your favorite song is playing on the radio.