Wrapping up a Week in Bretten

Today marks our last day together in Bretten. As we close out this week-long sprint, I think it’s safe to say that it has been an excellent experience for everyone, including new teammates and those who have been with the company from the beginning. It was natural to settle into a comfortable rhythm- a great breakfast at the hotel, followed by a general migration to a well-laid-out workspace upstairs. After a full day of work, the day was wrapped up with dinner at one of the fantastic restaurants in Bretten.

There is a reason that sharing a meal is so deeply ingrained in every culture. It’s a time to unwind and connect—not just about tech, but about different hobbies and passions, from video games (and, of course, game design) to deep-sea fishing. A personal highlight (and a favorite among many of us visiting this region for the first time) was trying Maultaschen, a delicious dish so culturally significant that it holds Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. In 2009, the European Union officially recognized Maultaschen as part of the cultural heritage of Baden-Württemberg.

Moments like these highlight something that remote work, for all its advantages, can’t fully replicate. WunderGraph is a remote company, and being remote offers countless opportunities and benefits. How else could an engineering team consist of brilliant engineers from all over the world? But as I mentioned at the start of the week, certain aspects of working in person can’t be replicated behind a screen.

My role revolves around writing and documentation, which means that I spend most of my time with releases and the finished product. I rarely get the opportunity to sit in and watch the engineering team brainstorm, try things out, and build in real-time. Getting to be a fly on the wall throughout this week-long hackathon—despite its name, a hackathon has nothing to do with hacking but refers to an intense coding event (more on that here )—offers a new perspective on what happens behind the scenes, and what makes WunderGraph unique.

It’s one thing to send a Slack message requesting a screenshot for documentation; it’s another to stand behind the engineer, watch them run the code, and see the full context of what’s needed. Similarly, screen-sharing on a call can be efficient, but there’s a visceral difference when the entire team huddles around a laptop or shouts ideas at Jens as he takes notes on a whiteboard, collectively problem-solving and innovating at the moment. As the person responsible for rounding up new features and releases each month, it’s always exciting to share what’s new. But watching those ideas come to fruition—seeing them brainstormed, debated (always in the friendliest way possible), and built in real-time—adds a new level of appreciation.

As we wrap up our week and head back to our separate corners of the planet, it is important to carry these experiences. These retreats aren’t just about work; they’re about reconnecting with people you have worked with and met in person, meeting new teammates, and missing those who, for whatever reason, cannot join. Not everyone can make it each time, but the experience is invaluable. Personally, I am already looking forward to the next one.