Cottbus, Germany.
A century ago, Cottbus was a thriving mid-size town in the middle of Germany. A city with industries and an upper class of citizens that had no difficulties to afford building one of the most outstanding art nouveau theatres without much ado. The city was nice, even beautiful at some places, but certainly proud for good reasons. Then the post war history changed the map and the city was suddenly lay in socialist East Germany and on the border to Poland. Open pit coal mining became the main source of employment until it eventually ran out. After the fall of the wall, Cottbus was propped up with a newly founded university to change the city’s focus from industry to innovation. So far, so good.
But then came a force that is stronger than any historic wind, political will, or wishful thinking of a better future. Demographics hit in. Today, there are simply not enough children born to keep up a stable population. No incentive programme of any government seems to be able to change this trend towards an aging society. There now seem to be more pharmacies that restaurants in Cottbus. Nothing can stop the hard facts of demography transforming the face of this city.
The shell of the city is still there, but the life inside of it is dying out. On my regular walks from the train station to university and back, I experienced what it means to be in a shrinking city. The theatre is on the way, and is still an architectural jewel, funded by subsidies and producing good shows. But many of the urban villas along the way that once accommodated the local bourgeoisie are no longer occupied. The trees in the front gardens are still going through the cycles of budding, blossoming, and carrying fruits. But there is nobody left to pluck them. Natural life goes on, but human life no longer.
While the rest of the world is taking on the challenges of the urban millennium, some parts of Germany are experiencing the opposite. Too many buildings. And apples for free.Cottbus, Germany.
A century ago, Cottbus was a thriving mid-size town in the middle of Germany. A city with industries and an upper class of citizens that had no difficulties to afford building one of the most outstanding art nouveau theatres without much ado. The city was nice, even beautiful at some places, but certainly proud for good reasons. Then the post war history changed the map and the city was suddenly lay in socialist East Germany and on the border to Poland. Open pit coal mining became the main source of employment until it eventually ran out. After the fall of the wall, Cottbus was propped up with a newly founded university to change the city’s focus from industry to innovation. So far, so good.
But then came a force that is stronger than any historic wind, political will, or wishful thinking of a better future. Demographics hit in. Today, there are simply not enough children born to keep up a stable population. No incentive programme of any government seems to be able to change this trend towards an aging society. There now seem to be more pharmacies that restaurants in Cottbus. Nothing can stop the hard facts of demography transforming the face of this city.
The shell of the city is still there, but the life inside of it is dying out. On my regular walks from the train station to university and back, I experienced what it means to be in a shrinking city. The theatre is on the way, and is still an architectural jewel, funded by subsidies and producing good shows. But many of the urban villas along the way that once accommodated the local bourgeoisie are no longer occupied. The trees in the front gardens are still going through the cycles of budding, blossoming, and carrying fruits. But there is nobody left to pluck them. Natural life goes on, but human life no longer.
While the rest of the world is taking on the challenges of the urban millennium, some parts of Germany are experiencing the opposite. Too many buildings. And apples for free.