Shrinking Cities in East Germany

NEIMEDs shrinkage lecture is an initiative to broaden and highlight the discussion on the impact of depopulation and shrinkage in urban areas. NEIMED is a joint initiative of Parkstad Limburg, the Provincial Government of Limburg, the CESRT Research Centre on Social Integration based at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, and the Open University Heerlen. It brings together expertise and experiences of the various shrinking regions in the Netherlands and beyond. Its mission is to directly tackle the issues related to demographic change: significant population decline, an ageing population, a decline in work-age population and economic challenges. At the same time, NEIMED looks to support the quality of life of citizens and communities in shrinking areas by identifying constructive scenarios that address demographic processes. NEIMED strives to develop these strategies in close cooperation with the multiplicity of stakeholders involved in this complex issue namely, public authorities, civil society agencies, local business people, housing corporations, education institutions, care and welfare providers, cultural institutions, etc. The shrinkage lecture is an expression of this objective.

The shrinkage lecture is held during a major cultural festival called Cultural Nova, in a Dutch shrinking city called Heerlen. This colourful, two-week long festival held each September is full of indoor and outdoor cultural performances, presentations and special events. Over time, Cultural Nova has grown to attract thousands of visitors each year and has become an excellent venue for NEIMEDs shrinkage lecture.

This publication is the result of the first shrinkage lecture, presented by Sonja Beeck in September 2009. Sonja Beeck is connected to the Bauhaus Foundation and deeply involved in the restructuring and transformation of declining cities in Eastern Germany. The publication demonstrates how seemingly negative images and impressions about shrinking urban areas can be transformed into new and creative forms of urban planning that align with a declining population and a reduced need for public spaces.