This paper is going to deal with the issue of economic and demographic city
shrinking, which is occurring in nearly every country in this world. This issue is
discussed not only by urban planners, politicians and sociologist, but is also of high interest for psychologist, economist etc. and an example of change as well as
negative development, getting dramatically worse. On the other hand there are cities
that are flourishing and seem to attract people. This paper will give theoretical
information towards the supreme place to live; on the contrary it will show the case of a shrinking city in eastern Germany.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
1.2 PROBLEM DEFINITION
1.3 PURPOSE
1.4 WORKING METHOD
1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION
2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUNDS
3 CITY DEVELOPMENT – CASE OF EISENHÜTTENSTADT
3.1 INTRODUCING EISENHÜTTENSTADT
3.2 HISTORY OF THIS YOUNG CITY
3.3 ECONOMY
3.3.1 INFRASTRUCTURE
3.5 DEMOGRAPHY
3.6 FUTURE FORECAST
4 CONCLUSION AND ANALYSIS
5 SOURCES AND REFERENCES
5.1 GENERAL LITERATURE
5.2 INTERNET SOURCES
5.3 PICTURE SOURCES
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the phenomenon of economic and demographic city shrinking, focusing on the specific case of Eisenhüttenstadt in former East Germany, to understand why some cities thrive while others decline into "ghost cities" due to a lack of appeal for the "Creative Class."
- The impact of economic and demographic decline on urban development.
- Theoretical perspectives on prosperous cities and the "Creative Class."
- Historical and structural evolution of Eisenhüttenstadt from a socialist model city to a shrinking urban area.
- Analysis of factors contributing to urban decay, such as unemployment and lack of diversity.
- Economic development strategies for cities facing structural crises.
Excerpts from the Book
3.2 History of this young city
In 1950 soon after the separation of Germany, the strongest party (SED) of the former GDR decided to build a steel factory (EKO - EisenhüttenKombinatOst) and an enclosed city for living, called Eisenhüttenstadt.
The city is considered to be the first socialist and artificially constructed town in the GDR and means literally translated Iron-works-city.
In 1951 the first of five blast furnaces started to work and the town counted 2.400 inhabitants.
Three years after the foundation, the city was named Stalinstadt in honor of Joseph Stalin, but in 1961 in consequence of the destalinization it was renamed Eisenhüttenstadt again.
Within the years the iron factory – EKO got more and more important and valuable for the GDR and the inhabitant number rose in 1960 to 24.372 and 1988 to 53.000.
The plant was supposed to supply a key development impulse for the regional economy, creating jobs for the local population and incoming German refugees from Eastern Europe.
Eisenhüttenstadts growth can be traced back to the increasing number of iron workers and their families, because the steel factory was of political and economic importance of the steel production in East Germany: as long as the EKO plant is successful the city would continue to grow. Over the years the city flourished.
After the reunion of East- and West- Germany in 1989 the number of inhabitants sank to 35.000, with the tendency to decrease.
Following the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, the era of expansion ended.
For a long time it was doubtful whether the EKO would stay alive. The workforce in Eisenhüttenstadt uttered their worries in strikes and demonstrations: "If the factory dies, the town will die too".
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: Outlines the global issue of shrinking cities and presents the case of Eisenhüttenstadt as a personal and professional study of structural decline.
2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUNDS: Explores Richard Florida's concepts of the "Creative Class" and the factors that make a city a prosperous "creative center" in the knowledge economy.
3 CITY DEVELOPMENT – CASE OF EISENHÜTTENSTADT: Provides a comprehensive overview of Eisenhüttenstadt's history, economy, demographic collapse, and the future strategies implemented to combat urban decline.
4 CONCLUSION AND ANALYSIS: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that Eisenhüttenstadt's failure to attract the "Creative Class" and its continued reliance on traditional industries prevent it from overcoming its status as a declining city.
5 SOURCES AND REFERENCES: Lists the academic literature, internet sources, and image credits used to compile the research.
Keywords
Eisenhüttenstadt, City shrinking, Creative Class, Urban development, GDR, Steel industry, EKO, Demographic change, Economic globalization, Social polarization, Urban decay, Structural change, Knowledge economy, Infrastructure, Migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental issue addressed in this paper?
The paper addresses the global issue of economic and demographic city shrinking, specifically analyzing why certain cities fail to thrive while others flourish.
What are the central themes of this research?
The central themes include the transition of urban areas from growth to decline, the influence of the "Creative Class" on urban prosperity, and the structural challenges faced by post-socialist industrial cities.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to explore why a city like Eisenhüttenstadt fails to appeal to the "Creative Class" and to identify the crucial factors that transform a prosperous industrial town into a "ghost city."
Which scientific method is utilized?
The author uses a qualitative approach, drawing on primary and secondary sources to provide a theoretical framework and a case study analysis of Eisenhüttenstadt.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body examines the history, economy, demographic shifts, and infrastructure of Eisenhüttenstadt, contrasting its reality with the requirements of a modern "creative center."
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Eisenhüttenstadt, city shrinking, Creative Class, EKO steel factory, structural change, and demographic decline.
Why did Eisenhüttenstadt initially flourish?
It flourished because it was strategically established by the GDR as a central hub for steel production, providing essential jobs and housing for the workforce.
How did the reunification of Germany affect the city?
The transition from a planned economy to a free-market economy caused mass unemployment, demographic decline, and a loss of the city's primary economic purpose, leading to significant population loss.
What role does the "Creative Class" play in the author's argument?
The author argues that because Eisenhüttenstadt lacks the diversity, lifestyle amenities, and dynamic environment required by the "Creative Class," the city cannot attract the human capital necessary for modern economic growth.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Judith Zylla-Woellner (Autor:in), 2006, Institutional Change - Eisenhüttenstadt, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/210550
