On the Banks of the Elbe
Read the beginning of the article:
ALONG THE ELBE: Part One of the Journey
Since 2005, the city has been home to the Federal Environment Agency. 'UBA' stands out from other buildings for its unusual architecture and colorful facade. The building has repeatedly won awards for ecological architecture with photovoltaic panels, solar collectors, and geothermal installations. The interior looks as if some adult decided to realize their childhood dream of living in the hollow of a giant tree.
Every working day, 900 employees of the agency go to their offices through the inner courtyard, crossing hanging stairs and bridges. On the doors are signs: 'Marine Protection' or 'Protection of the Arctic and Antarctic.' Jens Arle is responsible for the protection of inland waters. Currently, the biologist is working on the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in Germany. By 2027, all water bodies must be in 'good condition.' The Elbe still has a long way to go in this direction.
'Until 1990, the Elbe was considered one of the most polluted rivers in Europe,' says Arle. For example, the concentration of lead and nitrogen was about four times higher than the usual norm for other rivers. Fish were dying, the ecosystem was collapsing – practically dead water was flowing in the Elbe. 'Many factories and plants in the GDR began to emit fewer harmful substances and started using more modern technologies. Environmental protection laws were introduced, and effective sewage treatment plants were installed.'
The amount of harmful substances is decreasing, life is returning to the Elbe. 'There was a time when migratory fish – such as sturgeon and salmon – completely disappeared here, but now there are programs to bring fish back to this habitat.' The resuscitation of the patient called 'Elbe' has been successful, but full recovery is still far off.
Now the residents of Dessau are again proud of their river and hold the 'Elbe Festival' annually. Biologist Arle is usually not found among the bathers; he studies floodplain meadows. Since the Elbe was considered a 'periphery' in both the GDR and the Federal Republic, the pressure on the riparian landscape was relatively low. The 'Elbe River Landscape' biosphere reserve, established after reunification, is a UNESCO protected site. It is closely linked to the Dessau-Wörlitz garden landscape. Walking through the princely parks, which are part of the World Heritage Site, one can not only admire palaces and lakes but also... dams. The danger of 'high water' always threatens towns and villages on the Elbe. Therefore, residents remember the dates of the last floods with particular awe – 2013 and 2002.
Magdeburg, located 60 km downstream, experienced the largest flood in its history in June 2013. That year, the water rose even higher than during the 'flood of the century' in August 2002. At that time, the flood-stricken region was visited by Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, and shortly thereafter his coalition of SPD and Alliance 90/The Greens won the Bundestag elections.
The danger of 'high water' is not the only challenge Magdeburg has to deal with. Many cities of the former GDR have to somehow combat serious population decline. And Magdeburg, which had the status of a capital city under Otto the Great, is no exception. Since 1990, the number of inhabitants has fallen from about 290,000 to 230,000. In 2000, almost every fourth apartment was vacant. Johannes Wöbse works at the City Planning Office and is responsible for urban development. Together with his colleagues, they have to play the role of a tailor cutting a new suit to the figure of 'Otto' (as local marketers call the city) – the old suit hangs on him like a sack.
'In the GDR era, giant residential neighborhoods were built here,' says Wöbse. He is sitting behind the wheel of his car and shows the Neu Olvenstedt district. In this district in the northeast of Magdeburg, today there are half as many inhabitants as before reunification. The cityscape consists of gray massive high-rise buildings. Neu Olvenstedt is a district with the oldest population and the greatest social problems. However, the city and the owners of apartment buildings have already done a lot – some houses, for example, were demolished and townhouses built in their place, others were renovated using funds from the urban restructuring support program in East Germany and now no longer look like old 'panel' buildings – the upper floors have been removed, facades are finished with new materials, etc. And yet Neu Olvenstedt remains a problem area.
But in the Buckau district, located right on the river, everything is completely different. A former fishing village with an industrial plant has turned into a trendy and the youngest district of Magdeburg. Families are moving into restored historic buildings, and once-empty restaurants are turning into galleries and boutiques. Why? Because the new residents are realizing their dream of living on the water! 'Buckau has turned the corner,' sums up Wöbse.
Living on the water: Hamburg has long known how to do this. The city is only 100 km from the mouth of the Elbe. In 2024, the city could reach a new level, as the free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg has applied to host the Olympic Games. According to the organizers' plan, athletes will be housed on cruise ships anchored in the port. Thus, the Elbe could become part of a big international celebration. It would be a worthy reward for a European river that has long flowed in the very heart of Germany.