Brandenburg's Investments: Future of Eastern Modernism in Frankfurt (Oder)

Brandenburg's Investments: Future of Eastern Modernism in Frankfurt (Oder)

In Brandenburg, increased work is being done on the preservation and use of GDR buildings. This was recently announced by Culture Minister Manja Schüle (SPD) and Infrastructure Minister Detlef Tabbert (BSW) during a press trip in Frankfurt (Oder). The aim is to appreciate and preserve the Eastern Modern architecture that emerged in the GDR in the post-war period between 1949 and 1989. State curator Thomas Drachenberg highlights the diversity of GDR architecture, including lesser-known niche buildings.

The city of Frankfurt (Oder) is currently benefiting from three million euros for various urban development projects and renovations. These funds will, among other things, benefit the parish hall of the Catholic Church and Große Scharrnstrasse. The latter, an example of the successful integration of art in architecture and structured new buildings, creates an appealing urban impression, while Karl-Marx-Straße, which is characterized by prefabricated buildings, still leaves a cold and drafty impression.

Financial support for monument preservation

During the press trip, Minister Schüle and Minister Tabbert emphasized the growing interest in Eastern Modernism and the need to preserve this architecture for Brandenburg's identity and culture of remembrance. The Ministry of Culture supported the renovation of monuments last year with around 38 million euros from state funds, while the Ministry of Infrastructure also provides funds for the preservation of Eastern Modernist buildings, including cultural centers in Seelow and Rüdersdorf.

A particularly complex project in Frankfurt (Oder) concerns the planned addition of a daycare center to the community center, where monument protection means increased effort for the construction projects. Despite these challenges, those responsible are optimistic that the projects can be successfully implemented with support from the state, particularly through the “Small Monument Preservation” funding pot.

Since 1991, around 201 million euros have been invested in urban development in Frankfurt (Oder). Since then, around four billion euros have flowed into urban development funding across the country in order to bring historical buildings into line with modern requirements and thus increase the quality of life in the cities. These investments aim to preserve cultural heritage while creating contemporary uses.

Monument Forum for Eastern Modernism

In order to further support the preservation of Eastern Modernism, the Monument Forum for Eastern Modernism has now been founded. The forum is intended to provide a framework to promote exchange about the preservation of this special construction method and to share best practice approaches. Numerous initiatives are planned to promote monument preservation in Brandenburg and to create awareness of the importance of Eastern Modernism.

There are around 14,000 architectural monuments registered in Brandenburg, many of which symbolize the changes in urban planning at the time. The current measures aim to not only preserve these special buildings, but also to reinterpret them and make them accessible to future generations. The city of Frankfurt (Oder) plays a central role in this by promoting exemplary projects that both respect history and set new cultural accents.

For further details and developments on monument preservation and the preservation of Eastern Modernism, you can read the articles from rbb24, Northern Courier and German engineering journal be consulted.