Small city congress in Wittenberge: Future opportunities for our cities!

Small city congress in Wittenberge: Future opportunities for our cities!

The small town congress in Wittenberge, which begins on Wednesday, brings representatives from various small towns to discuss future strategies. Mayor Oliver Herrmann sees the event as an important opportunity for the development of these cities. Herrmann, who has been in office since 2008 and was chosen for a further term in March 2024, emphasizes that the congress aims to present solutions and not just to discuss problems. Wittenberge has experienced a positive development in recent years and shows stable population, which indicates a successful change.

A central component of urban development in Wittenberge is the renovation of the train station to improve the connection to important cities such as Hamburg and Berlin. The city has also created a cultural and event center that goes back to local initiatives. Herrmann emphasizes that smaller administrations such as those in Wittenberge benefit from advantages such as shorter decision -making channels and personal acquaintances. Nevertheless, he sees a double challenge in the metropolises: they are too busy with themselves to learn from the experiences and knowledge of the small cities.

trends in small town development

The discussion about small cities has gained importance in recent years, especially in the context of moving into the so -called bacon belt of big cities. A study by the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research (BBSR) entitled "Potential of small cities in peripheral locations" underlines the attractiveness of small cities as residential locations. These cities play a crucial role in securing equivalent living conditions and not only offer local supply, but also location advantages for businesses.

The study outlines several core issues of urban development, including:

• living: The creation of urban liveliness and meeting points to obtain young families is considered crucial.
• Mobility: The connection to neighboring towns, for example through rail connections and car sharing, is of great importance.
• economic development: A focus on services, innovation centers and retail should strengthen the local economy.
• education centers: Strengthening the connection to educational institutions is important to bind young people and specialists.

The implementation of these ideas is emphasized as crucial for the creation of lively inner cities that combine both work and leisure. An example from the study is the "Uwe-Seeler Campus" in Malente, which increasingly attracts students through attractive leisure opportunities and good transport connections.

The role of small cities

The federal commitment of the federal cities is also discussed in the report, which highlights various strategies for urban development. Small cities are not only anchor points of regional general interest, they also contribute significantly to economic development in rural and peripheral regions. Therefore, common initiatives and an active exchange between the cities are of great importance in order to cope with the challenges and further exploit the potential of the small cities.

The small town congress in Wittenberge could therefore be a decisive step in this direction, while the representatives of the small cities are looking for paths to make their communities future -proof.