Dusseldorf North marks half a century under intense scrutiny
Celebrating 50 Years of District Council 5 in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf, Germany - Last Thursday marked a significant milestone for District Council 5, as it celebrated its 50th anniversary. The event, held in the heart of the city, highlighted the achievements and growth of the council over the past five decades.
The council, established in 1975 as part of the municipal reorganization, was designed to foster diversity of opinion, voting rights, direct democracy, and citizen involvement in the management of a community. The six city districts combined in District 5 each have their unique character: Wittlaer, Kalkum, and Angermund are more rural; Lohausen is the gateway to the world through Düsseldorf's international airport; Stockum hosts the Düsseldorf Trade Fair and the Arena; the Aquazoo is located in Stockum and radiates beyond Düsseldorf's borders; Kaiserswerth is Düsseldorf's oldest district.
The festive gathering was attended by notable figures such as CDU MP Thomas Jarzombek and Messe CEO Wolfram Diener. The event also featured a performance by the jazz combo "Serious Cereal," which emerged from the big band of the Theodor-Fliedner-Gymnasium. However, publically available online data does not contain specific information on this particular jazz combo or their event history. For detailed or verified information, one might consider contacting Theodor-Fliedner-Gymnasium directly, checking Düsseldorf cultural event archives, or local music community sources.
The council's high level of engagement and sense of responsibility paved the way for successful work in the following decades. This was evident in the court case in the late 1990s when a municipal employee successfully argued that she had the right to serve as a district representative in District 5. The court ruled that service in another district should not prevent someone from holding an honorary position in their residential district.
The addition of three new districts - Wittlaer, Kalkum, and Angermund - in 1975 presented challenges for the BV5. District Mayor Benedict Stieber recalled that there were initial challenges in 1975, but the BV5 had a high level of engagement and sense of responsibility. The council faced disagreements between the residents of Düsseldorf's north and the city or Deutsche Bahn, such as the current protests against the "North Kalkumer Schlossallee" construction project and the long-standing dispute over the expansion of the RRX line through Angermund.
Deputy District Mayor Jürgen Gocht has two wishes for the future: the district council should continue to commit itself to being there for the citizens and encourage everyone to participate in the democratic process, and may it remain with the four parties in the district council (CDU, SPD, Greens, and FDP). The diversity of the six city districts makes the work in the district council exciting, interesting, and varied.
The event was part of a series of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the District Council of the northern districts of Stockum, Lohausen, Kaiserswerth, Wittlaer, Kalkum, and Angermund. The council looks forward to continuing its work in the coming decades, serving the citizens of Düsseldorf's north with the same level of engagement and responsibility that has defined its history.
The council's commitment to fostering diversity of opinion, voting rights, and citizen involvement extends beyond community management to encompass political discourse, making it a significant player in the general-news landscape of Düsseldorf.
The district council's history, marked by victories such as the court case in the late 1990s and challenges like the current North Kalkumer Schlossallee construction project, reflects the influence of politics in shaping the city's growth and development.
