Disputing Over Dirk Bach's Square: Cologne's Educated Misstep
In a peculiar legal tussle, Cologne's city council has found itself on the losing end. The Administrative Court in the city ruled, in a preliminary decision, that the district council of Cologne city center is responsible for naming a square, colloquially known as the "small Offenbachplatz." Despite the city council's claims to the contrary, the court reasoned that the district council's general jurisdiction in district matters surpasses that of the city, as stated in the North Rhine-Westphalia municipal code.
The episode started when the district council attempted to officially name the small, hitherto unnamed forecourt adjacent to the Schauspielhaus the "Dirk-Bach-Platz" in 2022. The city council, however, insisted it was responsible for the naming task. The council's resolution, made in September 2023, was to fold the unnamed area into the existing Offenbachplatz. Disgruntled, the district council filed a lawsuit to contest its role in the matter. The court side with the district council, stating it had not shown any significant reason to justify the city council's involvement, beyond the district's jurisdiction.
Summer's Controversy: Grave Benches in Melaten Cemetery
Last summer, a furore arose from the city council's proposal to remove around a hundred privately installed benches from Melaten Cemetery. With the pink bench next to comedian Dirk Bach's grave among them, the plan sparked outrage. The bench disappeared temporarily but then unexpectedly resurfaced, and the decision was made to allow private benches under specific circumstances.
Despite Legislative Nuances, General Guidelines Stand
While the North Rhine-Westphalia municipal code's specific rules regarding naming public squares remain unclear, common principles for naming spaces in Germany include their historical significance, local relevance, and community input. It's speculated that the court's ruling may have taken these general principles into consideration.
Ultimately, the court's decision reinforces the importance of defining the roles and responsibilities of district councils and city councils in these matters and maintaining a clear distinction in the naming process for public spaces.
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References
[1] Wollenhaupt, S. (2018). Changing Public Spaces: Naming and Renaming in Berlin and Beyond, 1990–2018. Working Papers in Urban Ethnology, 22, 137.
[4] Robertson, P. (2014). Citymaking as Storytelling: The Role of Media and Participatory Space in Reshaping Urban Spaces. In S. Christman, P. J. Evans, & Y. Gyrd-Hansen (Eds.), Spaces for the University: Thinking the Urban University (pp. 89-104). Routledge.
