Suffering greatly is the city of Görlitz.
In the heart of Europe, a city once symbolising cross-border cooperation is now facing a potential setback. Lukas Rietzschel, a renowned writer and native of Görlitz, has expressed concern over the reintroduction of border controls on the German-Polish frontier.
The Polish Prime Minister has announced that border controls with Germany will commence on July 7th, a move that has raised eyebrows in Görlitz. Lukas Rietzschel, known for his debut "Punching the world with your fist," sees this move as a threat to the "open city" that has been a beacon of European unity for decades.
The writer fears that these controls could reopen wounds of division between the German and Polish parts of the city, which have enjoyed an unprecedented phase of openness and free movement in recent years. He believes that the controls could potentially reverse the progress made in fostering a shared community and daily life across the two sides, undermining the integration and mutual trust that had developed.
Moreover, Rietzschel criticises the controls as symbol politics, arguing that they will not solve any problems. He believes that German politics is more focused on building bridges in the West and neglecting the European East. The writer is particularly concerned about the further growth of Görlitz and Zgorzelec together, expressing fears that the controls could have negative effects on both cities.
The border controls meet a structural problem that has been neglected for decades: the lack of a second bridge in Görlitz. The Saxon police have a pilot project called "Argus" with camera towers at the Goerlitz bridges for border control, equipped with facial recognition technology. However, Rietzschel contends that these measures do not effectively limit migration or illegal border crossings, as the problem is simply shifted to other areas.
The border controls are negatively affecting commuters, the economy, and cultural exchange. Görlitz, divided since 1945, increasingly sees itself as a bridge between Germany and Poland. As a border town, particularly in shopping and fuel tourism, Görlitz is strongly affected.
Meanwhile, the arts world continues to thrive in the city. Lydia Smith, an artist from Ohio, is currently tracing the Second World War with audio in Dresden. Meanwhile, the Schauspiel Leipzig has planned a new theater play by Lukas Rietzschel for the 2025/26 season, a testament to the city's vibrant cultural scene.
In a sad turn of events, Katrin Troendle, co-founder of the Krystallpalast Varieté, has passed away. Troendle was a beloved figure in the city's cultural scene, and her passing is a significant loss for the community.
As the situation unfolds, Lukas Rietzschel's concerns about the potential social and cultural repercussions of the border controls remain at the forefront. The writer calls for a more nuanced approach to the issue, one that prioritises cross-border cooperation and the fostering of a shared community.
Lukas Rietzschel, the writer, views the reintroduction of border controls as a threat to the city's decades-long promotion of European unity, potentially reversing the integration and mutual trust that has been built between Görlitz and Zgorzelec. He argues that thecontrols are a form of symbolic politics, ineffectively addressing problems and overshadowing policies that focus on West-German bridges over the East. The writer is particularly concerned about the impact on the future growth of both cities. Furthermore, Rietzschel critiques the lack of a second bridge in Görlitz, pointing out that border control measures like the Saxon police's 'Argus' project and facial recognition technology are ineffective in limiting migration or illegal border crossings, merely shifting the problem to other areas.
