Environment Has a History

How Hamburg became European Green Capital... Environment has a history Exhibition Catalogue 1 „ Hamburg, the winner 2011, has shown major achievements in the past years and at present, has also achieved excellent environmental standards across the board. The city has set very ambitious future plans which promise additional improvements. „ The European Commission’s reasons for selecting Hamburg as European Green Capital 2011 2 Contents Why Hamburg became European Green Capital... 04 Civil Involvement Waste Transport Belief in the Future 16 Waste Warning 31 Early Rail Connection 47 Against Smoke and Noise 17 Early Progress 32 From “Hochbahn” to “HVV” 48 The Well-Off Are the First to Oppose 18 Family Dirty 33 Competitor Car 49 Authorities React to Complaints 19 Creating Awareness 34 Compromise 1919 20 Waste Activists 35 Energy and Climate Problem Case Boehringer 21 Hamburg Cleans Up 36 Brave New Electricity 50 Model Boehringer 22 “Bulky Waste Days“ Are No Solution! 37 Nuclear Power – No Thanks 51 From Landfills to Recycling 38 Search for Alternatives 52 Air Quality Saving Energy 53 Macabre Beginnings 23 Water Let the Chimneys Smoke! 24 Pure Alster Water 39 Green Urban Planning All-dominant Coal 25 Suitable for Bathing 40 Spleen for Green 54 Air Quality Becomes a Locational Factor 26 Waterworks 41 Public Parks 55 Cholera and Consequences 42 Sanierung als Chance 56 Noise Protection Main Sewer Completed 43 Godsend Schumacher 57 Noise Is Not Sexy 27 Dead Elbe River Fish 44 Godsend Brauer 58 City Airport Hamburg 28 Alster Problems 45 Opportunity Alster 59 Aviation Noise Decreases 29 Clear Target 46 Opportunity Hafencity 60 Fighting for a Roof 30 Hamburg European Green Capital 2011 61 3 Why Hamburg became European Green Capital... When applying for the title of European Green have been part of Hamburg’s public persona long ago. A lack of space made it impossible Capital, Hamburg didn’t adhere strictly to the for as long as we can remember! to include them all in the application. conditions of entry. These stipulated that ap- plicants should list their achievements – in Throughout its entire application for the title So this exhibition aims to provide a longer- everything from waste disposal to eco educa- of “Green Capital”, the city focused on its term picture of Hamburg’s “green” history. tion – but only from the last five to ten years. heritage of “green politics”, drawing parallels If Hamburg had followed these guidelines, it between modern-day developments and deci- would never have been able to demonstrate sions taken during the past 60 years. In ret- exactly why it so unequivocally deserved to rospect it proved the ideal approach to take, win. with the judges awarding Hamburg maximum scores. Many achievements that have contributed to environmental protection and the high stan- Since then the European Commission has ac- dard of living we enjoy in our city are rooted tually changed the criteria for selecting future in choices made over ten years ago – and European Green Capitals and included histori- some even date back well over a century! The cal factors: idea of creating a “HafenCity” – a designated residential area in the former port – was born “The assessment of the applications will also more than fifteen years ago. The move to take into account the impact of identified grant public access to all of Hamburg’s lakes historical and/or geographical factors which and waterways was also anchored by politi- may have influenced the environmental status cal decisions taken over fifty years ago. And and policies of individual cities.” There were what about the city’s countless trees – a fea- many historical factors impacting the city‘s ture we never tire of highlighting? Well, they environmental status, some of them from 4 An analysis of Hamburg’s history poses a Lady Luck Its fortunate location has always been the range of questions: has often smiled upon Hamburg key cornerstone of Hamburg’s generally sus- tained development. And whether intention- • Which geographical conditions have In the Middle Ages, Hamburg fought off chal- ally or coincidentally, Hamburg’s governing helped to foster the city’s positive eco de- lenges from towns like Harburg and Stade to bodies and officials have always made excel- velopment? become the major port on the River Elbe. The lent choices that allowed it to tap the city’s – city’s geographical location played a key role. natural and historical – potential. • Which political decisions made by succes- While other ports had relatively limited space sive Hamburg governments have promoted for expansion and were often too far from The river Elbe a greener city? the river, Hamburg was perfectly positioned as a commercial and recreational space at the confluence of the Alster, Bille and Elbe • Which political leaders have specifi- rivers. Once Hamburg’s port began to grow, it ex- cally contributed towards the sustainable panded southwards, to the east of Baumwall, growth of the city? North of the Elbe is a broad ridge of sandy and later into the River Elbe itself, where moorland running from Lauenburg to Wedel. ships were moored well into the 19th century. • What part have residents and community It only has one opening – the low-lying Alster As a result of the Treaty of Gottorp in 1768, action groups played? valley in present-day Hamburg. The first port Hamburg acquired more land, including some of Hamburg was established in the Nikolai to the south. This allowed the port to expand • Did Hamburg’s government succeed in act- “Fleet” (Hamburg’s name for a canal) on the onto the islands of Steinwärder, Kleiner Gras- ing on its residents’ demands? River Alster. The Alster also remained a vital brook and Neuhof between the northern and shipping route north-eastwards – towards southern arms of the Elbe. Lubeck and the Baltic Sea – as it was signifi- cantly easier to navigate than the awkward From the start of the 20th century, more and country road. more of these areas were being used to han- 5 dle cargo that had been shipped to Hamburg all the way from Altona to Blankenese. The Harburg Hills merge into heathland over 12 from all over the world. geological conditions on this side of the river miles away. The views are one more reason have not only made this area an important why the people of Hamburg love the city’s The end of the 1960s brought the introduction commercial zone but a popular recreational “green lungs” – such as Baurs Park and Jen- of container shipping, culminating in two sig- area for Hamburg’s inhabitants as well. Over isch Park on the Elbchaussee. nificant new developments. One was a west- the last fifteen years, the trading and industri- erly port expansion towards the Elbe islands al district south of Altona has been converted of Waltershof and Altenwerder, something into attractive residential buildings and of- which ultimately prevented major increases fices – stretching along the riverfront from St. in the city’s noise and air pollution levels. The Pauli’s famous fish market to Neumühlen. second was that former port areas, located north of the Elbe and within a stone’s throw The southern shore of the Elbe is low-lying of the city, had now been vacated. Since 1995 marshland, allowing stunning views from the Hamburg has been building the “HafenCity” north into the distance – down to where the – a new residential area right alongside the River Elbe. In places, the ridge of moorland north of the Elbe can reach elevations of up to 200 ft, en- suring that the port of Hamburg has always expanded southwards. This is fortunate, in that it has allowed the northern river bank to serve almost exclusively as living space – like a green ribbon it meanders along the Elbe 6 “Conveyor of Felicities!” Conveyor of manifold felicities, owned until 1950. Max Brauer, Hamburg’s – the River Alster“ O Alster, with your flow so divine, Mayor at the time, revived claims and plans from the 1920s and made public accessibility You render Hamburg’s gifts The River Alster and its two inner-city lakes to all the outer Alster and at least one side of are known in Hamburg as “the internationally multiplicities, the river the Senate’s goal in 1949. admired wet bits that make Hamburg what it And make merry this city of mine. is!” This, however, has not always been the The local residents soon realized that their case. The Elbe’s trade makes us richer; privileges were under threat and, in line with the spirit of the times, began to protest “the The Alster sociable and fine! Basic commercial interests prompted the de- quest for communist socialization”. The pos- cision to create the Alster’s two lakes: they The former fills our stocks and stores sible disturbance to local birdlife was even were needed to power the city’s mills. In On the latter we sip our sweet wine. touted as an argument to thwart Bauer’s 1130, the first dam was built on the river at plans. It didn’t work. The Mayor prevailed, the current location of Jungfernstieg. As a re- And in 1850, during the reconstruction follow- and today people of Hamburg regard walking sult the marshy Alster basin outside the city’s ing a massive fire eight years earlier, the for- or cycling along the Alster, from the river’s northern gates was ignored by its merchants merly private shores of the Small Alster (next mouth all the way up to the Walddörfer villag- for centuries. to the Alster arcades) and the Inner Alster es in Hamburg’s north, as their natural right. were opened to the public.

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