Geographia Polonica (2012) vol. 85, iss. 3
Transborder relations between territorial units in the Polish‑German borderland
Geographia Polonica (2012) vol. 85, iss. 3, pp. 23-36 | 
Full text
doi: https://doi.org/GPol.2012.3.16
Abstract
The aim of the study was to analyse transborder relations at the local level in the Polish‑Germanborderland. In order todescribe the character of the relations, all the communes (gmina) in the Polish part of the borderland and all the districts(Kreise) in the German part have been examined. An additional aim of the analysis was to answer the question as towhether, in the relations between Polish and German territorial units, a co‑operativeor competitive attitude is prevailing.To this end, a questionnaire survey was conducted (in April 2011) among the local‑governmentauthorities in the Polish‑Germanborderland. The area under investigation is comprised of communes (NUTS5) belonging to the districts neighbouringthe Polish side of the border, and districts (NUTS3) situated along the German side of the border. On the basisof empirical data, the intensity of the level of co‑operationhas been evaluated. The study also allowed us to determinethe impact of co‑operationon borderland areas. Furthermore, the effects in different fields (i.e. socio‑cultural,economic,infrastructural), have been analyzed. The selected results that were obtained were then compared to analogous researchconducted in 2003.
Keywords: transborder relations, cross‑border co‑operation, transborder competition, borderland region, Polish‑German borderland
[sylwia.dolzblasz@ uwr.edu.pl], University of Wrocław Institute of Geography and Regional Development Kuźnicza 49/55, 50‑138 Wrocław: Poland