Lienhard Lotscher

Abstract

German cities are currently struggling with a not entirely new phenomenon: the economic and demographic decline of cities. This process has become increasingly puzzling and challenging for both urban planners and politicians, and in some regions—especially in eastern Germany—the situation has been worsening dramatically. This paper will first illustrate some of the effects of economic decline and population loss on German cities, second, outline a variety of policy responses and third, discuss efforts to adapt to these new challenges.

Keywords: shrinking cities, urban decline, urban restructuring

Lienhard Lotscher, Lehrstuhl Kultur-und Siedlungsgeographie Ruhr-Universität Bochum D-44780 Bochum, Germany