Tramscape Tramway
Photographs
Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
On 21st January 2006 the people of Frankfurt decided overwhelmingly,
in a referendum, not to support plans to extend the tramway across the river
Oder into the Polish town of Slubice, which it was proposed to serve with a
large loop running from the sole bridge across the river via Plac Przyjazni,
Bohaterow Warszawy, Plac Bohaterow and Kosciuszki. Not only was it a blow to
ambitions to bring possible new traffic to the tramway, but it also exposed
concerns of the population regarding the strong governmental efforts to build
links between the border towns of Germany and Poland following the latter's
accession to the European Union.
In common with all tramways in the former
East Germany, significant amounts of money were dedicated to infrastructure
renewal and refurbishment after the re-unification of Germany in 1991. New trams
were bought to complement the existing Tatra KT4D cars. In common with other
communities in the eastern part of the country, reunification led to a rapid
decline in population as many people headed west to the more prosperous parts
of the country, limiting the hoped-for economic growth in the east. A population
of 90,000 in 1990 was, by the end of 2005 estimated to be only 64,000, with
departures still continuing. The Slubice tramway plan was a good example of
European integration at a political level and the financial calculations indicated
that it was a worthwhile project. With the city authorities committed to retaining
the tram as the backbone of public transport but facing declining patronage,
it was seen as an essential move to secure its future. 83% of votes on a 30%
voter turnout were against the proposals. So, why the rejection when almost
all of the line lies outside the area canvassed?
History plays a part
in the politics and psyche of Frankfurt. Its trams ran into "Slubice"
from 1898 until the end of the Second World War in 1945 as the community on
the eastern bank of the Oder was part of Frankfurt itself and had been German
for many centuries. The Potsdam Agreement, through which the victorious allies
decided the new political boundaries of Europe, allocated all German lands east
of the Oder-Neisse line to Poland (with the exception of part of East Prussia
which was allocated to the Soviet Union). Germans were evacuated almost entirely
from the lost lands, to be replaced mainly by Poles forced out of lands in their
country's east which were allocated to the Soviet Union. In the communist years
there was in reality little inter-trade between the countries and despite official
proclamation otherwise, suspicion arose between the two communities.
Suggestions
have been made that German fear and resentment of the Poles had something to
do with it. Slubice was clearly in favour of the project, anticipating the benefits
of EU infrastructure funding and planning to take advantages of lower costs
to attract German consumers. Not necessarily a problem to individual Germans
who regularly cross the border to fill up their cars with cheaper petrol, but
concern for the well-being of Frankfurt as a whole in the face of foreign "exploitation"?
Others possibly feared the outcome of discussions at a political level to address
the shortage of housing in Slubice by giving access to Poles to the empty flats
in Frankfurt vacated by those departing westwards. Whatever the reason, it is
clear that problems exist regarding the integration of the newer members into
the EU with regard to border towns where history plays such a great role. In
the meantime, the Frankfurt tramway will have to struggle with an ever decreasing
popolation and ridership
Click on the years below to see the thumbnails
Click
here to see the Frankfurt/Oder Tramway Photograph Catalogue
Photos 17th June 2005
Return
to Series List