Waldschlößchenbrücke

Well, the evil bridge is well under construction, but that hasn't stopped the forces of good from continuing to fight it.
This looks like fun:

A bike-ride demonstration through the city next Sunday. From the town hall, through the old city, across the river, right by my flat, and then up to the construction site.

Fight continues against Waldschlößchenbrücke

In the continuing saga....."Construction" started a few months ago - the area is turning into dirt and machines. But the fight continues - now mostly in the form of proposing a tunnel as an alternative. A petition was sent around the city to consider a tunnel alternative to the bridge (The bridge plans include a tunnel anyway up to the river, where it will turn into a bridge). I was unable to sign because I'm not an EU-national, but they've got 20,000+ signatures....

Regenbogen statt Brücken!
-what luck with this photo

Here's the website leading the fight.

Waldschlößchenbrücke Demonstration Today

Today (Monday) at the Goldener Reiter. 6:30pm
It appears the subject of the day will focus on furthering the tunnel option as a 'compromise'.
More here

It looks like they are going to try to have a demonstration every Monday. This can't be a good idea. I mean, once a month may be good. But really, who is going to go every Monday for the same thing. Their numbers are just going to drop and soon it will look pathetic. And they aren't exactly getting the word out so well.

Bridge Protest

Turned into a "thank the lesser horseshoe bat" gathering. This was to be the first day of construction. Some people were dressed as bat or had bat puppets. The neumarkt area is looking nicer and nicer as buildings are being completed.

Günter Blobel and the Waldschlößchenbrücke

A few weeks ago I went to the “Meeting of Nobel Laureates in Lindau”. I think I’ll write a post on that meeting in general at some point, but one of the interesting things I did there was talk to Günter Blobel. Günter Blobel received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1999 for his discoveries on how proteins in the cell are directed to different places through sequences and receptors on proteins and in membranes.

He is also known for the fact that he donated his nobel prize winnings (~1 million dollars) to the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. (A famous church destroyed in the bombing of Dresden at the end of WWII) But I wasn’t aware that he has also been very active in the restoration of Dresden in general and as a child actually witnessed the firebombing in 1945. So seeing that he obviously has many connections to Dresden I wanted to ask him about this controversial bridge that is about to go up, that many have been fighting. And let me tell you – I got an earful. Not surprisingly, he is vehemently against the bridge. He basically has the same feelings I and others do about the destruction of that land. “Go there. Sit there. Have a picnic” he says to realize what will be lost.

It turns out he’s actually being very active in following up on the bridge developments. From NYC, where he has a lab at Rockefeller, he says he talks every day to people in Dresden about this bridge and what can be done to stop it and/or promote alternatives. And because of this, because he has also been outspoken about it, the government leaders here pushing hard for the bridge hate him. And they even attack him.

There is an initiative for a tunnel to be built instead of the bridge. It has been shown that the tunnel is in fact feasible, and with no extra cost as compared to a bridge. Blobel brought up the point that, actually, part of the bridge plan consists of a significant tunnel to be dug extending partway to the entrance of the bridge. He says that from the people involved he has talked to, there is no good reason a tunnel cannot be continued all the way across.

In the end, after all his connections and efforts in Dresden, he has come to the conclusion that the main reason for the bridge is simply corruption and money. There seem to simply be no other reasonable explanations. And I’m starting to see this feeling echoed more around Dresden, as people seriously look into the alternatives.

Blobel was also frustrated with the lack of attention to this issue by Angela Merkel. That she’s been such an ‘advocate’ of the environment, of Germany being so green-conscious, of saving the trees, etc. But has not listened or given any significance to this fight in Dresden. In Blobel’s words, “Merkel will pay” for this if and when Germany loses a world heritage site. “The shit will hit the fan”.

Blobel says he has been practically made into a devil for his outspoken opposition to this bridge. He says he has been attacked by those in the government, accusing him often of interfering with Dresden and Saxony issues, of using his status for his own desires, of trying to usurp the democratic process. This is after all he’s done for Dresden. And now he has sponsors set up, unrelated to the bridge, but to further develop Dresden, the city he loves, but anything with his name on it is turned down immediately. Like poison.

I wanted to do something. But if a Nobel Laureate, who DONATED his prize to Dresden, who was THERE WHEN THE FUCKING BOMBS came down, who gives money and time, and has assembled connections in Dresden that he communicates with on a daily basis....if this guy sounds a bit defeated. Well. What can be done? He seems to have resigned (albeit still furiously passionate) that this is all about corruption and money. And there’s no way to stop it.

Dresdners: Waldschlößchenbrücke Demonstration

Monday, August 13th 6:30pm Neumarkt

more info here.

Breaking News: Endangered Bat Stops Waldschloßchen Bridge Construction.

Well it looks like there's been at least a temporary postponement of the start of construction of this damn bridge. Apparently some environmental agencies have found that there had not been consideration of the destruction of the habitat of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat. Construction was set to start in 4 days. I'm all for managing development projects to protect endangered species, and I'm all against this bridge for any reason, but this is a kinda weak move, discovering this 'bat habitat' 4 days before the construction starts. I can't imagine how infuriated the big bridge proponents are (which makes me smile nonetheless). A chart on the wikipedia page for the bat even lists it as of "least concern" as far as wildlife conservation.

The good thing is, it seems like now ANY potential halt to this bridge is going to go through any Dresden court, as it feels like now the people want alternatives. I guess we'll see how long this delays things. There seems to be more and more energy against this bridge every week in Dresden. I signed a petition when I was a the ENT doctor last week.

Coming Soon: My chat with Günter Blobel about this bridge.

What the bombs couldn't take away the selfish commuter will

okay,maybe that's a bit dramatic....however....

Dresden was destroyed more than once in its history. Long before the infamous bombing at the end of WWII, Dresden saw wars. It had been burned to the ground before. Buildings have come and gone. But one thing that has remained constant through Dresden's 800 years and before is the expanse of grass though the middle of the city on either side of the Elbe and the fantastic views that result. For hundreds and hundreds of years people have flocked to the Elbe. It's such a rarity for a flood plain through the middle of a city to be so preserved, so undeveloped, acres of grass extending miles. When I interviewed here I took a break and walked 100 meters north of the institute and came upon a vast field of grass and then a river with a view of several small castles on the other side. This is not far from the city center geographically.

And now the city has plans to build a bridge just about where I stood during my interview.
The citizens of Dresden voted for this bridge. With it comes the promise to alleviate traffic problems for those that live north of the river.

But there is no traffic in Dresden, let's be honest. There is a bad intersection at the end of the 'Blaues Wonder' - a historic bridge connecting the banks on the East side of town. But funneling the cars to the new place will just move the problem - there is no major thouroughfare coming in from this part of the city. The proposed main street dead ends into the 'Grosse Garten' - another large land area preserved. Perhaps the car-owning voters would like to simply move the Palace there and split the garden in two.
There was an article in the paper a while back about how people who have lived in DD their whole lives are FOR the bridge, while people who have moved here recently are AGAINST the bridge. Actually, they also broke it up and polled people who were born here, or came here BEFORE 1990, in other words, before the wall came down, and those that came after.


(I took this photo before I knew about the bridge - right about where it will go)

Twice as many people in the before group want the bridge as don't. While in the after group it's basically even.
The man-on-the-street comments they have with this article, though, they are sad.
Torsten, moved here, against the bridge (translated): "...it' s a beautiful,one-of-a-kind view the bridge will cut in half...

Mario, been here, for: "Ich bin für den Bau der Brücke, weil ich so schneller auf Arbeit komme." and "Touristen kommen auch ohne Welterbetitel nach Dresden". In English: "I am for the building of the bridge, so I can get to work that much faster." "Tourists will still come to Dresden without this world-title (the UNESCO world heritage site)."

And than about sums it up. If I can get to work 5 mintes faster, lets do it. And this whole thing with the tourists. Is anybody really arguing that tourism will die?? (really, I don't know) It seems like this argument was invented by those for the bridge in the first place so they could say it's a bad argument. who cares about tourists? It's about preserving a historical, one-of-a-kind beautiful precious piece of nature. You know, these things have worth other than tourism.

Stephanie, for:
"Es wurde schon so viel Geld in die Plannung gesteckt, dass die Brücke nun auch gebaut werden muss."
or, "There has been so much money already put into the planning, that the bridge must also now be built"

This seems to be another favorite of the pro-bridge camp. We've spent so much money already (even though construction hasn't even begun) that we MUST continue and BUILD IT!!!
Apparently, millions have already been spent in the planning and contracts for this bridge. Apparently construction crews are being paid NOW, to be on standby when the final green lights come through. Apparently, with the amount that has already been wasted, and considering what it will cost to finally build this bridge, if it goes to completion this bridge is already forecast to be the most expensive in all of Germany!! (source: my colleague Tim. sorry, no links. But Tim's good with the facts. Tim's a guy you go to when you're having a problem with the German system, he'll sort you (or them) out)

So the most expensive AND potentially the ugliest eyesore in Germany.

The bridge in the middle is the proposed bridge, the two on the ends existing.
Notice how it slices the large meadows nicely

But it's not a done deal. Because it's not as simple as Dresden voting for the bridge.
I think a lot of people who didn't vote on this issue are wishing they did - many that don't want the bridge. Who would've thought a majority of Dresden would be for it when it only affects a fraction?
But what's complicating things is this: This area of the Elbe is a UNESCO world heritage site, and UNESCO had threatened to remove the title if the bridge goes up. So why didn't the voters know about this? Well, it turns the original plans, when UNESCO was informed, said that the bridge was to be TWO KILOMETERS upstream of where it actually was to be. UNESCO had no problem with this, and none of the voters could have been aware of what would follow.


This will have implications for all of Germany actually. Namely, that Germany cannot be trusted with UNESCO sites. It's bad pub. And the people in Berlin are watching this closely - and can pull funds if they want to.

There's been a proposal for a TUNNEL - that will cost the same as the bridge. But this whole thing is political as well. Many of the politicians who want this bridge were in the government since before the wall came down - and they wanted the bridge then. And they are going to get their bridge. it's a matter of pride.

Here' s a website for the initiative to stop the bridge: In English and even with more info in German. Check it out if you live here. There's a ton of info there.

I don't anticipate still being in Dresden when the bridge would finally be completed. But it would be a crying shame to come back and see that monstrosity hulking over the very path I used to ride my bike to and from work over the grassy plains along the Elbe.