Dear colleagues,

the German Society for Industrial Heritage is still urgently looking for an
UK, Belgium and Netherland organisation for a european partnership. There
seems to be a very interesting european project of a European Route to
Industrial Heritage possible - more information below. 

I would ask you to think again about the opportunity to take part in the
project. It will not be to difficult, because our government is very
interssted and willing to take over more of the total cost. This will mean
that you would be able to pay in parts within all the two years of the
project, not earlier than the next summer and you would even able "to pay
by work", so only very little cash will be needed.

There is only one problem: we have some more time for to sign the needed
contract, but not more than to the 15nth of September.

To discuss the project I would like to invite you for a meeting of possible
partners at the

10./11 of July 

to Germany. It would be as well a chance to visit our new "Route to the
Industrial Heritage of the Ruhr" which could be an example for the european
route. More information at the internet: www.route-industriekultur.de.

If you are interested - please contact me very soon:

Dr. Wolfgang Ebert
fon: +49-203-746062
fax: +49-203-746063
email: [log in to unmask]

We should than discuss the details of your visit.

Best regards

Dr Wolfgang Ebert
President


INTERREG II C-Program „Northwestern European Metropolitan Area“ (NWMA)

Project Proposal
“European Route of Industrial Heritage”

Project Proposal
A campaign scheduled for 1999/2000 will celebrate the turn of the new
millennium and the 50th Anniversary of the Council of Europe, as well as,
the 25th Anniversary of the European Year of Monument Protection. The
campaign’s topic is “Europe, One Common Heritage.” The formation of this
campaign corresponds with the Plan of Action passed during the October,
1997 second summit meeting of the European state and government leaders.

The campaign aims at progressing the unification of Europe with the help of
transnational activities, increasing public sensitivity to the values of an
environment shaped by human hands (especially cultural, landscape, and
structural heritage), maximizing the use of economic resources to create a
lasting development effort, and encouraging honorary work for the
protection and preservation of this heritage.

As its contribution to this campaign, the Land North-Rhine Westphalia plans
to organize the “Year of Industrial Heritage 2000”. The topic of
“Industrial Heritage” is also taken up by the Lands Berlin, Brandenburg,
Thuringia, and Saarland. These efforts form the foundation of German
contributions to the Council of Europe campaign.

On May 29th, 1999, the “Route of Industrial Heritage” will open in the
North-Rhine Westphalian “Ruhr District” (for detailed information see
“www.route-industriekultur.de” on the Internet). This route is a
contribution to a lasting promotion of tourism in the Ruhr District, as
well as a presentation of the industrial cultural heritage as an
unmistakable “brand name” of the region.

As a contribution to the unification of Europe, the sensitization of the
public for our cultural heritage, and the promotion of the cultural
tourism, an expansion of the North-Rhine Westphalian “Route of Industrial
Heritage” is recommended.   A transnational “European Route of Industrial
Heritage” would be established through the integration and connection of
existing routes in other European regions .

Industrial Tourism
Seemingly useless remains of 200 stormy years of industrialization are
often far more than just pieces of history. The sophisticated architecture
of factory and administration buildings is often quite impressive. Within
this old architecture, production is once again possible: new products,
museums, creativity, arts, and culture – new ways to utilize old resources
with an economic future. Injecting the concept of tourism into these
remnants of industrialization can create new jobs and additional income,
thus increasing regional economic effectiveness.

Unfortunately, industrial tourism has not made a name for itself.  The
“industrial tourist” learns about potential destinations rather
coincidentally. Just like the classic city tourist requires little effort
to learn about interesting international destinations, the most important
regions of the new industrial tourism must make themselves known to their
potential customers. Market, and thus economic relevance, of the
“industrial tourism product” is guaranteed only if the availability of
numerous already existing industrial-touristic offers is announced all over
Europe. It is thus necessary to establish a common identifying concept for
the product of “industrial tourism”. Therefore, it is suggested to
establish a network of industrial tourism in Europe, and, by providing a
concrete route guidance, to guarantee a broad reception among the citizens
of Europe. This idea is called: “European Route of Industrial Heritage”.

Locations of the European Route of Industrial Heritage
The core of the “European Route of Industrial Heritage” will consist of the
most important locations of industrial heritage throughout European
industrial regions. These locations have to be selected carefully. They
must both indicate a promising potential of touristic development of
European importance and, at the same time, have to advertise for the whole
network as “highlights” of the route. They would serve as the upper level
of the network. Below them, there can and should be several subnetworks,
which lead to further interesting locations of a region. By using this
strategy, many of regional interests and activities are offered the
possibility to join the route. 

The geographical situation in Europe’s old industrial regions does not
enable a complete network. This, however, is resolvable. A “European Route
of Industrial Heritage” could also be organized in the a star formation.
Existing regional routes like those in the Ruhr District, in Burgund or
Catalonia, would also be integrated and would thus become a part of the
European route. 

The route should begin in Ironbridge, Great Britain, birthplace of
industrialization and integrate additional regions throughout Great Britain
(Manchester-Liverpool area, Glasgow, Black Country, Wales). It would then
lead over to the continent, incorporating the Netherlands, Belgium, and
Luxembourg. It would proceed through France (Pas de Calais, Lorraine,
Burgund) to Spain (Catalania), Switzerland and northern Italy. From here,
it would extend via Austria to Czechoslovakia (Ostrava), Poland (Upper
Silesia), the Baltic States with an excursion to Russia (the Urals).  From
there, it would lead further on to Sweden (mountain areas), Denmark
(Copenhagen area) and several regions in Germany. The final destination
would be the Ruhr District, thus completing the “European Route of
Industrial Heritage”.

Identification of the European Route of Industrial Heritage

Inclusion in the European Route of Industrial Heritage will be determined
through a series of locally determined signs and symbols, as well as,
through a system of measures that provides route planning and background
information. It is not planned to construct a complete system of street
signs.  Instead, signs could be strategically placed along motorways, at
traffic junctions, at or border crossings, to attract tourism. In addition,
individual regions could initiate more elaborate marketing campaigns
through the use of street signs.

Planning and Realization

An extensive project like this can only be carried out in several steps.
Therefore, as a first step, establishing the first part route between
England, the Netherlands, and North-Rhine Westphalia is recommended. 

In North-Rhine Westphalia, the agency responsible for the realization of
the project could be

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Industiekultur e.V. (The German Society for
Industrial Heritage), 
Emscherstrasse 71, D-47137 Duisburg

if necessary in cooperation with further institutions. For this purpose,
equal partners in Great Britain and the Netherlands must be found.

One part of this first step (project period from fall 1999 up to the end of
2001) would consist of a feasibility study, within which the locations of
the participating countries will be determined, suitable local, national,
and international organizational structures and partners will be found, and
useful measures, touristic offers, and costs will be defined.

The planning of this first section of the project could be financed by the
“INTERREG II C - Northwestern European Metropolitan Area” program of the
European Union. This program explicitly promotes innovative solutions for
the protection of cultural heritage, as well as for lasting tourism. A
financial requirement of 200.000 EURO has to be expected, with own
resources of, per partner,  approx. 34.000 EURO each.


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%