1. LEUPHANA team #293
NECKARSULM Graz
Industrial town of the 21st century Old town with industry in the surroundings
Each town and city is an individual, different from Each town and city is an individual, different from
all others. The town represented in the accompanying all others. The town represented in the accompanying photos is
photos is situated in southwestern Germany and had been a situated in southeastern Austria. Today the city has about 260.000
rural small town until the end of the 19th century. Industrialization inhabitants and is the zweitgrösste town in Austria. I cannot describe our
and the influx of refugees and immigrant workers after the Second town as an industrial or cultural or creative or something other special
World War have turned it into a medium-sized town which has town, because Graz was not able to build a profile. The town-
grown right up to the borders of its neighboring city. government (?) always tries new ideas, but never found a final result.
2003 we have been cultural capital of Europe.
The first picture shows the town´s central spot, so to
speak. It is the market place, The first picture shows the town
where a weekly market is held, ´s central spot, so to speak. It
and concerts take place during is the >Uhrturm< on the Grazer
the summer. Also, it is part of a ´townhill` the Schlossberg. You
small pedestrian zone which is can see it from most positions
definitely a “feel-good” part of in the city. Surrounded from
the town. The place´s prominent small alleys with „redheaded“
building is the town hall, from old houses. If you are looking
which the quite wealthy town is on Graz from the air, you can
governed by an elected mayor see the biggest connected red
and town council. In addition, rooftops-oldtown. I would like
the town hall is a fine example of to sho you: http://
well-preserved classic www.youtube.com/watch?
architecture. v=5pxHq10dgXA. Special is a
big pedastrian zone -in
contrast to Neckarsulm with a
small pedestrian zone – but my
description of it, is the same:
the zone is definitely a “feel-
good” part of the town. One of
the last mayors of Graz started

2. LEUPHANA team #293
The second picture depicts the town´s old one of the first network(?) of cycle tracks. Inhabitants love it, pedastrians
Catholic church. It is one of the oldest places sometimes hate it.
of worship in this once mostly Catholic town
which now has prominent Protestant and The „Mur“ , as you see on the second picture (http://flic.kr/p/dRDaLC )
cuts the town into two parts. Left of the river and right of the river. Two
Muslim communities. The church was heavily
cultures. Left you find the so called „Bürgertum“ (bourgeoisie). At the
damaged during the Second World War, but
right is the redlight district and a growing district with many foreign
c a re f u l l y re c o n s t r u c t e d a n d re s t o re d people (migrants).
afterwards. It can be regarded as a symbol of
the town´s willingness to survive, and the http://flic.kr/p/dRDbEN shows you the Kunsthaus also called the
continuation of the place´s Christian tradition Friendly Alien. Opened 2003 it trys to be the connection between left
which has prevailed in spite of the dictatorship and right.
that led to the war and ultimately to the church´s
One of the biggest problems in Graz is traffic and the pollution. Because
temporary destruction. of the position Graz does not have enough air-circulation, so we respire
The town´s train station building has only recently been restored the dirt of the city and the industry in the neighbourhood of the town. As
in Neckarsulm Graz (Styria) has an Automotive Industry in the south of
on the outside and
the city.
modernized on the
inside. It is situated on a Nobody wants to be responsible. Nobody tries to stop the problem
main railway line which because the theme is unpopular. The next picture is the expression for
connects the town to the our bad public traffic opportunities in Graz. http://flic.kr/p/dRxYmz
rest of the world, so to
speak. Also, the building
is a fine example of the
typical sandstone
architecture of the late
19th century.

3. LEUPHANA team #293
The central bus station serves So you see, Neckarsulm and Graz have nearly the same problems. A
as the hub of local commuter lack of identity for driving the boat in case the industry is down in the
traffic. Four bus lines connect future. And the second, the pollution. We do have green around and in
most parts of the town with its the city, but not
center, and many more lines enough to clean the
make a connection to nearby air. Look!
towns and villages and, of
course, to the neighboring city. Public transport plays an ever
more important role in this town, which otherwise depends so Resumee: People
heavily on cars… come to town,all
over the world. For
…that are produced in this working and for
giant factory, which living. Todays cities
stretches for more than two are not ready for
kilometers from north so this onrush. So it is
south, and several hundred three after twelve to
meters from east to west. stop our affluent
The town´s long tradition as society, to think about the future of our children, to find new traffic-
a site for the manufacture opptortunities, to build generation-houses, to use alternative energy, to
do to do to do – for a better, cleaner world and OUR city in tomorrows
of cars has made its name widely known. The presence of the car
cosmos.
plant and its supply industries make for a large part of the town´s
wealth, which offers more jobs than it has inhabitants.
The downside, of course, is the noise and pollution it All our photos: http://flic.kr/g/keiPv
produces, aspects known only too well to the inhabitants of the
residential area that directly faces the factory. In addition, the gray
concrete silhouette leaves not much green to be seen. The
unpleasant view is continued in the background, where the
neighboring city´s coal power plant produces even more
polluted air. Somehow, the whole affair stinks…

4. LEUPHANA team #293
…which makes the
presence of a green
lung vitally
important. Luckily, the
town has a pleasant
park of respectable
size, though it
is cut by a road in one
place. A nice spot for
an afternoon walk, this pond is a popular meeting place during
the summer. Taking a bath there is reserved for ducks and other
animals though…
…whereas humans can
make use of this public
bath. It is one of the town´s
most formidable places for
recreation and attracts
many visitors from afar.
Several indoor basins and
attractions can be found
under the glass dome, while the heated outside basin makes for a
great swim even in cold winters.
This town in the heart of Europe may have a bright future, as long
as the car industry is booming. Should it decline one day, a
restructuring of the local economy is vital for its survival, lest a
mass exodus of its inhabitants in search for other jobs sets in.
Luckily, the headquarters of a supermarket chain and several IT
companies guarantee some economic diversity. If the town
succeeds in limiting the effects of pollution and attracting
“greener” industries, it may thrive and grow to be a real small
city…