Two transformations in one place 

During the GDR era, Bitterfeld-Wolfen was considered the dirtiest city in Europe. Decades of chemical production and lignite mining left contaminated soil, polluted groundwater and heavily damaged landscapes. In 1994, one of Germany’s largest environmental remediation projects began. Today, the state of Saxony-Anhalt invests up to €15 million each year in groundwater treatment, with around 2.5 million cubic metres of water purified annually. How long this process will continue remains uncertain. 

The ecological restoration of the former Goitzsche mining area south-east of Bitterfeld has significantly increased biodiversity over recent decades. White-tailed eagles, Eurasian bitterns, cranes, natterjack toads and European beavers are among the species that have established themselves in and around the restored landscape. 

“At the same time, we are witnessing two transformations,” Hörügel explains. “One is the ecological transformation of a post-industrial landscape. The other is the transformation of towns that have lost large parts of their population.” 

At the time of German reunification, around 35,000 people lived in Wolfen-Nord, many of them employed by the renowned ORWO film factory. Today, fewer than 6,000 remain. While major cities face housing shortages, some floors of Wolfen-Nord’s prefabricated apartment blocks have been removed, while others have been modernised. 

Economically, the twin city has transformed itself from a highly polluted industrial centre into a diversified economic hub. Around 350 companies, including Bayer, Linde and Evonik, are now based in the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park, providing approximately 15,000 jobs for the region. 

Investments in infrastructure, including a new energy-efficient railway station and an education centre, have further enhanced the region’s attractiveness. Yet the challenge of retaining young, well-educated people remains. 

Addressing this challenge is the focus of Beate Müller and Hendrik Schmeer, members of the board of Wolfen-Nord e. V. Their organisation aims to revitalise a former housing estate and experiment with new models of living. As a programme partner of the OSTEN Festival, Wolfen-Nord e. V. operates Jugendclub 84, one of the festival’s two venues alongside the former Zschornewitz lignite-fired power station. 

Originally from Duisburg, Schmeer worked as a software developer before shifting his professional focus towards ecology and agriculture. In Wolfen-Nord’s community garden, he and others are putting ideas of sustainable gardening, permaculture and collective self-sufficiency into practice. 

Here to stay 

In the past, the socialist architecture of the planned town encouraged short distances and close neighbourhood ties across social groups. The result was a strong sense of belonging that remains visible today. “People still come back to celebrate their weddings at the former Jugendclub 84,” says Beate Müller. 

Having previously worked in civic and political education in Leipzig, Müller moved to the region. She is helping to build a neighbourhood laboratory from the ground up. The initiative includes a shared flat that serves as a co-working space, and artist residencies. For Müller, who is an artist herself, sustainability is never solely an environmental issue. It is always a social one as well. 

Creating opportunities for the next generation 

Another network partner of the OSTEN Festival is Jugendclub 83 e. V. For this article, we spoke with Jessica Müller, Cornelia Geißler and Steffi Hauck. The three are involved in the project “Ein Ort für die Industriekultur – ein Ort für die Zukunft“ (“A Place for Industrial Heritage – A Place for the Future”), which is being developed as part of the OSTEN Festival. It aims to create new spaces for encounter, cultural education and participation in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, while bringing together different generations and perspectives. 

“The youth centre is a place where young people can be themselves,” says youth worker Jessica Müller. “It is not just about leisure activities. It is about building trust, experiencing community and trying new things. Here, children and young people find people who listen to them, take them seriously and support them along the way.” 

To strengthen the skills and resources of young people, Jugendclub 83 works with a broad network of schools, community organisations, businesses and public institutions committed to democracy, participation and civic engagement. 

For social worker Cornelia Geißler, places such as Jugendclub 83 are important far beyond youth work itself. 

Participation is not just a buzzword at Jugendclub 83, but a lived practice. Children and young people actively help shape projects and learn that their ideas can make a real difference in their community. This not only strengthens their self-confidence, but also fosters democratic participation and a sense of social responsibility. 

Steffi Hauck hopes people in the region will continue to look to the future with confidence. “Bitterfeld-Wolfen has changed significantly in recent years, and that development depends on all of us helping to shape it,” she says. “Let’s support one another, treat each other with kindness and see differences not as a threat, but as an enrichment.” 

Anyone wondering how collective energies for the future can be activated should not miss the OSTEN Festival in Saxony-Anhalt. In 2026, theatre productions, performances, excursions, talks and many other formats will take place in Wolfen-Nord and at the former Zschornewitz lignite-fired power plant.