Görlitz should be thriving. It’s gorgeous, intact, and cheap. Instead, it’s eerily quiet, politically hard-right, and haemorrhaging young people. What went wrong?
Another wonderful piece Ari with evocative photos and beautiful writing. It sounds like an intriguing place and that they are trying to make it better. I'd be fascinated to know what is behind the political angle - they are hardly overrun by outsiders so is it generated by fear or perhaps by a sense of having been left behind?
Thank you Carol. East Germany has a history of far right extremism. Part of this is due to the fact that socialist government defined itself as antifascist from the start and claimed there simply was no racism in the country. This meant there was never a reckoning with what happened before 1945 and problems were left to fester. Once the wall came down, East Germany took a while to catch up with the west and still hasn't closed the gap. This has made some people resentful and receptive to far right messaging.
I like the sense of melancholy your writing evokes, while your photographs draw me in to feel I'm there walking the streets with you. Great journalism Ari.
Another well written article Ari - I found myself immersed in the experience of walking around Gorlitz with you through your excellent writing and photographs. What a beautiful yet strange place - I'm torn between wanting to visit and steering well clear because of its hard right view. Thank you for taking me on that journey!
Thank you Lin for the kind feedback. I fully understand those sentiments about being fascinated yet also wanted to steer clear. I also grapple with this, but I also just feel compelled to see and try and make sense of these places.
Thank you, Ari! Never been there, but of course, your story almost confirms that. A well told story with excellent photographs, armchair travel at its best. Thank you!
Very apt to observe the irony in what at first glance appears to be a decrepit and crumbling Zgorzelec on the one side, and a polished, suspended-in-time and period-correct, perfect movie set of Görlitz on the other. Surface aesthetics can certainly deceive and things are not quite how they would seem. It is most definitely a beautiful relic though. I have fond memories of exploring its central square and surrounding area—which too was desolate, at the time.
On the topic of former People's Republic of Poland neighbourhoods named "Manhattan", my family's city of Łódź ("Polish Manchester") was somewhat renowned for its communal block housing area of the same name. Dating back to the late 70s and early 80s, Łódź's Manhattan had some of the country's tallest residential buildings. You may find this link interesting: https://www.whitemad.pl/en/manhattan-in-lodz-an-architectural-symbol-of-communist-housing-construction/
Thanks for reading. I didn’t realise there are other “Manhattans” across Polish cities. I’ll have to make time to for a D-tour to Łódź when I have a weekend spare. I’m becoming evermore fascinated by Poland and I love it for photography.
Another wonderful piece Ari with evocative photos and beautiful writing. It sounds like an intriguing place and that they are trying to make it better. I'd be fascinated to know what is behind the political angle - they are hardly overrun by outsiders so is it generated by fear or perhaps by a sense of having been left behind?
Thank you Carol. East Germany has a history of far right extremism. Part of this is due to the fact that socialist government defined itself as antifascist from the start and claimed there simply was no racism in the country. This meant there was never a reckoning with what happened before 1945 and problems were left to fester. Once the wall came down, East Germany took a while to catch up with the west and still hasn't closed the gap. This has made some people resentful and receptive to far right messaging.
I like the sense of melancholy your writing evokes, while your photographs draw me in to feel I'm there walking the streets with you. Great journalism Ari.
Thanks Mum, I appreciate you reading this and sharing your thoughts and feedback!
Another well written article Ari - I found myself immersed in the experience of walking around Gorlitz with you through your excellent writing and photographs. What a beautiful yet strange place - I'm torn between wanting to visit and steering well clear because of its hard right view. Thank you for taking me on that journey!
Thank you Lin for the kind feedback. I fully understand those sentiments about being fascinated yet also wanted to steer clear. I also grapple with this, but I also just feel compelled to see and try and make sense of these places.
Thank you, Ari! Never been there, but of course, your story almost confirms that. A well told story with excellent photographs, armchair travel at its best. Thank you!
Thank you Søren, I very much appreciate that and glad I could confirm why you've never been to Görlitz.
Very apt to observe the irony in what at first glance appears to be a decrepit and crumbling Zgorzelec on the one side, and a polished, suspended-in-time and period-correct, perfect movie set of Görlitz on the other. Surface aesthetics can certainly deceive and things are not quite how they would seem. It is most definitely a beautiful relic though. I have fond memories of exploring its central square and surrounding area—which too was desolate, at the time.
On the topic of former People's Republic of Poland neighbourhoods named "Manhattan", my family's city of Łódź ("Polish Manchester") was somewhat renowned for its communal block housing area of the same name. Dating back to the late 70s and early 80s, Łódź's Manhattan had some of the country's tallest residential buildings. You may find this link interesting: https://www.whitemad.pl/en/manhattan-in-lodz-an-architectural-symbol-of-communist-housing-construction/
Thanks for reading. I didn’t realise there are other “Manhattans” across Polish cities. I’ll have to make time to for a D-tour to Łódź when I have a weekend spare. I’m becoming evermore fascinated by Poland and I love it for photography.
I enjoyed the read, thank you.
Thanks Mariusz!
Some beautiful architecture isn’t there
Indeed there is.
So strange and interesting! Thanks for your thoughts and images.
Thank you for reading!