Local Transnational: Guben-Gubin Wendy Pullan
Conflict in Cities: Europe and the Middle East
Guben-Gubin is one of several divided cities that span the German-Polish border along the Oder and Neisse rivers. It is difficult to know whether to talk about Guben-Gubin - one name, two spellings and hyphenated - as one or two towns; in an effort toward reconciliation, ‘Gubien’ has been proposed. But the problem is more serious and difficult than a name. From the Middle Ages until the mid-twentieth century this was one town. Since the end of World War II it has been divided. In this relatively brief period of division the differences have become profound, and prospects for a reunified city have met with little success. Moreover, its border has come to represent the fissure between eastern and western Europe. These photos, mostly from 2004, show a divided city in transition, before Poland entered Schengen Europe to allow free border movement. Marking municipal, national and transnational borders, the small bridge over the Neisse River still defines the centre of the divided town.
The map of Guben-Gubin shows different development in the two halves of the city, with dense building on the German side, and far less density in the Polish town. To some extent this reflects two different economies. The Neisse River has formed part of the international border between East Germany and Poland and, in doing so, created the divided city of Guben-Gubin. During the Cold War, this seemingly pastoral river marked one of the hardest borders in Europe.
During the early years of the reunification of Germany, money from the EU contributed to redevelopment in the western town. But for the Polish sector, war damage remains and there has been remarkably little rebuilding. The old town centre is in Poland where the medieval church, still in ruins since World War II, stands next to the City Hall. Much of central Gubin is dominated by ruins and orchards.
The German side is dominated by former factories; the town was a major hat-making centre in the 19th century. The factories provide a great deal of good quality space, and many have been renovated; but the population is declining in this shrinking town and new activities to fill the buildings have eluded its planners.
Looking down the main street of German Guben, the tower of the Polish church is firmly in view. During the Cold War years, it would have been a tantalising landmark, visible but mostly inaccessible.
In Polish Gubin the tower also dominates, this time over rooftops of housing built during the Communist period. The church tower is prominent through much of the city centre on both sides and, in a bid to symbolise both the divisions and possible reconciliation, there are plans to make it a German-Polish language centre.
Although the local swimmers have enjoyed the river for many years, and ignored the national borders‌
‌it was only with the entry of Poland into the Schengen region in 2007 that pedestrian passage back and forth across the footbridge became unobstructed. Residents buy German manufactured goods in Guben.
They go to Gubin for the market‌
…to buy fresh produce at knock-down prices…
…and to have their teeth fixed and hair cut.
Yet, the town centre remains dominated by divisions, not of the past, but of the present, in the vehicular checkposts, on the German side‌
…and on the Polish, ratcheting the local border protocols and ambience up several notches to a transnational split.
Conflict in Cities and the Contested State research project, supported by the ESRC (grant number RES-060-25-0015)
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