50 years of Nippes district council: an anniversary to celebrate or complain?

50 years of Nippes district council: an anniversary to celebrate or complain?

Nippes, Deutschland - The district parliament of Nippes recently had every reason to celebrate: it has been active for 50 years now. The district council, which was founded on June 6, 1975, saw the light of day as part of a comprehensive area and local reform in North Rhine-Westphalia. The first session took place shortly after the election of the first district representatives on May 4, 1975, and the then mandate bearer and historian Franz Irsfeld was one of the first MPs for the SPD. His book "Nippes yesterday and today" from 1983 testifies to his commitment to the district, which is now part of the district of Nippes, which also includes the districts of picture pieces, Longerich, Mauenheim, Niehl, Riehl and Weidenpesch.

But are 50 years of the district council of reason for joy or is it a "fake marriage"? District Mayor Diana Siebert asked the question at the anniversary evening and thus expressed the ambivalent feelings that many share in the district council. "There were moments when one could doubt the city council's decision -making powers," said Siebert and thus talking about the challenges that the district council currently have. An important topic remains the relationship with the city council and the implementation of decisions made, which often have to be put to the test.

A look at the story

The district representatives were originally set up to promote the proximity to the citizens, because they are democratically legitimized organs chosen by the citizens who are supposed to orientate themselves close to the concerns and needs of the people. The legal basis for this is anchored in the North Rhine-Westphalia municipal code. The district representatives of Nippes were not uncontroversial in the early days, which Irsfeld and Erich Hermans, also from the first BV, emphasized during the celebration. Hermans emphasized the long struggle for more bicycle friendliness, a topic that is still explosive.

The anniversary was celebrated with an exhibition under the title "50 Years District Representation" in the atrium of the district councilor. The exhibition, which can be seen by June 23, 2025, shows the successes of the district council, including the important addition to the Neusser Straße/belt with lifts and stairs. The anecdotes that Veedel Schronists gave during the supporting program were particularly moving, and the Cologne combo "Jamaika Jupp", which presented classics from the Veedel in reggae style.

nippes today and tomorrow

nippes, located on the left bank of the Rhine and north of the Cologne city center, has a eventful history. It became known for its gastronomy in the 17th century. With industrialization, important facilities, such as the Clouth rubber works, which were considered an important employer until 2003. In the district council, there is today a colorful political landscape with various parties that are represented differently. In the last distribution in 2020, the share of the Greens was 35.9%, followed by the SPD with 21.5%. The high turnout is also known, an indication that the citizens care for their district.

The challenges and change of the Nippes district, which has existed in its current form since 1975, will continue to offer a lot of space for discussions and decisions that will be sent to the district council in the coming years. It will be interesting to see how this rustic Cologne Veedel will develop in the next 50 years.