The goals of the citizens' cooperative

Hann. Münden is the southernmost town in Lower Saxony with a population of around 25,000. Its historic old town, with over 500 half-timbered houses from all architectural periods since the late Middle Ages, forms a unique heritage site.

As in other comparable medium-sized towns, the townscape is characterised by a noticeable number of vacant properties, which is due, among other things, to population decline, structural change in the retail sector, stagnating property prices and increased demands on housing standards and the residential environment. After initial successes in urban redevelopment since the 1970s, vacancy rates rose again in the mid-1990s.

On the one hand, the city itself was only able to take limited action due to its financial difficulties and, on the other hand, it angered owners willing to renovate with its demands. Furthermore, despite the legal instruments available to it, its financial situation meant that it was hardly able to take any action against owners of vacant properties.

On 14 February 2013, 220 citizens of the town gathered in the Knights' Hall of Hann. Münden Castle. 173 of them founded a citizens' cooperative with the aim of preserving and revitalising Hann. Münden's unique old town.
The cooperative form of organisation was chosen because, on the one hand, the purchase of shares created a capital base for the purchase of a property and, on the other hand, the shareholders were able to develop a personal, inner connection to the building through co-ownership. 350 shares at €100 each were subscribed as start-up capital. The cooperative idea as a constituent element characterises the deeply democratic community that emerged from the citizens' cooperative.

Each member – whether they own one share or fifty shares – has one vote. The citizens' cooperative currently has 324 members, who hold around 1,000 shares.

The success of the citizens' cooperative is characterised by the fact that the founding idea was not linked to an abstract intention, but to a concrete goal: the renovation of the building at Speckstraße 7, largely carried out by the voluntary commitment of the citizens' cooperative members, as its first project.

The joint effort – the saleswoman worked alongside the detective, the gardener alongside the conservationist, the journalist alongside the hotelier – resulted in an incomparable shared experience that permanently changed life in the city. Two female scientists who provided conceptual support to the citizens' cooperative from the outset pointed out the "boldness", even "recklessness", of the project.