Losheim am See, Saarland, Germany

Losheim am See is located in the northern Saarland near the Schwarzwälder Hochwald Forest in the triangle of the cities Trier-Saarbrücken-Luxemburg. The almost 17,000 inhabitants of the municipality give the locality a small town character, divided over twelve organizational entities. The excellent traffic connection and framework conditions made Losheim an economic centre with emphasis on craft, commerce and service businesses, including an above-average purchase power quota.

Tourism plays an important role in the beautiful landscape of the middle range forests. The reservoir has been extended and opened up professionally as an attractive leisure area. The lavish design of the “Garden of the four Seasons”, a garden pavilion including a shop, two hotels and the modern infrastructure for open air concerts is developing to become a touristic attraction. Apart from cultural activities, 13 hiking trails offer insights into the specific fauna and flora of the Saarland.

The eleven large agricultural corporations are mostly specialized in dairy farming and the breeding of cows and horses, whereby the agricultural use of the open greenland has also been acknowledged for the preservation of the cultural landscape and natural tourism. The preservation and use of the orchards, typical for the area, has been promoted considerably by two juice manufacturers processing the local fruits.

Since the mid-1990, Losheim has promoted the use of regenerative energy. It all started with a funded program for solar collectors and the general sensitization of the populace in regard to the topic, in the course of the years the wind park with its eight wind plants was added, as was a bio gas plant. The use of photovoltaic was also extended. Today the municipality covers 77% of its energy needs from renewable resources and is a role model not only in the Saarland itself, but is a pioneer in terms of regenerative energy and solar power in view of the whole country.

While numerous societies in the villages take over tasks for the common good, the communal and social institutions focus on Losheim am See. In the scope of the program “Social City”, the centrally located Citizen Center was renewed and refurbished and now serves as a multi-generation house. The already existing services for children, young people and senior citizens have been extended in cooperation with the “Soziales Bürgerbüro” (offers all kinds of social services), the “Familienzentrum (The family center, serves as a focus point for people of all ages) and the Losheimer Familienforum (the Losheim Family Forum). The Losheimer Job Initiative (LAI) uses the raw material waste plant to offer unemployed and especially disadvantaged youngsters the opportunity to get some job instructions from teachers, helping them to re-enter school or enter the workforce.

Losheim am See holds a prominent place in terms of operation and maintenance of plants for the use of regenerative energies, in view of number, efficiency and professionalism. Exemplary is also the entrepreneurial spirit and the solidarity within the populace. The comprehensive leisure facility is a touristic highlight of notable form and just as impressive as the social services.

Evaluated: 2010