Markt Stadtlauringen, Bavaria, Germany

The municipality of Markt Stadtlauringen in the county Schweinfurt consists of 10 villages and has about 4.000 inhabitants. Until 1990, the region was part of the area adjacent to the Soviet Zone, after the overturn it moved to the heart of Germany. As the center, Schweinfurt has many important supply tasks to fulfil. The agriculturally characterised cultural landscape is rich in fruit meadows, marges and hedges. The Ellertshäuser Lake, a water reservoir from the 1950ies that enjoys increasing touristic interest, serves as an important leisure location Additionally, the numerous castles, parsonages and historic buildings play a major role in the communal development process.

The social infrastructure is well established with three kindergartens, elementary and high schools as well as a library, which is a result of the municipality’s commitment. The same can be said for the two senior citizen homes, the ambulant care service and the diverse medical services. Several dozens of clubs and associations, exemplarily funded by the municipality,  as well as numerous cultural establishments characterise the social life.

Markt Stadtlauringen succeeds to counteract the economic shrinking through consequent communal and intercommunal development processes. Remarkable thereby is that during each project and measure, the strong civic commitment, supported by the municipality, is visible. These measures include the touristic  valorisation of historic buildings and cultural treasures, extensive examination of ecology and energy as well as the targeted funding and support of structural and sociocultural inner development. One of the successful factors is the close collaboration among municipality politicians, citizens and experts, that shows openness for one another as well as for innovative ways.

Along with the neighbouring municipalities, Markt Stadtlauringen successfully implements an integrated rural development process with the goal to maintain the Schweinfurter uplands as an attractive working and living space. An additional cooperative project with three other villages is the measure “desire” to promote the lakes as leisure space. Exemplary within the county is the transregional hiking path network; also known far across the borders is the Friedrich-Rückert-Task Force Oberlauringen which is strongly interlinked with the Rückert-association throughout the country.

Another highlight is the communal energy concept as a strategic planning instrument that aims at an improvement of the energy situation in both public and private areas. Another focus is put on the subject inner development with the aim to revitalise and remodel vacant buildings, closing gaps in the building structure, improving the village image as well as the removal of barriers.

Evaluated: 2016