Bürgerpark leisure and education center

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The landmark of the FreiBiZe: the "crooked water tower".

The Bürgerpark leisure and education center (mostly just called "FreiBiZe" or "FBZ") in Braunschweig was an urban socio-cultural center in the Bürgerpark on Nîmesstrasse, diagonally across from the Stadtbad . It opened on October 15, 1971, closed in early 2002, and demolished in April 2009.

It was located right next to a waterworks built in 1864 , which has a striking, 54 m high tower that is slightly crooked and is therefore referred to as a "leaning tower". This tower was the landmark of the FreiBiZe.

history

The premises

The construction project was quite controversial in its initial phase due to concerns about usability and occupancy, but soon developed into a popular venue and meeting place in the city.

The building had a conference center in the form of a large hall with around 400 seats and a stage as well as film projection facilities. In addition, two smaller rooms with 100 seats each and several group rooms were available. There was also a guest house with 55 beds and a cafeteria . The premises could be used by various groups of people and associations. Courses from the Braunschweig Adult Education Center were also held there .

The FreiBiZe management consisted of full-time and part-time workers. Its first leader was Pastor Eberhard Fincke.

Cultural Opportunities

In addition to running events, the FreiBiZe also offered many clubs and organizations space for courses, seminars and events. From the beginning it was a meeting point for many due to the varied program. The program ranged from classical music and songwriters like Donovan , Heinz Rudolf Kunze or the Cologne band BAP , cabaret artists like Hanns Dieter Hüsch or Ulrich Roski to performances by greats of punk , gothic and heavy metal . The program was often ahead of its time, for example Kraftwerk , the pioneers of electronic music , performed in FreiBiZe in 1972 , followed in 1973 by the Spencer Davis Group and one of the most famous bands from the GDR , the Puhdys . In 1977, the until then relatively unknown Australian hard rock band AC / DC appeared. Many other well-known greats also found a venue there at the beginning of their careers.

Closure in 2002 and following

As part of the austerity efforts of the CDU-FDP council majority and Lord Mayor Gert Hoffmann (CDU), it was officially closed in 2002 due to a need for renovation of 450,000 euros. All attempts to keep it or to revive it were unsuccessful.

It was proposed to set up the youth hostel, which no longer exists in Braunschweig, and to hold cultural events next door. However, this idea could not prevail. In 2009 the parts of the building that were not listed were demolished. On the part of the CDU there were plans to build a luxury hotel in place of the FreiBiZe . The hotel of the Steigenberger hotel chain opened on August 23, 2013.

literature

  • Camerer, Garzmann, Schuegraf, Pingel (eds.): Braunschweiger Stadtlexikon , Braunschweig 1992, ISBN 3-926701-14-5
  • Eberhard Fincke: City of Braunschweig / Freizeit- und Bildungszentrum Bürgerpark , In: City Forum Braunschweig, Edgar Hartmann Verlag, Osterode 1973, p. 167

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Camerer, Garzmann, Schuegraf, Pingel (eds.): Braunschweiger Stadtlexikon , p. 76
  2. ^ A b Fincke: City of Braunschweig / Freizeit- und Bildungszentrum Bürgerpark , p. 167
  3. ^ Memories of the "FreiBiZe" , Braunschweiger Zeitung of September 23, 2011
  4. ↑ Only skaters, sprayers and open-air drinkers are drawn to the “free time” , Braunschweiger Zeitung of January 12, 2007
  5. ↑ Braunschweiger Zeitung of August 22, 2013: Hotel director: “Broadcast to Hanover” on braunschweiger-zeitung.de

Web links

Coordinates: 52 ° 15 ′ 24.3 "  N , 10 ° 31 ′ 17.1"  E