Background

The Wiehre's Two Residents' Associations

The Mittel- und Unterwiehre association and the Oberwiehre-Waldsee-Oberau association - who does what?

The Wiehre has two active residents' associations, both rooted in the oldest such founding in Freiburg: in 1875 the architect and city councilman Karl Walterspiel established the "Lokalverein Wiehre" at the "Grüner Baum" inn - the city's very first residents' association, whose example later inspired foundings in the Stühlinger, Herdern, Haslach and other districts. In 1905 the local association, having grown too large, split into the Mittel- und Unterwiehre association and the Oberwiehre-Waldsee association (today Oberwiehre-Waldsee-Oberau).

Both associations see themselves as non-partisan and non-denominational and involve themselves in every question affecting the quarter: traffic and parking, heritage protection and building projects, green spaces, climate adaptation and social issues. They are established voices on the Wiehre district advisory council and accompany urban-planning procedures with statements and public meetings. Their own publications - the "Mittel- und Unterwiehre Bote" and the Oberwiehre-Waldsee community paper - appear regularly and document neighborhood history as well as current debates.

The chair of the Oberwiehre-Waldsee-Oberau association, following the most recent re-election, is Dr. Beatrix Tappeser, supported among others by Wulf Westermann and Wolfgang Spickermann-Frucht. Neighborhood festivals, quarter walks and events on Wiehre history are part of both associations' regular program.