20th Rhine-Main Days of Industrial Heritage
Industrial heritage sites in the Frankfurt-RhineMain metropolitan region that are usually not accessible - from 3 to 11 September they open their doors. And since interest is great, the event has grown from a single day of activities in the first year to nine days now. During this period, visitors can choose from a wide range of guided tours, bus and train rides, discussions, festivals, art performances and many other events, each of them representing an authentic sample of the region's diverse industrial heritage.
"Service water for forests and cities", "Industrial landmark Peter Behrens Building", "Adler Works: concentration camp - factory - historical site", "Frankfurt Main Cemetery - Walking in the footsteps of famous figures in industry, politics and business": these are just a few of the events from this year's comprehensive programme. If you want to dive into the history of computer technology, the best place to visit is the "Digital Retro Park", an interactive museum and centre for digital culture. The issue of urban planning then and now is illustrated by the guided tour "From the Hellerhof Settlement to the European Quarter".
The co-existence of past, present and future is particularly exciting. In the factory museum of the Motorenfabrik Oberursel, for example, visitors do not only learn about the manifold factory history of today's Rolls-Royce Germany headquarters, but also explore a special exhibition and a lecture on "Aircraft Engines Today and Tomorrow". Under the heading "Digitalisation - Automation", the photo artist Frank Kambor deals with intelligent machines and their ability to replace humans and "being human". The tours headlined "Time Travel and Visions of the Future - The Offenbach Inno-Campus" show puzzle pieces from the former chemical site's past and report on current projects and ideas for the future.
One aspect pervades all events: industrial heritage is an integral part of regional and local identity. A prime example of this is the programme "The Opels, the Opelers and the Opel: Car - Industry - Culture in Rüsselsheim". The tour combines economic, social and cultural aspects of Rüsselsheim's history and reveals the traces they have left in the image of the town to this day.
Programme of the Rhine-Mine Days of Industrial Heritage