"Oswajanie" granic : działania podejmowane w obrębie przestrzeni granicznej w wybranych europejskich miastach podzielonych

Abstract

Giving the rivers like Olza, Odra or Nysa Łużycka, that flow through Cieszyn, Frankfurt and Guben, the functions of the state borders, just after the First or the Second World War, led to coming into being of independent cities (Czech Cieszyn, Slubice, Gubin) that have become part of the neighboring countries. Over the next few decades the pairs of cities separated by borders have developed independently of each other. It was not until the 1990s that a new chapter in their history and in their mutual relations has been opened. The aim of the article is to show the changes currently taking place in the border areas of the selected twin cities. Rivers that are passing through those cities, according to the current pro-European integration trends, have become their symbolic places. They support creating twin cities spaces of the new quality and organizing common plays and celebrations. Taking part in those events in the ethnically mixed groups encourages renewing contacts and establishing new ones between people on both sides of the border. The paper is illustrated by some examples of the activities that took place at border bridges and twin town river quays before and after their accession to the EU structures. Contemporary events and projects that weaken the role of the state border as a barrier will be also discussed. Nowadays, border bridges facilitate contacts between the foreign neighbors. I will describe actions and initiatives that cause border areas to periodically function as the city centre and to become a special area of intercultural relations.