:Lützerath
{{Short description|Village in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany}}
{{Confuse|Lutzerath}}
{{Expand German|topic=geo|Lützerath|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023|cs1-dates=y}}
{{Infobox German location
|type = Hamlet
|Town = Erkelenz
|name = Lützerath
|image_photo = 2021-11-29-Lützerath Proteste-6265.jpg
|image_caption = Lützerath in 2021, a squatted farm with a banner
|coordinates = {{coord|51|3|32|N|6|25|37|E|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan =
|state = North Rhine-Westphalia
|population_as_of = 31 March 2023
}}
Lützerath ({{IPA|de|ˈlʏt͜səʁaːt|-|De-Lützerath.ogg}}) was a hamlet in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, between Aachen and Düsseldorf. {{Cite journal |last1=Igawa |first1=Momoko |last2=Kato |first2=Makoto |date=2017-09-20 |title=A new species of hermit crab, Diogenes heteropsammicola (Crustacea, Decapoda, Anomura, Diogenidae), replaces a mutualistic sipunculan in a walking coral symbiosis |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=12 |issue=9 |pages=e0184311 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0184311 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=5606932 |pmid=28931020 |bibcode=2017PLoSO..1284311I |doi-access=free }}In 2013, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled in favour of the expansion of the Garzweiler surface mine; in January 2023, Lützerath was eradicated to make way for the opencast mining of Garzweiler II ; it will eventually be replaced with a lake. A farmer contested the plans which were approved by the higher administrative court in Münster. Climate activists moved to the village, squatting on empty farms and occupying treehouses. In an attempt to save the village, a campaign called "{{lang|de|Lützerath lebt}}" (Lützerath lives) was started. In October 2022, the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia announced that RWE would phase out coal mining in the region by 2030, but Lützerath would still be demolished. The eviction occurred in January 2023.
History
The hamlet of Lützerath was first mentioned as Lutzelenrode in 1168. The area had several farms, including the Duissener Hof or Wachtmeisterhof, which was run by the Cistercian monastery in Duisburg from 1265 until 1802. Eckhardt Heukamp became the owner of the last remaining farm.{{cite news |last1=Sieben |first1=Peter |title=Sterbendes Dorf: Das planen die letzten Bewohner von Lützerath |url=https://www.merkur.de/deutschland/nordrhein-westfalen/luetzerath-rwe-camp-besetzer-nrw-erkelenz-polizei-illegal-tagebau-raeumung-garzweiler-zrw-91996118.html |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=Merkur |date=7 January 2023 |language=de |archive-date=7 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107142924/https://www.merkur.de/deutschland/nordrhein-westfalen/luetzerath-rwe-camp-besetzer-nrw-erkelenz-polizei-illegal-tagebau-raeumung-garzweiler-zrw-91996118.html |url-status=live}}
Mining
In 2013, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled in favour of the expansion of the Garzweiler surface mine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, between Aachen and Düsseldorf.{{cite news |last1=Goldmann |first1=Ralph |title=Der letzte Einwohner von Lützerath trotzt der Kohle |url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/kohleausstieg-tagebau-garzweiler-luetzerath-100.html |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=ZDF |date=1 November 2021 |language=de |archive-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108224727/https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/kohleausstieg-tagebau-garzweiler-luetzerath-100.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Germans outraged as historic church makes way for coal mine |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/germans-outraged-as-historic-church-makes-way-for-coal-mine |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=Straits Times |date=10 January 2018 |language=en |archive-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108224111/https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/germans-outraged-as-historic-church-makes-way-for-coal-mine |url-status=live}} There are thought to be 1.3 billion tons of lignite (also known as brown coal) in the Garzweiler II area. Energy company RWE planned to remove more than 600 million tons of it by opencast mining, which would necessitate the permanent destruction of several villages.
The decision to extend the mining of lignite was controversial and resulted in the displacement of hundreds of people. In 2018, 900 villagers were resettled and several buildings including a church were destroyed. In Erkelenz, multiple wind turbines were demolished.{{cite news |title=Windräder-Abriss bei Lützerath |url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/drehscheibe/windrad-abriss-braunkohle-luetzerath-100.html |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=ZDF |date=10 November 2022 |language=de |archive-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108224318/https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/drehscheibe/windrad-abriss-braunkohle-luetzerath-100.html |url-status=live}}
By 2021, the hamlet of Lützerath became the centrepoint of the protests against the Garzweiler mine. People had been resettled from the village since 2005; then, farmer Eckart Heukamp refused to leave his land.{{cite news |title=Germany's coal phaseout: The last farmer standing |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-coal-phaseout-the-last-farmer-standing/a-60362099 |access-date=26 February 2024 |work=DW |date=1 October 2022 |language=en}} The state government and RWE had planned to demolish Lützerath by the end of 2022, but Heukamp lodged a legal complaint. The court in Aachen found in favour of RWE, so Heukamp went to the higher administrative court in Münster and RWE promised to wait for the decision of the court. After the protests at Hambach Forest, which became known as "Hambi", activists moved to Lützerath, which was nicknamed "Lützi".{{cite news |title=Lützerath-Räumung voraussichtlich im Januar |url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/luetzerath-braunkohle-aktivisten-januar-raeumung-100.html |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=ZDF |date=26 November 2022 |language=de |archive-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108230221/https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/luetzerath-braunkohle-aktivisten-januar-raeumung-100.html |url-status=live}}
In March 2022, the court ruled that RWE could proceed with the mining and was entitled to demolish the village, so Heukamp left his farm.{{cite news |title=Braunkohle-Tagebau: RWE gewinnt im Räumungsstreit um Lützerath |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/klima-nachhaltigkeit/braunkohle-rwe-gewinnt-im-raeumungsstreit-um-luetzerath-17915538.html |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=FAZ |date=28 March 2022 |language=de |archive-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108235517/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/klima-nachhaltigkeit/braunkohle-rwe-gewinnt-im-raeumungsstreit-um-luetzerath-17915538.html |url-status=live}} The Garzweiler mine is eventually planned to be made into a lake.{{cite news |title=How will Germany's hastened exit from coal affect villages near mines? |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/living/2022/04/21/how-will-germany039s-hastened-exit-from-coal-affect-villages-near-mines |access-date=9 January 2023 |work=The Star |date=21 April 2022 |language=en |archive-date=9 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109004946/https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/living/2022/04/21/how-will-germany039s-hastened-exit-from-coal-affect-villages-near-mines |url-status=live}}
Occupation
File:Alle Dörfer bleiben vigil Lützerath 2020-09-27 05.jpg
From 2020 onwards, climate activists began to move to Lützerath, first as tenants and then as squatters, as the land was cleared by RWE. By the end of 2022, there were around 80 people living in squatted farms, tents and treehouses, although the population fluctuated heavily by season. To save the village, a campaign called "{{lang|de|Lützerath lebt}}" (Lützerath lives) began. A climate activist won {{val|50,000|fmt=commas}} euros on a television show and pledged to spend the money buying up land in the village.{{cite news |title=Klimaaktivist wird Wettkönig und will Lützerath retten |url=https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/marten-reiss-wettkandidat-wetten-dass-100.html |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=WDR |date=20 November 2022 |language=de |archive-date=26 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126102012/https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/marten-reiss-wettkandidat-wetten-dass-100.html |url-status=live}}
In April 2022, {{val|3,500}} people demonstrated against the mine.{{cite news |title=Thousands protest in German town threatened by mine expansion |url=https://guardian.ng/news/world/europe/thousands-protest-in-german-town-threatened-by-mine-expansion/ |access-date=9 January 2023 |work=The Guardian Nigeria |date=23 April 2022 |archive-date=9 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109000332/https://guardian.ng/news/world/europe/thousands-protest-in-german-town-threatened-by-mine-expansion/ |url-status=live}}
In October 2022, the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia announced that RWE would phase out coal mining in the region by 2030. Lützerath would still be demolished, but five other villages would be spared, namely {{ill|Berverath|de}}, {{ill|Keyenberg|de}}, {{ill|Kuckum|de}}, {{ill|Oberwestrich|de}} and {{ill|Unterwestrich|de}}. The protests became larger, with another camp setting up in Keyenberg. Ende Gelände supported the protests. Following the French tactic of Zone to Defend, the occupiers declared Lützerath to be ZAD Rhineland and organised a festival under the slogan "{{lang|de|{{ill|Alle Dörfer bleiben|de|Alle Dörfer bleiben|lt=Alle Dörfer BLEIBEN!}}}}" (All villages remain!) in November 2021.{{cite news |last1=Guibert |first1=Christelle |title=Allemagne : la Zad Rheinland défend son village face aux excavatrices |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/europe/allemagne/allemagne-la-zad-rheinland-defend-son-village-face-aux-excavatrices-089014ac-2930-11ec-94d4-e34d4d062108 |access-date=8 January 2023 |work=Ouest France |date=10 October 2021 |archive-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108232946/https://www.ouest-france.fr/europe/allemagne/allemagne-la-zad-rheinland-defend-son-village-face-aux-excavatrices-089014ac-2930-11ec-94d4-e34d4d062108 |url-status=live}}
Eviction
The Heinsberg court issued an order permitting evictions from Lützerath from 10 January 2023 onwards and banned people from going there.{{cite news |title=Protests as German village to make way for coal mine |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-berlin-protesters-rwe-ukraine-b2254752.html |access-date=9 January 2023 |work=The Independent |date=2 January 2023 |language=en |archive-date=4 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104221210/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-berlin-protesters-rwe-ukraine-b2254752.html |url-status=live}} Initially, activists confronted the police and drove them back. ZDF estimated there were 2,000 protestors planning to resist the eviction and aiming to prevent the police from accessing the site.{{cite news |last1=Becker |first1=Lothar |title=So ist die Stimmung in Lützerath kurz vor der Räumung |url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/klima-luetzerath-raeumung-protest-klimaschutz-100.html |access-date=9 January 2023 |work=ZDF |date=8 January 2023 |language=de |archive-date=9 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109002305/https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/klima-luetzerath-raeumung-protest-klimaschutz-100.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Gericht lehnt Eilantrag ab – Betretungsverbot für Lützerath |url=https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/panorama/luetzerath-betretungverbot-aktivisten-gericht-100.html |access-date=9 January 2023 |work=ZDF |date=5 January 2023 |language=de |archive-date=9 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109003046/https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/panorama/luetzerath-betretungverbot-aktivisten-gericht-100.html |url-status=live}} Franciscan friar Loïc Schneider drew attention online for impeding police officers, leading to descriptions of him as a "mud wizard" for the traditional friar’s habit he wore. Schneider would eventually be sentenced to 140 days of imprisonment and a 4,200 Euro fine.{{Cite web |last=Tangalakis-Lippert |first=Katherine |title=Greta Thunberg and a 'mud wizard' faced off against German cops to protest a coal deal with the country's largest energy company |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-activists-protest-expanding-coal-pit-mud-wizard-lutzerath-2023-1 |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=2025-02-06 |title=Erkelenz: Amtsgericht verurteilt »Mönch von Lützerath« zu Geldstrafe |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/erkelenz-amtsgericht-verurteilt-moench-von-luetzerath-zu-geldstrafe-a-a29337e4-70a5-4c74-80c8-fc969cc78e32 |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=Der Spiegel |language=de |issn=2195-1349}}
Climate activist Luisa Neubauer and the head of the Earth System Analysis at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research both condemned the eviction.{{cite web |title=Climate researcher takes a critical view of Lützerath clearance {{!}} MarketScreener |url=https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/RWE-AG-436529/news/Climate-researcher-takes-a-critical-view-of-Lutzerath-clearance-42688078/ |website=Market Screener |date=8 January 2023 |access-date=9 January 2023 |language=en |archive-date=9 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109000506/https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/RWE-AG-436529/news/Climate-researcher-takes-a-critical-view-of-Lutzerath-clearance-42688078/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Kurmayer |first1=Nikolaus J. |title=Lützerath: How the government broke German climate activists' hearts |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/lutzerath-how-the-government-broke-german-climate-activists-hearts/ |access-date=9 January 2023 |work=Euractiv |date=5 October 2022 |archive-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108223538/https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/lutzerath-how-the-government-broke-german-climate-activists-hearts/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news | url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/luisa-neubauer-in-luetzerath-von-polizei-weggetragen-18598575.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113224626/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/luisa-neubauer-in-luetzerath-von-polizei-weggetragen-18598575.html | archive-date=13 January 2023 | title=Proteste in Lützerath: Luisa Neubauer von Polizei weggetragen | newspaper=Faz.net }} On 17 January 2023, climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested by German police while participating in a protest against demolishing the town for a coal mine expansion.{{cite news |last=Radford |first=Antoinette |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64309628 |title=Greta Thunberg detained at German coal protest |work=BBC News |date=17 January 2023 |accessdate=17 January 2023 }} The eviction of the village was mostly carried out by 21{{nbsp}}January 2023.{{cite news |last1 = Nolting |first1 = Ingmar Björn |title = The eviction of Lützerath: the village being destroyed for a coalmine — a photo essay |date = 24 January 2023 |work = The Guardian |language = en |location = London |issn = 0261-3077 |url = https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/jan/24/eviction-lutzerath-village-destroyed-coalmine-a-photo-essay |access-date = 24 January 2023}}
See also
- {{ill|Immerath (Erkelenz)|de|lt=Immerath (old)}}
- Church of St. Lambertus, Immerath
- Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND)
- Ende Gelände 2021, Ende Gelände 2022, Ende Gelände 2023
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://luetzerathlebt.info/en/ Lützerath lebt]
- [https://luetzipedia.org/ Lützipedia 4D Atlas] – Project to document Lützerath in 3D / Virtual Reality
- [https://www.alle-doerfer-bleiben.de/demo/ Demonstration on 2023-01-14]
- {{cite web |title=Heimspiel – Lützeraths Nachbardörfer und der Tagebau |language=de |trans-title= |publisher=Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg |editor-first=Julia |editor-last=Groteclaes |date=2021 |url=https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/dokumentationen-und-reportagen/luetzeraths-nachbardoerfer-und-der-tagebau/sr/Y3JpZDovL3NyLW9ubGluZS5kZS9EVVJfMTIzMjE4 |access-date=26 January 2023}} [29:27]
- {{cite web |title=Die letzten Tage von Lützerath – Die Story |language=de |trans-title= |editor-first1=Tanja |editor-last1=Reinhard |editor-first2=Rebecca |editor-last2=Kirkland |date=2023 |publisher=Westdeutscher Rundfunk |url=https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/die-story/die-letzten-tage-von-luetzerath/wdr/Y3JpZDovL3dkci5kZS9CZWl0cmFnLTRkMThmZmFkLWZlZjgtNGRmYS05NTE3LTA2NjBlNjNhNGZhYw |access-date=26 January 2023}} [34:18]
{{Authority control}}
Category:1168 establishments in Europe
Category:Climate change and the environment