SPD is planning a monument to Flensburg's paper mill: keep a piece of history!

SPD is planning a monument to Flensburg's paper mill: keep a piece of history!

The message hits waves in Flensburg: The traditional Fjord Paper paper mill stopped operating in early 2025. The reason for this? The causes are profound - high energy costs and enormous price pressure relied on the company, so that around 200 employees in the end lost their jobs. This closure is not only an economic setback, but also an emotional loss for the region that looks back on over 300 years of industrial history.

In order to remember this story, the Flensburg SPD plans to build a monument for the former paper mill. Birgit Jaspersen, the SPD parliamentary group leader, emphasizes the economic, historical and emotional importance of the company. In the next cultural committee, a formal request for the establishment of this monument is to be made. It is planned to integrate the old machine of the factory into the monument in order to make the historical value of the factory visible for future generations. This project is also supported by Jan Wollatz, the former works council chairman of Fjord Paper GmbH.

The loss of a traditional employer

The closure of the paper factory not only has an immediate impact on the employees concerned, but also on their families and the entire economic environment of the city. Katja Claussen, spokeswoman for the Greens in Flensburg, demands socially acceptable solutions for the dismissed employees. A development of a sustainable social plan, secure severance payments and individual support in the search for work and qualification measures are in the room. All of this underlines the political need for action, both in improving the economic framework and in targeted investments in the infrastructure of Schleswig-Holstein.

The loss of Fjord Paper is not only a setback for the employees, but also for the city's cultural identity. Flensburg and the region have a long history of industrialization, which goes back to the 18th century. During this time, numerous industries were created - from the first steam engine in the Textilfabrik Renck in Neumünster to the foundation of the Carlshütte in Büdelsdorf. These developments have not only shaped the economic landscape, but also the social structure of the region.

A look at the story

Schleswig-Holstein experienced industrialization relatively late, characterized by a poor economic situation according to the Danish state bankruptcy of 1813. Nevertheless, the rise of industry was a key moment for the region. After the annexation by Prussia in 1867, a new boost was created-numerous new businesses were created, the paper industry was also part of this change.

Although the closure of Fjord Paper is painful, the hope remains that the memory of the long tradition of industry in the region will be kept alive by the planned monument. After all, it is not only reminiscent of the successes of the past, but also of the challenges that need to be mastered in order to secure a just future for industrial locations in Schleswig-Holstein.