Historical Towns Divided by International Border Rivers – the Way to Cooperation and Integration

Abstract

The topic of this thesis is divided towns, defined as the towns which once existed as unified administrative units before an international border divided them. In a time of globalization, the character of many border lines is changing. In many places, borders are loosing their dividing character. In the European Union, divided towns might be perceived as natural symbols of integration between neighboring countries. The main goal of the study is to answer the research question: “In towns divided by an international border that is a river, what are the conditions that must be met to achieve a mutually beneficial level of cooperation?” In order to address the research question, benefits and barriers in cross-border cooperation and integration are studied. A quality of cooperation and an advancement of integration between bordering communities are explored. Impact of actions undertaken by local decision makers to improve the cross-border cooperation and integration are examined. Görlitz-Zgorzelec, located on the German-Polish border, was chosen as a case study place. The research methods used in the study requiring public involvement are official and non-official interviews and questionnaires. Additional information was also collected from academic and non-academic sources. Based on the data collected during the research, a set of key indicators was created to measure an advancement of cooperation between the divided town sections, in the field of spatial planning, culture and social integration.