The struggle of the tenants of Gelsenkirchen in Germany (Flöz Dickebank)

The document “The struggle of the tenants of Gelsenkirchen in Germany (Flöz Dickebank)” is a case study produced by Citégo, a research institute specialising in housing and urban policies. Authored by Elodie Vittu, the study draws on material extracted from the Citégo website and presents a detailed historical account of the Flöz Dickebank housing estate, a former mining settlement in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine‑Westphalia. The case illustrates how a tenant‑led movement resisted demolition and pursued a cooperative model to preserve affordable housing over several decades.

Flöz Dickebank was built in 1868 under French occupation to house miners and their families. The estate comprised 328 dwellings that were originally provided at low rent with additional benefits such as charcoal for heating. After the mines closed, the public limited company retained ownership, allowing tenants to remain at socially‑subsidised rents. Over time, the original tenant‑owner relationship eroded, leaving residents with limited legal rights to their homes.

In March 1974 the Gelsenkirchen city council announced plans to demolish the estate and replace it with thirteen‑storey towers. Tenants received only a relocation letter, prompting the formation of a tenants’ association. Demonstrations, leaflets and weekly meetings were organised to demand consultation and to protect the social fabric of the neighbourhood. The first concrete achievement was the classification of the district as a rehabilitation zone, which legally required a consultation process.

Technical studies in the mid‑1970s recommended maintenance and selective modernisation rather than wholesale demolition. Between 1977 and 1979, targeted works preserved the historic character of the settlement while improving living standards. Residents were offered three options for each plot: demolition, standard maintenance, or extensive modernisation (the latter contingent on tenant consent due to potential rent increases).

In 2006 the tenants’ movement evolved into the cooperative “Bürgerinitiative Flöz Dickebank und Umgebung”. By 2008 the cooperative comprised 261 members out of 330 units, managing the estate collectively. The cooperative operates without profit motives, ensuring democratic decision‑making and the possibility of passing property to heirs, thereby safeguarding long‑term affordability.

The cooperative faces a substantial refurbishment cost estimated at €10 million. The state of North Rhine‑Westphalia provides financial support, but the municipality’s sale price must align with the cooperative’s limited purchasing power. The demographic profile—elderly residents and households in economic difficulty—underscores the importance of maintaining low‑rent housing amidst rising market pressures.

The Flöz Dickebank case demonstrates that tenant‑led governance can preserve social housing, limit speculative investment and maintain environmental sustainability through the reuse of existing structures. Key data include: 328 original dwellings, 35 years of continuous mobilisation, 261 cooperative members, and a €10 million renovation budget. The experience highlights the value of legal frameworks that require consultation, the effectiveness of cooperative ownership models, and the necessity of public funding to support sustainable retrofitting.

For a pan‑European audience, the study offers concrete evidence that policies encouraging tenant participation and cooperative ownership can mitigate housing unaffordability and reduce the carbon footprint associated with demolition and new construction. It also illustrates the risks posed by private investors and the importance of safeguarding affordable housing as a public good rather than a speculative asset.