Newsletter December 2021

NETWORK INFORMATION

FORTE CULTURA General Assembly at Fortress Königstein

29 members and guests from 7 countries met for the FORTE CULTURA General Assembly 2021 in the breathtaking setting of the Königstein Fortress (Saxony). The network board and scientific committee presented a highly impressive performance report on the activities and results of the last 15 months. Highlights were the positive network development, the initiation of new projects as well as the extensive workshop and conference programme in cooperation with EFFORTS Europe.

In the subsequent elections, Frank Riesbeck (DE) was re-elected as President, Frauke Vos-Firnkes (DE) as Vice-President, Dirk Röder (DE) as Vice-President Finance and Agnieszka Zurawska-Tatala (PL) as Vice-President Communications. New elected were Huibert Crijns (NL) as Vice-President Cultural Heritage and Filippo Cailotto (IT) as Associate Alps-Adriatic. Hartmut Röder (DE) did not stand for re-election. Due to his great merits for FORTE CULTURA, the General Assembly nominated him as a honorary member. 

 

As members of the Scientific Committee, Prof. Dr. Teresa Colletta (IT), Ass. Prof. Dr. Nataša Uroševic (HR), Ass. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marcin Gorski (PL) und Dipl.-Ing. Volker Pachauer (AT) im Amt bestätigt. Neu hinzu kamen Dr. Alexander Jordan (DE) und Dr. Juan Antonio Mira Rico (ES). Nataša Uroševic wurde zur Leiterin des Beirats gewählt und erhält damit einen Sitz im erweiterten Netzwerkvorstand. More informationen

FORTE CULTURA Handbook sent to network members

In the past few weeks, our new FORTE CULTURA handbook for network members was sent out or personally handed over. In clear chapters and with illustrative examples, our members now have all the information they need to make the most of all the advantages of FORTE CULTURA membership. Whether it is network structures and activities, marketing tools and advertising material, the tour guide certification programme or fortress tourism - the handbook contains all the information and is constantly updated with exchange pages.

Cultural Heritage and Marketing Workshop held in Karlovac (HR)

In the framework of the Interreg - IPA CBC project FORTITUDE, a hybrid expert workshop on cultural heritage and marketing took place in October in the fortress ideal city of Karlovac under the leadership of Dirk Röder (FORTE CULTURA) and Rafael Deroo (EFFORTS). The 2-day workshop addressed issues related to the management and sustainable use of fortresses, digitalisation and digital marketing for fortresses, as well as the development of fortress tourism using the examples of the fortress city of Karlovac and Dubovac Castle. Other FORTITUDE project partners are the Cultural Fortress of Sibenik (HR), the Fortress City of Herceg Novi (ME) and the City of Banja Luka (BA). The workshop was the third and last in the project. More informationen to FORTITUDE project

NETWORK DEVELOPMENT

's-Hertogenbosch (NL) becomes first FORTE CULTURA station in the Netherlands

The fortified city of 's-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch for short) is the capital of the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant and has an extraordinary fortified heritage with its city walls and citadel. Den Bosch also takes an extremely innovative approach to it, which can be seen in the visitor center in the Bulwark Sankt Johann, a multistorey car park integrated into the fortifications, or in the digital Den Bosch Time Machine project. The city is also a founding and board member of EFFORTS, represented by Huibert Crijns, and has supported the cultural heritage of fortress monuments in Europe for many years. Thus Huibert Crijns, just like Dirk Röder, holds a board position in EFFORTS and FORTE CULTURA, which should bring the two major European fortress networks even closer together.

Director Petr Kucera (Prague Vysehrad, CZ) signs membership

During the General Assembly at the Königstein Fortress, Petr Kucera, Director of the Prague Vyšehrad National Cultural Monument, took the opportunity to sign the membership as of 1.1.2022. The fortress above the Moldau River offers a beautiful view over the Czech capital as well as a museum, a cathedral and many leisure activities. Prague was already involved in the activities of the FORTE CULTURA Regional Cluster Elbe Fortresses and now wants to take advantage of all the benefits of membership as a fully-fledged stop on the Cultural Route.

PROJECT INITIATIVES

Project proposals with FORTE CULTURA participation

The project "EFFORTS Goes Green" was unfortunately not approved in the first attempt. The decision on the project "European Fortress Festival" is still pending. In addition, one application each was submitted to the "Neustart Kultur" programme of Germany and to the Aktion Mensch Lottery, which are still awaiting a decision. We are keeping our fingers crossed. 

Further project applications are possible. Please contact us if you are looking for project partners at European level or would like to implement project ideas together with us. 

Forts Unchained" project initiative met in Bergen Op Zoom (NL)

In mid-October, EFFORTS, the Liberation Route Europe and FORTE CULTURA met in Bergen op Zoom to discuss a project approach related to the role of fortresses in World War II. Often fortresses were used as concentration camps and prisons or were the sites of heavy warfare. Many of these sites are now monuments and offer exhibitions to commemorate the period. Due to their orientation, both European Cultural Routes can reflect this theme together. The project approach under discussion is to reappraise the Second World War in fortress monuments and implement it in tourism. Fortress sites with a corresponding history are called upon to participate in the project. The next online meeting will take place on 21 December 2021 to prepare a funding application.

Partners for Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE project wanted

The fortress city of Pula is looking for a lead partner and other project partners for a joint project application in the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE programme. A first evaluation workshop with the participation of FORTE CULTURA and EFFORTS resulted in great interest from fortresses and institutions from Croatia, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic as well as Austria. Please contact us if you are interested in participating. More information on the CENTRAL Europe programme.

NETWORK MARKETING

First Euro-Souvenir-Note of the FORTE CULTURA Edition released

The fortress town of Germers­heim has released a first Euro-Souvenir-Note of the FORTE CULTURA Edition on the basis of the framework agreement between EuroSchein-Souvenir GmbH and FORTE CULTURA. This "zero euro note" bears an individual motif of the fortress town of Germersheim including the FORTE CULTURA logo. The notes are currently being sold for 3€ and are selling like hot cakes, especially among collectors. The first edition of 5,000 pieces is already sold out by one third after a few weeks. 

 

You too can take advantage of "refinanced advertising". The framework agreement includes discounts for fortresses that commission individual euro souvenir notes of the FORTE CULTURA Edition. For more information, please contact the network office. 

New FORTE CULTURA wall calendar as a year-round advertising medium

FORTE CULTURA members are currently receiving the new FORTE CULTURA wall calendar 2022 by post. The prototype, printed in small quantities, is intended to encourage members to think about their own calendars in FORTE CULTURA design with individual fortress motifs. The calendars can be developed and printed inexpensively through FORTE CULTURA and provide a whole year of advertising for your fortress.

FORTE CULTURA Guides

Certification program for Tour Guides

FORTE CULTURA guides offer very special insights into the fascinating fortress worlds on our cultural route. Whether in historical costumes, on underground paths or with exclusive content, the tours with certified guides are always an experience.
You too can qualify as a tour guide with a FORTE CULTURA certificate.

FROM THE MEMBER FORTRESSES

Warsaw University of Technology study project on Dömitz Fortress

Students from the Warsaw Uni-versity of Technology visited Dömitz Fortress at the begin-ning of the winter semester under the title "Reintegration, renovation and upgrading of the tourist functions of Dömitz Fortress". In a 4-day survey, all areas of the fortress and for-mer ideal fortress town were examined in order to develop concepts and proposed solu-tions over the winter.

Refurbishment backlog due to lack of funding recently led to the closure of fortress areas in Dömitz. The study project was initiated by FORTE CULTURA and is led by Marcin Gorski (Warsaw University of Technology and member of the FORTE CULTURA Scientific Advisory Board).

Christmas tree campaign of the Upper Rhine Fortresses

Instead of opening days and participation in Christmas markets, which were all cancelled due to the Corona situation, some fortresses on the Upper Rhine had already decided in December 2020 to put up Christmas trees in or in  ront of or on their fortified  monuments and museums as a sign of hope and solidarity. The action is to take place again this year because the Corona situation once again does not allow for openings and Christmas markets. 

 

On Saturday, 11 December 2021, participating forts and museums on the Upper Rhine will put up a lighted Christmas tree and post pictures of it on social media. The Christmas tree action is to be understood as a pro-European "sign of life" of the fortified heritage and the people associated with it and to encourage them to "persevere". Fortresses outside the Upper Rhine region are welcome to take up the action.

OUTLOOK

 

EFFORTS Congress - Online

The EFFORTS Congress and Annual General Meeting originally planned for the beginning of December in Brussels had to be cancelled due to Corona. There will now probably be an online congress on 13 January 2022.

 
 
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International Fortress Conference Terezin (CZ)

From 5 to 7 April 2022 the International Fortress Conference will take place in Terezin (CZ). The preliminary programme with registration link is available on the FORTE CULTURA website. The conference is also the starting shot of the European Fortress Summer 2022.

 
 
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More News and former FORTE CULTURA newsletter.

 

Since July 2020, regular FORTE CULTURA members are automatically associate members in EFFORTS and vice versa. To enable EFFORTS members to enjoy all the benefits of the cultural route in the future, FORTE CULTURA is now offering for ordinary EFFORTS members a welcome discount of 25% on the annual fee for the first 2 years. For further information, please contact the network office.

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