Resolution on Bonn place names

At its Annual General Meeting on 21 November 2018, the Monuments and History Society passed a resolution appealing to politicians, the administration and the citizenry to take special measures to safeguard the future of Bonn's historically inherited place names.

Especially the coming commemorative year of the municipal reorganization 50 years ago should be an occasion to give a special impetus to the consolidation of the place name tradition characteristic for the "village-rich" Bonn.

With this resolution the association suggests three measures: 1. place name signs at the entrances to the town (if not existing), 2. mention of the place name in all town-related administrative procedures as well as 3. inclusion of the respective place name in all address details of Bonn institutions as well as Bonn citizens (parties, authorities, companies, associations, etc. and private individuals).

"The sense of identity of the citizens of our city", according to the resolution, "also includes the feeling of living in a very specific area of the city, often in a district that is still to a certain extent self-contained, often enough with rural character traits and a distinct village life. The outward sign of this identity-forming factor is the historically inherited place name. Last but not least, it also stands for a sense of home."

For the district of Beuel, the association has compiled a list of all common place names as well as historical settlement names.

Addendum: The working group of Bonn history societies ( 21 societies with over 7,000 members) decided on December 11, 2018, to adopt the resolution of the Monument and History Society as its own and thus to make it the basis of an action covering the entire city of Bonn.

Text of the resolution

Leave a Reply