Housing co-operatives in Germany: 160 years of evolution and resilience
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Published version
Date
2024
Authors
Pfatteicher, Peter Alexander Carl
McCarthy, Olive
Power, Carol
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UK Society for Co-operative Studies
Published Version
Abstract
This paper examines the evolution and resilience of housing co-operatives in Germany from their beginning 160 years ago to the present against the backdrop of an ever-changing political, economic, social, and cultural environment. We divide the discussion into five parts: 1803-1914 — The Rise of Housing Co-operatives; 1914-1933 — World War I and the Weimar Republic; 1933-1945 — Destruction of Housing Co-operative Values and Principles, and World War II; 1945-October 1990 — A New Beginning. Housing Co-operatives in East and West Germany; and Post-1990 — From Unification to Today’s Challenges. We examine select events and developments and their impact on housing co-operatives. We argue that, despite challenges and threats, especially in times of crisis, housing co-operatives persevered, proving resilient and meeting members’ housing needs, motivated by self-help and supported by established core values and principles. Meeting members’ housing needs makes housing co-operatives especially relevant now, given Germany’s ongoing housing crisis. Lastly, we argue other countries can learn from the experience of German housing co-operatives, and establish and support a co-operative framework that allows housing co-operatives to focus on core values and principles, which are the source of co-operative resilience.
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Keywords
Housing , Housing Co-operatives , Germany , Residential housing , Housing crisis , Co-operatives
Citation
Pfatteicher, P.A.C., McCarthy, O. and Power, C. (2024) ‘Housing co-operatives in Germany: 160 years of evolution and resilience’, Journal of Co-operative Studies, 57(1), pp. 39–53. Available at: https://doi.org/10.61869/GCSP6342.