What does the ‘legalization’ of Christiania mean?
It is more correct to talk of a legitimisation of Christiania instead of a ‘normalisation’. In the earlier Christiania Act, Christiania was exempted from the following regulations in the legislation: Legislation on preservation, on the land use and the erection, lay-out, use and demolition of buildings. The legitimisation of Christiania does not mean that the Christiania area should be standardised with other urban areas. The Danish Folketing’s objective for the development of Christiania is that the area shall continue to be a green and traffic-free area in Copenhagen; with room for alternative life styles but in accordance with the general rules of Danish law without a special act, without the hash trade, with rent payment and open housing allocation, with maintenance of preservation-worthy buildings and with maintenance and protection of the fortification as an open and recreational area for Christianites, Copenhageners and the public in general. There is therefore talk of a legitimisation of Christiania and not of a ’normalisation’ of Christiania.
What is the background for legitimisation of Christiania?
According to the report from the Christiania Committee, several reasons for legitimisation of Christiania exist:
- There is a large-scale illegal hash trade in Christiania, which is thought to have a tight grip on the Christiania area. The hash trade shall be removed from the area.
- An analysis of resident demography and social conditions in Christiania has shown a static group of residents with very limited mobility. Only approx. 1/3 of the residents are connected with the labour market and the level of education is significantly lower than in the rest of Copenhagen, especially among the younger age groups. The signs are clear; the weakest are not becoming stronger – it is the opposite case. There is therefore a need for new forms of ownership and organisation and some new building to contribute with a new dynamism via a new resident composition.
- Access to a residence or to establishing an enterprise in the area is very non-transparent. There is a need for equal opportunities for everyone; and for the opportunities to be transparent.
- The Christiania Act of 2004 reintroduced a number of laws and regulations in the Christiania area. There is a need for compliance with and enforcement of these laws in practice in the Christiania area.
- The appraisal is that the preservation-worthy buildings have not been preserved and have been wrecked to a significant degree compared to their original expression. There is thus a need to restore the preservation-worthy buildings.
- The fortification currently appears as being very overgrown with much wear and destructive physical interventions; at the same time, more and more parts of the rampart are being ”privatised” with new building. There is therefore a need to halt the erosion and the ”privatisation” of the fortification.
- The background for the legitimisation is that the Christiania area should be of benefit for all of Copenhagen’s citizens, while at the same time preserving the uniqueness of Christiania.
How does the legitimisation of Christiania cohere with Christiania’s values?
Christiania wishes to preserve its values; the state has attempted to take this into account by not harmonising the area with other urban areas of Copenhagen. This was evident in the agreement that the state and Christiania’s negotiation group entered into on 24 August 2007. This agreement was unfortunately rejected by Christiania on 27 June 2008.
Christiania wishes for a pronounced degree of self-administration and co-determination, which was possible according to the agreement via a non-profit housing association and the creation of a number of funds in which Christiania would have majority in the board of directors.
With a non-profit housing association as the owner of the residencies in Christiania, another of Christiania’s wishes was met i.e. that it should not be possible for the residencies to be capitalised.
Christiania wishes to preserve a social rental arrangement. The agreement included a special rental subsidy for current Christianites so that they could maintain a low rental level; furthermore there was the possibility of receiving hosing allowance in accordance with the regulations pertaining to this.
Christiania wishes to preserve the social and cultural activities within the area. This was met by offering a lower rent level for the social and cultural activities than for the traders.
Christiania wishes for the area to remain a green, recreational area for everyone.
The Danish state will contribute to this by making the rampart more accessible and by removing the ”privatisation” that has taken place with new building on the rampart during recent years.
The public subsidy to e.g. the restoration of buildings and the rental subsidy will provide a direct or indirect subsidy to Christiania of approx. DKK 200,000 – 300,000 per Christianite.
What measures should Christiania take to secure a future-oriented solution?
Christiania should be prepared to enter into an agreement with the state within the framework of the Christiania Act of 2004, and which contains the possibility of Christiania also being able to maintain its uniqueness after a legitimisation.
The Danish state has gone to great lengths to find a solution that preserved Christiania’s values within the framework of the Danish legislation; the agreement of 24 August 2007 is an example of this.
The Christiania area is a former military area. Why is the Ministry of Finance responsible for Christiania and not the Ministry of Defence?
It was a historical fact that the Ministry of Defence, which owns the former Bådsmandsstræde Barracks, managed the Christiania area. The amendment of the Christiania Act in June 2004 meant a new beginning in relation to the Christiania area and a new framework and guidelines for the development of the area. The implementation of this development process required a new approach to the state administration of the area. By placing the area under the Ministry of Finance and thus within the scope of the Palaces and Properties Agency, it was possible to draw on the competencies of the Agency within e.g. property maintenance and administration, including the maintenance of protected buildings. In addition, the Ministry of Finance is very experienced in handling wide-ranging development projects.
What is the role of the Palaces and Properties Agency in the Christiania project?
Effective as of 15 June 2004 the responsibility of the state ownership of the Christiania area was transferred from the Minister of Defence to the Minister of Finance. Executive Order 522 of 15 June 2004 establishes that state ownership of the Christiania area is to be handled by the Palaces and Properties Agency.
The Palaces and Property Agency’s task is to handle, manage or arrange the tasks prescribed in the Act and Executive Order, including the preparation of an overall basis for decision for the transition to new forms of organisation and ownership.
Which work does the Agency actually carry out with regard to Christiania?
The Agency’s work on Christiania is focused on two main areas:
- To manage the area according to the Christiania Act
- To facilitate a development of the Christiania area as a sustainable area in Copenhagen in accordance with the planning that is carried out for the area
To manage the Christiania area according to the Christiania Act means e.g. that the Agency issues and draws permits for the use of the buildings for persons and companies and makes decisions on extensions and conversions and the placing of objects, e.g. fences and caravans in the area.
To work for a development of the area means that the Agency will, in dialogue with Christiania, seek to implement a change in ownership of buildings and spaces in the area. Elements taken into consideration are the following: the area shall develop into a mixed residential and commercial area; and the preservation-worthy buildings and the protected rampart are to be restored.
What is the historical and current relevance of Christiania?
Historical relevance:
The preserved ramparts on Christianshavn, which Christiania is part of, are a unique green area in Copenhagen and a recreational area with an important historical relevance. The ramparts of Christianshavn were erected during the seventeenth century by King Christian IV. Today the Christiania ramparts are among some of the best preserved defences from the seventeenth century in the world. Several military barracks from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century are moreover protected and deemed preservation-worthy.
Current relevance:
Today Christiania is an area where life can be lived in a different way than in the rest of Denmark. A significant quality of Christiania is the physical mixture of the areas many diversified functions. In principle no monocultures, no all residential, recreational or commercial areas are to be found. A quite unique ambiance is thus added to the streets and life between the houses. Today Christiania is an oasis and a recreational area of the city. Visitors are drawn by the diversified green urban space of the area. There is variation in the character and quality of the green spaces.
What is the ideal future of Christiania?
The ideal future would be that the objective of the Danish Christiania Act is met and the area legitimised. This does not mean, however, that the Christiania area should be standardised with other urban areas. The Danish government's objective for the development of Christiania is that the area shall continue to be a green and traffic-free area in Copenhagen; that an alternative life style can still be lived but one that complies with the general rules of Danish law without a special act, without the hash trade, with rental payments and open housing allocation, with maintenance of preservation-worthy buildings and with maintenance and protection of the fortification as an open and recreational area for Christianites, Copenhageners and the public in general.
Who has been involved in finding a solution for the future forms of organisation and ownership of Christiania? What roles have they played?
While establishing a model for Christiania's future forms of organisation and ownership, the Danish state has primarily been in dialogue with Christiania's Contact Group, which according to Christiania consists of representatives from each of the 14 areas of Christiania.
Christiania's Contact Group has been assisted by Christiania's attorney at law Knud Foldschack, who is both the advisor for Christiania in the negotiations with the state and who also conducts the legal action which Christiania has brought against the Danish state.
Since the Christiania area belongs to the Municipality of Copenhagen and the area is to be developed, the Municipality of Copenhagen has been involved in preparing a local plan for the area that, to the greatest extent possible, lives up to the wishes of both Christiania and the Danish state and the Municipality's requirements as far as content goes.
It is a precondition of the Christiania Act that e.g. new residences are to be built in the Christiania area. Christiania and the state have thus been involved in a dialogue with Realdania, who are a potential buyer of development sites and entrepreneur for new buildings that live up to the Christiania values of participating in building and building themselves using alternative materials.
Since discussions have taken place on establishing a non-profit housing association, the administration company KAB has advised Christiania on the options and the layout of a future housing association for Christiania.
Why is it so important to restore the buildings? What type of work is involved in the restoration? Can residents stay on while restoration takes place?
The restoration of state properties comprises roofing, facing, fireproofing, establishing of escape routes and other health and safety matters, as well as basic technical installations. It does not e.g. comprise new kitchens and bathrooms.
For most residents it is possible to stay on while work is proceeding, but some face temporary rehousing.
Which buildings?
All state property shall be restored if necessary. E.g. the Ark of Peace (Fredens Ark), the Lion House (Løvehuset), the Flea Building (Loppen) and the Multi House (Multihuset).
Has the Christiania Development Plan been incorporated into the local plan proposal for the Christiania area?
Based on Christiania's wishes, many items from the Christiania development plan have been incorporated into the local plan proposal, e.g. social responsibility, the environment, traffic, the possibility of using alternative materials for new buildings and the wish to preserve Christiania as a recreational area.
As far as new buildings go, the local plan proposal and the Christiania development plan do not match. The state has demanded that the local plan facilitates new buildings of 24,000 sqm, which is more than proposed by the Christiania development plan.
Does the restoration of the rampart mean that the state will demolish the housing built by the residents themselves and remove trees and shrubs to lay out a park that pays tribute to Denmark's military history?
The purpose of the 2004 Christiania Act is e.g. to restore the rampart of Christiania as a common recreational and scenic area while taking the monument’s historical form into consideration.
This means that in some areas housing built by the residents themselves will have to be demolished and that trees and shrubs will be removed, but this is not to say that the area shall be changed into a park paying tribute to Denmark's military history.
Why do houses upon the Christiania rampart have to be demolished?
Since the fortification is badly damaged, it is important to ensure no further wearing down of the rampart. Furthermore, the fortification is to become a recreational green area for all citizens; in several places the building being carried out by the Christianites is giving the rampart a privatised, housing estate layout. Some houses thus need to be demolished in order to restore the rampart to stop it from wearing down. The aim is to balance the Christiania building on the rampart and the fact that the rampart is to be an open, recreational area. This will be based on the guidelines in the Christiania Committee's 2004 report, which formed the background for the 2004 Christiania Act. A total of 93 small and large buildings are under consideration for demolition in the short and long term.
Christiania also believes that the rampart buildings should be thinned out and that the increasing “privatisation” of the area stopped. A solution should now be found to make allowances for Christiania’s intention with the rampart and to preserve the uniqueness of Christiania without causing an increased ”privatisation” of the area.
Why does the state find it important to come up with a zero-cost solution for Christiania?
The Christiania area is not a source of income for the state. However, the state does not wish to spend large amounts of money on the area without having secured a revenue that reasonably matches the expenditure. The revenue expected by the state from the sale of the area, including existing buildings and building rights, is to be used in the Christiania area to restore the preservation-worthy buildings and to restore the rampart.
It is also important that a zero-cost solution is found as it is the intention of the Christiania Act that the conversion of the Christiania area should be self-financing for the state.
How much does Christiania cost the state today and do the Christianites pay to live in Christiania?
Today the state pays approx. 5 FTEs to the Palaces and Properties Agency for administration and implementation of the Christiania Act. In addition several external consultants have aided in the work of implementing the agreement of 24 August 2007. It is estimated that DKK 20 million have been used in this connection along with 200 meetings and 20,000 working hours spent solely on implementing this agreement. This agreement was rejected by Christiania on 27 June 2008.
Residents and traders in the Christiania area who have been awarded a permit in accordance with the Christiania Act pay charges to the Palaces and Properties Agency. The charges are imposed to cover actual costs incurred in connection with the state ownership of the Christiania area including taxes and charges. In addition, the charge covers the Palaces and Properties Agency’s operational expenses, including expenses for emergency measures as well as for personal safety in relation to buildings and the area.
In 2008 the monthly charge to the state is DKK 386. This is equal to each Christianite paying a yearly amount of DKK 4,632 to the state for living in the Christiania area.
Why do the police not do something about the hash stands in Pusher Street?
The police often patrol Christiania to prevent the sale of drugs. The police frequently remove the hash stands in Pusher Street. Unfortunately, the sale of hash continues in Christiania even though the hash stands are removed by the police on an ongoing basis. The police have however registered a significantly smaller sale than previously.
Last updated:: Wednesday, March 07, 2012
