Housing Co-operatives in Germany: 160 Years of Evolution and Resilience
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. The authors 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. The argument is 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, the authors 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.
Authors: Peter Alexander Carl Pfatteicher, Olive McCarthy, and Carol Power
Journal of Co-operative Studies, Vol 57 No 1, pp. 39-53
Published online: June 2024
Pfatteicher, P.A.C., McCarthy, O., & Power, C. (2024). Housing co-operatives in Germany: 160 years of evolution and resilience. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 57(1), 39-53. https://doi.org/10.61869/GCSP6342