Master's Thesis Causes the Refreshment Stand Culture in the Ruhr Region to Be Included on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List

The Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia has included the “Trinkhallenkultur im Ruhrgebiet” in the state's list of intangible cultural heritage. 

The application for this was prepared by RWTH student Marie Enders while she was working on her Master's thesis at the Chair of Building Theory and Fundamentals of Design at the Faculty of Architecture. For Enders, now a research assistant at the chair, it was an issue close to her heart; after all, she used to call the Ruhr region her home before she came to Aachen to study. “Trinkhallen culture in the Ruhr region is an intangible cultural heritage asset for which the architecture of the Trinkhalle creates the space,” she says, explaining the approach of her thesis, which was written under the supervision of professors Anne-Julchen Bernhardt and Carolin Stapenhorst as well as Julia von Mende.

“Refreshment stands with a tried and tested range of products provide their regular customers with a platform for exchange and integration, especially in the urban environment,” explains Professor Eva-Maria Seng as spokeswoman for the state jury, which in addition to the Trinkhallen also included the Steigerland in the list of intangible cultural heritage. Klaus Kaiser, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry, officially presented the awards to the applicants.