The 'production' of urban sprawl in eastern Germany as a phenomenon of post-socialist transformation

The paper examines the causes, features and consequences of the vigorous dynamics of urban sprawl seen in recent years in eastern Germany. Firstly, regarding the theory of urban development, it demonstrates that this case of sprawl displays certain peculiarities-and so cannot be sufficiently understood by drawing on 'western' experience. Secondly, concerning the management of urban development, it is particularly striking that urban sprawl in eastern Germany has largely proved to be the product of specific legislative and political conditions. Changes in these conditions ought thus to significantly affect urban development. To help contain urban sprawl in the context under scrutiny, however, these changes need to be geared to the situation of urban stagnation and decline.