// Welcome to Galerie Oel-Früh //

Gallery Oel-Früh

For most people the district Rothenburgsort is a white spot on the map. Completely destroyed during the bombings in the war, there are only a few housing projects now, hosting around 9.000 mainly elderly people and immigrants. All around there are just business and industry areas. Accordingly, Rothenburgsort is somewhat an island. That is why even those being acquainted with the city do not now this part though passing it whenever coming or leaving town via the big bridges over the river.

However, before the war and when Hamburg Altona was still Danish, Rothenburgsort was the place to be – with vibrant waterway transportation, dense living, swimming resorts and a colourful nightlife. Today though, the district appears unattended lacking attractions whatsoever. Shops are empty, goods of the remaining discounters simple and the small number of take-aways hardly frequented.

This situation should change gradually. As often, artists and creatives mark the starting point, renting studios, exploring nearby recreating spots and the personal atmosphere. For some years now the initiative Hamburgs Wilder Osten (HWO) features these surpluses of the area and recalls its historical background. Activities as guided tours, ralleys and collective baths in the river complete the ambitions.

To generate more opportunities for inhabitants and those interested to identify with the environment Gallery Oel-Früh serves as a meeting point and a satellite of the cultural urban life. Well organized, there are exhibitions and live programs, which build a platform for locals and an exchange with internationals. However, the aim of the Gallery is showing an interesting variety and an appealing quality of diverse fields of art rather than establishing a social project. Still, the combination of both is what makes the spot a unique experience and a place to revisit.