The southern neighborhood in Wilhelmshaven is thriving through creative ideas and events. Owner-managed shops and new restaurants enliven the district and attract visitors. What is behind this dynamic development?
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Wilhelmshaven – Hardly any other district has experienced such exciting development in recent years as the southern neighborhood at the Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge. Many owner-managed shops, service providers and restaurants provide a special flair here. Together they build on the traditional neighborly proximity and develop creative ideas from this togetherness that ensure a noticeable revitalization of the neighborhood. The Bavaria House is a constant at the center: with the “Krug” as an ancient cult pub and Bavaria restaurant, it has been a fixture for southern city residents and vacationers alike for many decades.
Hard start without a KW bridge
When Jörg Wilke set up his shop “Die Weinprobe” at Rheinstraße 14 in November 2008, no one could have imagined the dynamic development that social and cultural life in the old quarter would take. “When the KW bridge was closed for renovation a year later, I first had to adjust to the new situation. But you have to make something positive out of every negative – and so our ‘After Wörk bei Jörg’ was created during this time, encouraged by neighbors and customers. For the first time, around 40 people came there in February 2010.” “After Wörk” continued to grow strongly on the first Friday of every month – and the organizers and organizers are now even allowed to close Rheinstrasse in this section from June to October. Up to 600 people then meet for a relaxed exchange over delicious drinks, food and live music. And the surrounding restaurateurs join in. “We persuaded the operator of the Avanti snack bar to offer tarte flambée that day because it goes so well with wine,” says Wilke. “If you don’t want wine, you get your beer in a mug – previously from Wolle, now from Antje.”
A breath of fresh air with Ali Kara-Ali
In the “Wine Tasting” various events are just as popular as the still new offer in the “Wine Bar”. There is also a new event room on Saalestrasse next to Wilkes Lager.
New Year’s Eve was also celebrated a few times in some restaurants in the southern district. Casual, without registration. At midnight there are fireworks on the KW bridge, then dancing to the music that Wolle Willig played in the restaurant. Long history in the neighborhood. But at the end of 2018, a whole new chapter was added. The Kara-Ali brothers moved their restaurant “L’Orient” into the Bavaria House. “Since then, Ali has brought a lot of fresh air to the southern neighborhood,” says Wilke. Even more than the wine expert himself, Ali Kara-Ali is known as a committed networker who is adept at getting others excited about his creative ideas. This year he and his brother Hassen reopened the Südstadthotel on Rheinstrasse – with Maren Oldendorf’s “KiezCafé” and Vanessa Marahrens’ “Absteige” under one roof.
The passionate creators even organized a new street festival “SüdKiezLiebe” for Wilhelmshaven’s 150th birthday in 2019. This year the timing just wasn’t right, admit Wilke and Kara-Ali.
More ideas and events
The owners Lukas Rohlfs and Hauke Kelterborn have been running their “Ocean’s Eleven” since May of this year. “When we got the offer to open a restaurant in the newly renovated corner building on the KW Bridge, we, as Jever residents, hadn’t even had the southern district in mind,” says Kelterborn. “That changed while we were working on the interior. Today we are happy to have been so warmly welcomed here by this family.” Your location is well received and attracts new, young audiences to the southern district. With the other Südkiez creators, the Jever residents promise more ideas and events.
Everyone is now looking forward to the third Christmas market at the KW Bridge at the end of November. “Actually, I just wanted to have a Christmas tree put up on the square,” says Ali Kara-Ali with a laugh. “Instead, it became our ‘neighborhood magic’, attracting people from all over the city here.”
