Cultural Capital as a Driver for Industrial Heritage?

Panel Discussion

As part of the ERIH Conference (European Route of Industrial Heritage), the Chemnitz Museum of Industry will host a discussion on Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 2:00 to 2:45 p.m. titled “Cultural Capital as a Driver for Industrial Heritage?” The discussion will focus on the significance and impact of the title on industrial heritage.

The participants are:

Andreas Murray, Tourism Director, Almtal-Traunsee, Austria (European Capital of Culture 2024)
Tomas Raboch, Owner of an incoming agency in Pilsen, Czech Republic (European Capital of Culture 2015)
Anne-Cathérine Richard, CNCI – Centre National de la Culture Industrielle, Luxembourg (Esch-sur-Alzette, European Capital of Culture 2022/2023)
Thomas Lein, Mayor of the city of Oelsnitz/Erzgebirge for Chemnitz/European Capital of Culture 2025

Moderation: Dr. Walter Hauser, President of ERIH and Director of the LVR Industrial Museum, which has eight locations that were also part of the RUHR.2010 European Capital of Culture.

The discussion will address questions such as:

• What role did industrial heritage play in the application and implementation of the European Capital of Culture?
• What regional economic effects were achieved?
• To what extent has industrial heritage become more visible and relevant through the European Capital of Culture?
• How does the project influence regional identity?
• Do these effects persist beyond the European Capital of Culture year?