Vogelsang is a relative recent Cologne quarter in the northwest. Starting in 1932 it was built as a quite successful attempt to do something against lack of flats and mass poverty and unemployment. The mansion that gave the quarter its name is now part of the neighbouring quarter Widdersdorf for the grudge of the Vogelsang inhabitants.
The concept to build this quarter was simple and straight forward: Self-help and so-called ’Muskelhypothek’ (a mortgage enacted by muscles) were decicive. When ready houses and flats were raffled under its constructors. Nobody should work carefully for the own house, but neglecting the building of others. The right for ownership of these houses was bound to absolving a crash course for keeping cattle and doing the garden.
The first six pictures reflect the development of the Vogelsang quarter (sources for the pics on the Credential page) during the early thirties. The last three pictures are from the fifties. They are taken from the site of the present Max-Planck-Institut: In contrast to today the surrounding of Vogelsang is vast and seems appropiate for a Sunday walk.
The houses with the considerable great gardens around should not only deliver fruit and vegetables but meat and eggs as well. In 1936 limits for each household were defined: 12 chicken, one goat, one pig and six rabbits.
From the very start of this quarter the ’Kappesrollen’ competition was important. (A cabbage had to be rolled for a certain distance.)