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Lantern dispute in Uelzen: Residents fight against usury and fraud!
Residents in Uelzen are defending themselves against high road fees and alleged usury. Justice investigates the lantern dispute.
Lantern dispute in Uelzen: Residents fight against usury and fraud!
There is a lot of simmering in Uelzen: a dispute over the replacement of street lamps is not only causing heated emotions, but has also reached legal circles. New lanterns were set up in the city estate last year, but the issue has been preoccupying the judiciary since the summer of 2025. The Lüneburg public prosecutor's office has stopped investigating a criminal complaint for fraud, but that did not silence the residents. You have lodged a complaint and are now demanding an investigation by the public prosecutor's office in Celle. Many residents in the Stern area see the contributions as a clear attempt at fraud and usury - both by the city and by the company carrying out the work.
But what exactly do the residents accuse those responsible? In July 2025, a criminal complaint was filed against the Hanseatic city of Uelzen, the construction company and an engineering office. The public prosecutor's office came to the conclusion that there was no evidence of criminal proceedings. City spokeswoman Ute Krüger emphasizes that all invoices were carefully checked and no evidence of errors or criminal behavior was found. In contrast, residents remain concerned, particularly in view of the planned abolition of road development contributions next year.
High costs and lack of transparency
The emotional situation among residents is tense. Annoyed by high payment notices for replacing the street lights, the citizens' initiative led by Matthias Heuer is demanding access to the construction company's final invoice. The costs for 34 ditch bridges amount to an impressive 4,080 euros plus VAT. Residents report a lack of information about the construction of these bridges and suspect that things are not going well here.
The city of Uelzen is unreasonable and rejects the allegations. She emphasizes that the inspection was carried out by the local building inspectorate and an external engineering firm. Reference is made to a transparent tendering process. But many residents feel they are being treated unfairly, especially in comparison to other providers, for example in Nordallee, where the conditions were significantly more favorable.
Legal disputes and possible consequences
The situation in Uelzen is emblematic of a larger problem in Lower Saxony, where around 60 percent of the municipalities charge road expansion contributions. In comparison, federal states such as Bavaria and Hamburg have already abolished these contributions. In Schleswig-Holstein only around 20 percent of the cities charge such fees. The inequality in burden distribution not only leads to local unrest, but could trigger nationwide discussions about the financing of public infrastructure.
The Uelzen citizens' initiative reserves the right to take legal action, including a possible lawsuit before the administrative court. The question remains: What happens to contributions that have already been decided, especially since the abolition of road expansion contributions on January 1, 2018 is synonymous with increased justice for many municipalities, while the burdens must continue to exist in other regions? This issue could soon have far-reaching effects, even beyond the borders of Uelzen.
And as residents fight for their rights, it remains to be seen what the public prosecutor's office in Celle has to say about the case. Until then, things will remain exciting in Uelzen.