End after 39 years: Sara Lehmann playhouse in Speyer closed

End after 39 years: Sara Lehmann playhouse in Speyer closed

On November 30th, the Sara Lehmann playhouse was closed after 39 years. This decision, which is of great concern to parents and children in Speyer, was announced by Mayor Monika Kabs (CDU) in the Youth Welfare Committee. The closure is part of a common development observed throughout Germany, with daycare centers in many regions having to close due to declining numbers of children.

The playhouse was a central meeting point for local families for a long time, but now the remaining twelve after-school children have been housed in other facilities in Speyer. The two educators, including long-time director Isabel Estevez-Aneiros, will continue their work in other city facilities.

New beginnings in the future

The playhouse building will be handed over to the municipal housing association Gewo on January 12th. Managing director Oliver Hanneder explained that various possible uses for the property are being examined. However, a playhouse in the same shape seems unlikely; Instead, a conversion into several small residential units is being considered.

In a broader context, it is clear that not only Speyer, but also many cities in Germany, especially in the east, are struggling with a drastic decline in the number of children. In cities like Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz there is even a risk that daycare centers will die out completely. Doreen Siebernik from the GEW warns of the long-term social consequences of this development, which could have a domino effect.

Daycare situation in East and West Germany

A study by the German Economic Institute reports that a reduction in daycare capacity is almost unavoidable in eastern Germany. While the decline in birth rates has been noticeable in the East since the mid-2010s, it only began in the West in the 2020s. Nevertheless, there are already declines in the number of children under three years old. According to a Bertelsmann study, there is a lack of over 300,000 childcare places in the West compared to parents' wishes, which further worsens the situation.

The current challenges are not just statistical; they have also affected numerous workers in the industry. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, daycare centers are already announcing a reduction in staff, while in Saxony-Anhalt, educators are being transferred to other areas because there is a lack of children. In Thuringia, local media are reporting that various daycare centers are closing, which is making the precarious situation even worse.

Family Minister Karin Prien emphasizes that there cannot be a uniform solution for all regions in Germany. The GEW urgently calls for ensuring the quality of the offerings and keeping well-trained specialists in their profession in order to meet the high demands of parents.

The fate of the Sara Lehmann playhouse is therefore not just a local issue, but represents the increasing challenges in the German daycare system, which is currently undergoing profound change.

Further information about the changes in the playhouse can be found at Speyer.de.

Informed about developments in other regions n-tv.