300 Years of the Great City Fire – our Vielfalt-lingen

On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Reutlingen city fire in 2026, we would like to commemorate this city-shaping event as part of the project "unser Vielfalt-lingen."

In the months of August and September, the shop windows in downtown Reutlingen are therefore to be dedicated exclusively to the theme "Stadtbrand." A total of six designers are being sought – three for the month of August and three for the month of September.

We answer the most important questions:

By when should I apply at the latest for the topic of city fire?

Apply now until June 19, 2026 via theMicrosoft Forms Document.

By when will I be informed whether I am allowed to design a shop window?

The designers will be informed at the end of June if the jury has selected them.

When will the design take place in August?

The setup is on August 31 and the dismantling is on September 28.

Does the window have to be designed on the topic of city fire?

Yes, the topic of the city fire should be addressed in the design in some form. However, there is great creative freedom. Possible approaches include references to fire, fire protection, or historical aspects of the city fire. The implementation can be done through photographs, artistic works, literature, typography, or informative content, for example. The goal is to make the topic visually apparent through design and to interpret it individually.

Why the topic of urban fire?

For three days, from September 23 to 25, 1726, a devastating fire raged in Reutlingen – one of the most dramatic events in the city's history. Four-fifths of all residential houses within the city walls were destroyed, and nearly all public buildings fell victim to the flames. Over 1,200 families lost their homes.
Only thanks to great helpfulness and active support throughout the then kingdom and partly beyond could Reutlingen – often under the most difficult conditions – be rebuilt. The reconstruction succeeded, albeit with modest means. Many people pitched in back then. To this day, the traces of the catastrophe are visible in the cityscape (Source: City of Reutlingen). On the occasion of the 300th anniversary, we would like to give this topic a display area.