Dear Mr. Osang, dear Spiegel editors, first of all my sympathy and condolences on the death of your father. I am writing to you on the basis of your article in DER SPIEGEL p. 28 ("Leitkultur: Alexander Osang gets to know the other part of Germany").

It is a great pity that Ludwigshafen left such a bad impression on your first visit. Perhaps you will give this city, which is so important for the region, a second chance?

That day, I had to experience what it's like to no longer be able to get to your own city and apartment.
Both Speyer and Ludwigshafen were hermetically sealed off and residents were no longer allowed to go home if they wanted to drive in from outside the city. So how would it be possible to meet many people on the streets if "entry" was not allowed?

I can understand if you are rushing from appointment to appointment and lose sight of the beautiful things that are waiting along the way. But just be brave and show the beautiful things!

I would like to give a journalist like the one who wrote this article the opportunity to think outside the box of one-sided reporting.
Moreover, one thing is very certain: it is not the architecture of the 60s/70s that shapes a city, but its inhabitants and people!

It's a pity that you only came into contact with a few.
One question is burning on the tip of my tongue: 

Is such one-sided, monotonous reporting common for journalists? Or is this presentation due to the omnipresent sensationalism?

"There is no journalism in this country". If I have to read such a report, your father was probably partly right. If people only ever get to read and see the negative side of the "reporting medal" from the media, it is not surprising if this contributes to a biased and narrow-minded formation of opinion.

Ludwigshafen inspires many people who discover the city, and they love their "Lu"! You can also get an impression of this in the magazine LUSTAUFGUT - Ludwigshafen win. I would be happy to send you a copy.

Of course, the center of Ludwigshafen will never be a shopping arcade like Königsallee - but does it have to be?

P.S. I cordially invite you to explore Ludwigshafen together with my photographic eye or to visit me in my studio in Römerberg/Speyer.

P.P.S. If you are interested in another view or article, I will be happy to provide you with my pictures. free of charge available. You will find some of these recordings in the appendix - perhaps you are wondering: "Is this the city you saw?"

If you like, why not fly with me over this, in my opinion, WONDERFUL city. Here is a little foretaste: