The new ‘European Route 66’
VIA DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA
- European Route of Demo­­cracy -

The new ‘European Route 66’<br />
VIA DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA<br />
- European Route of Demo­­cracy -

The new ‘European Route 66’
VIA DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA
- European Route of Demo­­cracy -


At a time of increased global rivalry between the major powers and growing auto­­cratic struc­­tures, a united and demo­­cratic Europe is facing partic­­u­­lar chal­­lenges.  The 10 founding members of the non-profit organ­­isa­­tion Via Demo­­cra­­tia Europa e.V. have there­­fore set them­­selves the goal of making the idea of a demo­­cratic Europe tangible and keeping it alive along the borders of the five founding states of the European Union - France, Germany, Luxem­­bourg, the Neth­­er­­lands and Belgium - by means of the ‘Via DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA - European Route of Demo­­cracy’.

To kick off this initi­­at­­ive by commit­­ted Europeans, a travel route guide financed by sponsors was published - in German and French in March 2023 and in English in November 2024 - connect­­ing the European cities of Stras­­bourg, Saar­­brücken, Metz, Luxem­­bourg, Trier, Aachen, Maastricht and Brussels along the barely visible national borders. The axis between the European cities of Stras­­bourg (parlia­­ment), Luxem­­bourg (juris­­dic­­tion) and Brussels (Commis­­sion as exec­­ut­­ive) is a strong symbol of the separ­­a­­tion of powers in demo­­cratic Europe. A deeper under­­stand­­ing of European history and the mental­­it­­ies of its inhab­­it­­ants should facil­­it­­ate further cross-border activ­­it­­ies of the asso­­ci­­ation along the European Route, such as the affixing of a Route plaque at prom­­in­­ent loca­­tions along the European Route, inter­­re­­gional campaigns and measures to publi­­cise the European Route world­­wide. The aim of the asso­­ci­­ation is to famil­­i­­ar­­ise citizens with Europe, its advant­­ages and its demo­­cratic values and to work together to strengthen our contin­­ent in the global compet­­i­­tion between systems.

Route "VIA DEMOCRATIA EUROPA"

Route plan of the

Route plan of the "European Route of Democracy"

The ‘VIA DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA-European Route of Demo­­cracy connects cities and events that are closely linked to the founding and devel­­op­­ment of the European Union as we know it today. The ‘European Route of Demo­­cracy’ is approx­­im­­ately 850 kilo­­metres long and leads through beau­­ti­­ful places and land­­scapes along the barely visible national borders between France, Germany, Luxem­­­­bourg, the Neth­­­­er­­­­­­lands and Belgium. On this route, the European idea becomes tangible and ‘exper­­i­­ence­­able’. Be part of it!

Towns and communit­­ies along the route:

Straß­­­­burg, Sessen­­heim, Hoffen, Wissem­­­­­­bourg, Limbach, Lembach, Froe­­schwil­­­­ler, Reich­­s­­­­hof­­­­fen, Phil­­ip­­p­­s­­­­­­bourg, Bitche, Urbach, Blies­­­­brück, Reinheim, Frau­­en­­­­berg, Saar­­­­ge­­­­münd, Hanwei­­­­ler-Rilch­­in­­­­­­gen, Auer­­­­s­­­­ma­­cher, Bübingen, Saar­­­­brü­­­­cken, Spiche­­ren, Forbach, Hombourg-Haut, St.Avold, Rémilly, Cour­­­­cel­­les-sur-Nied, Metz, Amnéville, Bouzon­­ville, Leidin­­­­­­gen, Iter­­­­s­­­­­­dorf, Saar­­louis, Dillin­­­­­­gen, Merzig, Mettlach, Orscholz, Borg, Perl/Apach, Schengen, Remer­­­­­­schen, Remich, Bous, Oetrin­­­­­­gen, Luxem­­­­burg, Greven­­­­ma­­cher, Wasser­­­­­­b­­il­­­­­­lig, Konz, Trier, Nebel, Echter­­­­n­­ach, Bollen­­­­­­dorf, Kruchten, Körpe­­rich, Vianden, Gemünd, Dawels­­hau­­­­sen, Arzfeld, Lünebach, Pron­­s­­­­feld, Prüm, Losheim, Bütgen­­­­bach, Waimes, Malmedy, Bévercé, Eupen, Aachen, Vaals, Epen, Noorbeek, Gron­­s­­­­veld, Maas­­trichtBrüssel


Travel route guide "VIA DEMOCRATIA EUROPA"

The asso­­ci­­ation has published a cultural travel guide in German, French and English entitled ‘VIA DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA’ - Discov­­er­­ing what unites us. It consists of two parts: a cultural section with texts by various authors on the ‘VIA DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA’ and EUROPA, a present­­a­­tion of the regions, cross-border polit­­ical insti­­tu­­tions along the route and the history of the European Union, and an itin­­er­­ary section with inform­­a­­tion on the sights of the 8 cities and stop­­overs, nearby World Heritage Sites, as well as many pictures and a humorous contri­­bu­­tion on the culinary delights along the route.

VIA DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA - European Route of Demo­­cracy: Travel guide

VIA DEMO­­CRA­­TIA EUROPA - European Route of Demo­­cracy: Travel guide


New public­­a­­tion travel route guide March 2023 (also as e-book)
320 pages, 12.7 x 21 cm, paper­­back, 24.95 euros,
                                   ISBN 978-3-86712-176-7
French edition: ISBN 978-3-86712-180-4
     English edition: ISBN 978-3-86712-201-6 (Nov/2024)

Editor:

Via Demo­­cra­­tia Europa e. V.
Saar­­brücken

Route plaque of the European route
Advert­­­­ising and public rela­­­­tions

Muni­­­­cip­­al­­it­­ies, insti­­tu­­­­tions, organ­­isa­­­­tions, asso­­­­ci­­a­­tions, hotels, restaur­­ants and pubs, petrol stations, shops, public facil­­it­­ies etc. along the European Route of Demo­­cracy can use the route plaque (‘The European Route of Demo­­cracy runs here’) and the route emblem (‘Located on the European Route of Demo­­cracy’) free of charge for market­­ing purposes by arrange­­­­ment.

See also website Dates/Photos

 Route Plaque

Route Plaque

Route Plaque
Route Emblem

Route Emblem

Route Emblem
Route plaque next to the plaques of the EU member states in Metz - Scy-Chazelles/Schuman Museum

Route plaque next to the plaques of the EU member states in Metz - Scy-Chazelles/Schuman Museum

Route plaque next to the plaques of the EU member states in Metz - Scy-Chazelles/Schuman Museum
In the border village of Leidingen, at the border view window

In the border village of Leidingen, at the border view window

In the border village of Leidingen, at the border view window
Itersdorf village square, free-standing, steles are avail­­able

Itersdorf village square, free-standing, steles are avail­­able

Itersdorf village square, free-standing, steles are avail­­able
 Route Plaque with route map

Route Plaque with route map

Route Plaque with route map

Contact

Via Democratia Europa e. V.
Gerhard Laux
Neffstraße 3
66123 Saarbrücken, Germany

Phone: +49 152 54368225

Bank details:
Sparkasse Saarbrücken
BIC: SAKSDE55XXX
IBAN: DE36 5905 0101 0067 1470 41