Rostbratwurst 'Die Lange aus'm Pott' representing the Ruhr

The Ruhr, often referred to as 'Revier' or 'Ruhrpott', is a polycentric conurbation the identity of which has been strongly shaped by its industrial heritage, particularly the coal and steel industries. After bituminous coal was discovered close to the surface in the southern parts near Witten and mined in the 18th century, extraction gradually shifted further north throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The abundant coal reserves of the region attracted steel industry and other industrial sectors. This, in turn, led to an enormous demand for labor, drawing a large number of migrant workers from countries such as Poland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and the former Yugoslavia. After large-scale coal mining has largely come to a halt, first in the southern and then increasingly also in the northern Ruhr, the region is now primarily defined by the resulting fate of a structural transformation. This included founding and expansion of universities, the development of the automotive and electrical industries, and a general strengthening of the service sector. Despite these efforts, the labour market remains under pressure, and employment challenges persist in many parts of the region. The identity of the Ruhr is shaped by the shared fate of structural change, yet it is also overlaid with diverse and multi-layered subcultures (Czierpka, Thieme, and Bock, 2024). Among these is a strong sports culture, featuring numerous amateur clubs alongside the iconic football teams Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 and Borussia 09 Dortmund; a lively music and cultural scene, highlighted by theatres and opera houses, UNESCO World Heritage sites and cultural venues, as well as a variety of festivals like the Ruhrtriennale and the Cranger Kirmes; and a food and drink culture. The latter includes pilsner and Dortmund Export, a beer style that has gained recognition far beyond the Ruhr. A regional dialect is spoken, Ruhr German, and everyday life typically centres around small neighbourhood kiosks, known as 'Büdchen' and 'Trinkhallen', where small purchases and beer can be bought. More than just places to shop, these kiosks serve as vital hubs for social interaction and expression of lived identity in many parts of the region. A package with Rostbratwurst, a German type of sausage, is sold under the name 'die Lange aus'm Pott' (translates to 'the tall one from the Ruhr'). The latter term is to be understood as a play on words, describing the sausage in terms that would also be used for people, but also referring to the Ruhr by quoting its name. Further, the sausage is the result of manual labor, as is also stated on the label. This metaphorically conveys the impression of hard and honest work, which is symbolically attributed to the Ruhr. It is not only stated that it is the result of manual labor, but this manual labor was carried out in Dorsten, a place that forms part of the Ruhr and the name of which is quoted. Next to these texts is the symbol of a typical double-legged colliery headgear, which resembles the headgear as is typical for the Ruhr, but it does not show a particular one. Yet, this refers to the former colliery site on which the supermarket is located where the sausage is sold. Next to it is a colliery housing estate, and many of the buyers are from this estate. The packaging of the sausage makes reference to the Ruhr and reminds buyers of how life in the Ruhr used to be. The label may be seen primarily as a representation, but ultimately it was not produced to represent but to make the sausage appear as something that fits in well with the place and therefore leaves a matching impression on the buyer, specifically because it represents. Above all, it is lived place-making.