Constituent meeting of the "Helenesee" working group on 4 March

The inaugural meeting of the Helene Lake working group will take place on Wednesday, 4 March 2026 from 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. at Frankfurt (Oder) Town Hall, Marktplatz 1, Heilbronn Room. The event is open to the public.

The working group is being set up following a decision by the Brandenburg Lignite Committee (BKA). At the meeting on 13 November 2025, the committee approved the motion to form a working group after extensive debate. This motion was submitted by Sahra Damus, the voting member of the BKA elected by the city council, in coordination with the city administration of Frankfurt (Oder).

Since May 2021, Lake Helene, which is located in the Oder-Spree Lake District landscape conservation area, has been closed by the State Office for Mining, Geology and Raw Materials (LBGR) due to a massive risk of landslides on the shore areas. The lake is a favourite place for recreation, sport and socialising for many residents of the region. Lake Helene is also an important identity factor for Frankfurt (Oder) and the surrounding area.

The new working group to be established follows on from the former BKA "Brieskow-Finkenheerd/Frankfurt (Oder)" working group, to which the area of Lake Helene belonged. This committee was terminated at the end of 2015 after the redevelopment work had been completed around ten years earlier.

The aim of the new working group is to provide transparent support for the redevelopment and development of the Lake Helene area and to actively involve the interests of citizens, neighbours, associations and user groups.

The committee is expected to meet every six months. In addition to municipal representatives, the locally affected towns and municipalities (City of Frankfurt (Oder), City of Müllrose, Municipality of Groß Lindow and Brieskow-Finkenheerd), the responsible authorities of Brieskow-Finkenheerd and Schlaubetal, the Lossow local council, the district administration of the Oder-Spree district, relevant associations (e.g. nature conservation organisation, tourism association) and the leaseholder of Helenesee AG are also involved.

The working group sees itself as a forum for dialogue and participation that focuses on both the safety of the lake and the complete opening of the body of water as soon as possible.

When & where?

Wednesday, 4 March 2026 | 3.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

City Hall Frankfurt (Oder) 
Raum Heilbronn
Marktplatz 1 
15230 Frankfurt (Oder)