Michael Meier (June 12, 1934 – October 26, 2005) was a farmer and an opponent of the Wackersdorf reprocessing plant (WAA) in Bavaria.

Personal life and work Michael Meier was born in 1934, one of eleven children. For 27 years, he worked for the Bavarian brown coal industry in Wackersdorf until it ceased operations in 1982. Afterwards, the part-time farmer worked as a laborer on construction sites or in subsidized employment programs, and at times was unemployed and lived on unemployment benefits. His wife died in 1986.Wackersdorf-Urteil: Der Sieg des Michael Meier – Ein Mann hat standgehalten. (Wackersdorf verdict: Victory for Michael Meier – One man stood firm), Die Zeit, 5 February 1988

Opponents of the Wackersdorf reprocessing plant Michael Meier refused to sell his land to the Wackersdorf reprocessing plant developers.Wiederaufbereitungsanlage Wackersdorf (Wackersdorf reprocessing plant), Historisches Lexikon BayernsWackersdorf Chronikle, , March/April 1988, p 47 He was the only one of eight property owners adjacent to the construction site who filed a legal challenge in 1985.Wackersdorf-Urteil: Der Sieg des Michael Meier – Ein Mann hat standgehalten. (Wackersdorf verdict: Victory for Michael Meier – One man stood firm), Die Zeit, 5 February 1988 (im WebArchiv) DWK besucht WAA-Kläger - WAA-Betreiberfirma will Kläger weichkochen (DWK visits WAA plaintiffs - WAA operating company wants to soften up plaintiffs), taz vom 8 December 1988Zurück am Zaun (Back at the fence), Süddeutsche Zeitung, 24 August 2017 He and his lawyer, Wolfgang Baumann, demanded an immediate halt to construction.Wiederaufbereitungsanlage Wackersdorf, Historisches Lexikon Bayerns In 1988, Meier prevailed in this legal challenge before the Bavarian Administrative Court, and the development plan for the WAA was declared invalid.Dr. Ingo Kraft, Würzburg: Wiederaufarbeitungsanlage ohne Bebauungsplan? Zur Rechtslage nach dem Normenkontrollurteil des BayVGH vom 29. Januar 1988 – zugleich ein Beitrag zur Dogmatik des § 183 VwGO Entscheidungsbesprechung, Umwelt- und Planungsrecht Nr. 8/1988, p.288–297 However, construction of the plant continued based on individual building permits.Wackersdorf: Bruch im Keller – Auch nach dem Urteil des Münchner Verwaltungsgerichtshofs halten Bonn und Bayern am Konzept der Wiederaufarbeitung fest. Die Gegner hoffen auf Baustopp., (Wackersdorf: Breakdown in the basement – Even after the ruling by the Munich Administrative Court, Bonn and Bavaria are sticking to their reprocessing plan. Opponents are hoping for a construction halt.), Der Spiegel, 1 February 1988.WAA-Erbauer: Wir machen weiter - DWK, Bundes- und Landesregierung ignorieren das Münchener Urteil gegen die WAA / Klägeranwalt Baumann will Baustopp durchsetzen (WAA builders: We're continuing – DWK, federal and state governments ignore the Munich ruling against the WAA / Plaintiff's lawyer Baumann wants to enforce a construction halt), taz, 1 February 1988

"Michael Meier was a symbolic figure of the WAA resistance. While a handful of landowners sold their properties to the WAA operating company DWK for large sums of money, Michael Meier remained steadfast. He - the smallest and poorest - persevered, remained steadfast, and was not tempted by money."Hans Schuierer: Die Oberpfälzer Symbolfigur für Demokratie und Schutz der Heimat wird 90 Jahre alt (Hans Schuierer: The Upper Palatinate's symbolic figure for democracy and protection of the homeland turns 90), Der Ostbayern-Kurier, 6 February 2021

Franziskus-Marterl

The Franziskus-Marterl (St. Francis wayside shrine) was erected in 1984 on land donated by Meier. Christliches Symbol gegen WAA - 1984 bauten christliche Widerständler gegen die Atomanlage eine Mini-Kapelle nahe Altenschwand – zum Jubiläum trafen sich die Initiatoren zur Andacht. (Christian symbol against WAA - In 1984, Christian resistance fighters against the nuclear plant built a mini-chapel near Altenschwand – the initiators met for a service to mark the anniversary.), Mittelbayerische Zeitung, 6 October 2014 At that time, Meier sold the shrine grounds to the Bund Naturschutz (Association for the Protection of Nature), thus creating the conditions for the religious meeting place and regular devotions.WAA: Der Widerstand geht weiter - Viele Gegner der WAA sind zur Andacht am Franziskusmarterl in Taxöldern gekommen. Sie zogen Parallelen zum Hambacher Forst (WAA: The resistance continues – Many opponents of the WAA (nuclear reprocessing plant) came to the service at the Franziskusmarterl in Taxöldern. They drew parallels to the Hambach Forest.), KirchenVolksBewegung We Are Church International, 4 October 2018 Today, a photograph of Meier and a memorial plaque reading "In gratitude - Michael Meier - *June 12, 1934 †October 26, 2005" can be seen at the shrine. Meier also made his land available for two other protest monuments.Uli Otto, Wolfgang Nowak, Gerlinde Reimann: Die Träger des Widerstands, ihre Strategien, Aktivitäten und Widerstandsformen – ein allgemeiner Überblick (Uli Otto, Wolfgang Nowak, Gerlinde Reimann: The bearers of resistance, their strategies, activities and forms of resistance – a general overview), Culture against WAA, p. 29 - (see: List of WAA memorials)

Documentaries 1995: Meier / Mayer / Mittermeier - Three farmers against concrete - Meier stopped the WAA construction, Mayer couldn't stop the canal construction,Anton Mayer - Ein Leben für das Altmühltal (Anton Mayer - A Life for the Altmühl Valley), Bund Naturschutz Mittermeier wants to prevent the Danube expansion,Franz Mittermeier: „Donau gestaut – Heimat versaut“ ("Danube dammed – homeland ruined"), taz, 2 August 1993 (RB/ARD, 45-minute feature from the series: Under German Roofs, Helge Cramer Filmproduktion)Meier Mayer Mittermeier - Drei Bauern gegen Beton mit Michael Meier, Anton Mayer, Franz Mittermeier; :de:Unter deutschen Dächern, 1995, YouTube 43 min 1996: Wackersdorf - Ein Mythos, Medienwerkstatt Franken, 24 minWackersdorf - Ein Mythos, , Michael Meier from minute 21 onwards, to the right of Hans Schuierer 2006: Schreckgespenst WAA (Widerstand in Wackersdorf), Medienwerkstatt Franken, 25 minSchreckgespenst WAA (Widerstand in Wackersdorf), Medienwerkstatt Franken 2006, Michael Meier from minute 2 onwards on the tractor

References

External links

Wackersdorf-Urteil: Der Sieg des Michael Meier – Ein Mann hat standgehalten. (Wackersdorf verdict: Victory for Michael Meier – One man stood firm.), Die Zeit, 5 February 1988 Interview with Michael Meier, Radi Aktiv (magazine), March 1988, p. 7–8