“Divided by a River, Connected by a Bridge”: The Border as a Semiotic Resource in the Case of Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice

This paper examines how local and regional actors mobilize border-related semiotic resources in the discursive and material construction of the German-Polish borderland in Frankfurt (Oder)-Słubice. Drawing on social semiotics and geosemiotics, it analyzes how meaning is produced through the strategic use of linguistic, visual, and spatial signs. The analysis focuses on the interplay of symbolization and indexicality, showing how signs simultaneously represent and point to the border, shaping its perception as both dividing and connective. Through a multimodal discourse analysis of strategic documents, interviews, and field observations, the study demonstrates how the construction of meaning around the border evolves between 1990 and 2025. By highlighting the relationship between discourse, materiality, and emplacement, the paper contributes to a deeper understanding of how borders are continuously redefined in cross-border regions. This approach advances our understanding of border meaning-making, regional planning practices, and the resilience of cross-border cooperation amid recurrent rebordering dynamics.