Throughout their history, cities face a multitude and variety of economic challenges and threats. Hence, the economic resilience of a city has to be continuously developed and adjusted. By looking at resilience processes during four different periods, common elements and resources of these processes are identified. The essay looks at possibilities to recognize long-term resources, which do not only support single resilience processes. These resources include the spatial localization and long-term availability of academic and cultural education, but also narratives and a city’s reputation as open and attractive for entrepreneurial personalities. These resources provide a potential for resilience processes but can only be successfully mobilized if integrated into suitable political, economic and institutional processes.