Refugees

Robert Koall: “Sometimes you have to just drive off”

The Video of the terrified refugees inside the Bus also has Robert Koall affected. The chief Dramatic adviser at the Staatsschauspiel Dresden and drove spontaneously to Clausnitz, to deal with the refugees to meet.

Robert Koall has been active for some time against Pegida and xenophobia. The pictures of Clausnitz, he is shocked. So shocked, that he simply there runs, to get a picture of the location, and the refugees are met. His experiences and encounters, he describes in a Post on Facebook. The Post office is a thousand times liked and shared, Robert Koalls action gets a lot of positive encouragement. In an Interview with DW, he tells of his visit in Clausnitz and describes the possibilities of the theatre, to a more open society.

DW: There have been many attacks on Flüchtlingsunterkünfte and Hetzaktionen against the refugees. What has moved them now to Clausnitz to drive?

Robert Koall, chief Dramatic adviser at the Staatsschauspiel Dresden

Robert Koall: This was a private action, and it was simply a private concern. It was sort of an emotional displacement activity. I have like many others seen this Video and have it simply can not stand how these people will skip the other. Both of the people there have been waiting for, as well as by the police. Clausnitz is now once again close to my place of residence is located and that’s why I thought to myself: I’m going to drive there. There were no specific concerns except that I like a picture wanted to make, and the hope was that maybe with these people to talk to and a little bit of the blackness of the soul.

With what expectations are you after Clausnitz dangers?

I’m there with a completely open output went there. I had actually not expected that I at all up to the house come, because I thought that it certainly guarded or isolated. But I was very surprised by the Situation and it was confirmed that this action was right – because sometimes you apparently just drive off. It was, quite simply, the people to contact and it was the most Beautiful of the whole experience.

In an Interview with the dpa, says a in the house, Syrerin that you would be afraid not sleep and could be very disappointed. How did the mood of the refugees in Clausnitz perceived?.

I have two parties talked and it falls to me because of the language barrier difficult to assess. We have not even two hours at the tea sat together, but had only a short contact with each other. But I was surprised by how confident and happy the mood was there. That was my fear, that I louder bent, cowed people meet. But there I have self-confident people met to have a Plan. As I later in the “süddeutsche” ‘ve read, they said: We want to go into the village. People are already noticing that you are with us quite normally can handle. This attitude I find admirable

The mayor of the place Rechenberg-Bienenmühle, to whose circle Clausnitz belongs, said that the refugees would stay, if it is for you there is a perspective to give. In your Facebook Post it sounds like it, than give it in this place no.

“We are the people!” call Asylgegner the incoming refugees contrary.

It was a private action and I had not the slightest idea that the Facebook Post such a path would take. Otherwise I would have specifically, according to these perspectives enquires. So it was an emotional, subjective and situational impression, which for me raised the question, whether these perspectives. Perhaps it is out there. Now hear Yes from Clausnitz, that there are a lot of people out there that also want to operate. Perhaps a miracle will happen, and exactly in the village community, in which the anonymity is parked, can arise. I would think it very great.

But at the first impression of this village, if you are in front of the house, then you ask yourself: Where do you want to here are training courses as well as vocational and social perspectives come from? I have my doubts. This has nothing in common with Saxony to do, this has just what to do with province, and with far away from to do. The way to Clausnitz the feeling, but very far away from the cities. One drives through a landscape, one has the feeling that you entvölkere slowly. And the has this doubt, I present in this Post expressed have. I think it would be fantastic if the community of Clausnitz prove the contrary.

You have in the past complained that, for example, in Dresden to a few people open with refugees in solidarity. What do you think: How can citizens who oppose Pegida and xenophobia are more active?

Openness, are open and active. And: I’m very sorry, if I mad a Protestant as well as blade – on the people to go. It is so easy and it works I think only on the personal encounter and the private, direct dialogue. And I’ll say it again: I hope that in the outlying areas and the small communities anonymity is not possible, but one is forced to deal with each other and the inhabitants are forced, in this approach people

In a solidarity action are in-kind donations for the refugees in Clausnitz collected

The big Problem that we see in Saxony with the racism and fear of the Stranger, that has – not exclusively, but certainly to a large extent – also to do that it the contact is not there. Because there are so few Foreigners there. Therefore, I did a year ago, even a polemic, said: what We need here is a lot a lot more foreigners and refugees, so that people see that there is no reason to fear. And now I mean to do not even more polemical.

You yourself have as Dramatic of the drama of Dresden the refugee situation and the xenophobia in productions of plays such as “count Öderland” by Max Frisch added. How can the theatre or art in General positive to contribute, something to change?

I think theatre and art in General must always as an Institution is clear – or as a place that is not in the vacuum of space takes place, but in the world and with the world and the subjects, which in the world are negotiated. It’s not about art for art’s sake to make, it’s about art for the world’s sake. This is, I think, what we can afford.

We make on and off the stage, again and again deals where we say: We would like to be a place where people with these issues deals, the calling to be a part of. We want to above all big rooms of the community. The sounds now-again Protestant, but we just want to show: you are with your attitude are not alone but we are many and we can put together something on the legs. This is something that Theater very well may, and it’s also beyond the art.

You said once, in the Theater, sitting people, anyway open and curious about the world. You have to hope that in the Theater also people can be reached, the fear of an Alienation, and currently this hatred sprinkle?

Since I’m ambivalent. I don’t know if I do this with firm Conviction, faith, but I hope it. There are always situations, such as conversations with the audience after songs, the the address. People come into conversation, exchange wiederstreitende opinions without after einzunorden. But the one Argument and the others Argument and not the head smashed in. Or stopped talking to each other, what a risk is, the here just. If we stop talking to each other, we have lost. So that the conversation remains, so the discourse is, thus, a curiosity about one another remains, is the theatre I believe is a good remedy.

The interview was conducted by Ruben Kalus

Robert Koall was 1972 born in Cologne, Germany. From 1995 to 1998 he was the assistant of the well-known Director and author Christoph Schlingensief. He then worked as a dramaturge in Hamburg, Zurich and Hanover. Since 2009, he is chief Dramatic adviser at the Staatschauspiel Dresden. After the end of the ongoing season, he moved to the Schauspielhaus Düsseldorf.