Summer trip part 1 – An afternoon in the Dresden housing

0
955

In the case of right-wing extremism and racism in Saxony often makes headlines – particularly the city of Dresden. How xenophobic the people of Dresden? Nina Haase and Sumi Somaskanda were on the DW-summer trip there.

Much of Dresden is conservative. The splendid Baroque of the historic old town, some ruins, rebuilt the war, built the city’s image and the Image shape.

The reputation of the Region of the right-wing extremism has dominated in the past few years. Since 2015, the number of attacks on refugees and their accommodation has increased massively. In Freital, 20 minutes away from Dresden, is a group of eight people before the court. The action is on formation of a terrorist cell, and five attacks on hostels for asylum seekers. And also the Anti-Islam movement Pegida is still strong, has lost in the Rest of Germany already.

On the first day of our summer trip, we go to the so-called Pegida-walk on the Dresden Neumarkt. Most of the participants do not want to talk with us. However, for those who don’t stamp us as “lying press”, emphasize that you have to go this year, especially on the road – after all, an election year.

Dresden is also a city of Paradoxes. There is also a strong left-wing scene, the initiatives against the Right, are active and well-connected. It was important, each other encouragement, saying many comrades-in-arms. This Dedicated want to get rid of the Image of the right-wing populism-and for an open, multi-cultural society advertise. They organise, for example, in the case of “Dresden eats colorful” common meal with 5000 people from different cultures.

Station in front of scenery of Dresden: Nina Haase and Sumi Somaskanda

Close and yet far from the villas

Only eight minutes drive separate trench in a residential area of the Koitsch settlement in Dresden-Strehlen. Six – to seven-storey panel buildings were here in the times of the GDR built. Then, in the 1970s and 1980s, were considered the building as a chic, more than 3000 apartments were modernly equipped. Today, the plaster of the walls and the koitsch scroll trench settlement is regarded as a polluted environment. More and more people here have no work, are considered to be socially disadvantaged.

We meet Michel Honauer, as he helps well-Known, in addition to the Central Playground, a new ice cream parlor set up. The 26-Year-old had to dig in the Koitsch what you call a difficult youth. He says the self. His mother, an epileptic, had no permanent employment. You brought yourself and your family. Michel himself broke again and again, school and education. He joined the youth gang in his neighborhood. Violence he had used but never, he says.

Discipline in the army learned: the 26-year-old Michael Honauer

19 Michel Honauer joined the Bundeswehr. There he learned discipline. For the first Time, he had no problems with authority, he says. Later, he worked in the building security – in the end in a community accommodation for refugees. There is often tilted in the mood, there have been “Blaring”. He and his colleagues could use a few more “must” intervene, “we had to get a step on the bodies”.

More migrants than indigenous people

Now that migrants constitute the majority of the residents in his old settlement, which annoys him very much, says Honauer. His Beliefs are clearly right. “Where the procurement crime is likely to be at the very top. That is, to steal from other people to beat up other people,” he says. Just in the past two years, the city has housed many of the refugees in empty apartments. He had to treat the newcomers properly, but only if they behaved as guests, he says. “The mentality of which is also very different.”

With policy Michel Honauer is not a great deal. He doesn’t even know whether he should go in September. The right-wing populist AfD? The have some correct positions, but in the end, would break a politician anyway all the promises.


  • #English country selected: voices from Dresden

    The Integration Helper

    “It is important to choose to go, because it is a high Good in a democracy to be able to live and choose,” says Markus Degenkolb, Director of the Ausländerrats Dresden. “I think that there is a positive side effect of Pegida was that the people are interested in Dresden for a policy.”


  • #English country selected: voices from Dresden

    The AfD-Politician

    “I was absolutely not a politically active person, but as Mrs Merkel has told us: ‘the rescue of The Euro is no alternative’, as the party came to me AfD is right,” says Kirsten pattern, which sits for the AfD in the Saxony state Parliament. “The confrontation with the public security and order, and the separation between asylum and immigration: these were all topics that interested me.”


  • #English country selected: voices from Dresden

    Engaged against the Right

    “If it is not claimed that people are not equal, if you were born in different places, then for me a limit,” says Michael Nattke. He is involved against right-wing violence. “An AfD Deputy, I’d beat you, but the fact that he is not talking about the fact that people belong here, motivated by those who strike to do it.”


  • #English country selected: voices from Dresden

    The AfD-Sympathizer

    “I have worked in a community accommodation for Refugees. But my perspective has not changed. We need to treat people properly, that’s clear,” says Michel Honauer, might want to choose the AfD. “But people also need to accept that they are guests here. But the do not. I then go and defend what I love. Done.”


  • #English country selected: voices from Dresden

    The Locals

    “It’s colorful, it can also be seen in the children who play here,” says Carmen chasing the people in the housing estate Dresden. “It is not an asset – for some, but. There are many that complain and the night slogans. Pegida harms. The shops in the city to make all the Bad. The politicians do not see. Why not?”

    Author: Nina Haase, Sumi Somaskanda


In the koitsch dig refugees move in together, allegedly, in newly renovated apartments, while the old apartments hingammeln – and the many, sums up Carmen, 40 annoys here in the village, the mood of some of the neighbors. She lives here with her children and her husband. “The housing situation is a major issue. There’s a lot of German, and the displeasure have against foreigners. We live in old homes that were the Standard of the times of the GDR – so 30 to 60 years. And then you see, aha, next door, someone pulls in and gets everything done.”

For a Four-room apartment in Carmen’s neighbor paid under 600 euros. They would, she says, would be the same as the owner from the West, would leave the apartment to renovate and the rent increased to € 150, she calls.

Gammelige apartments, small pensions

In the same house as Carmen, Siegfried Bürgel and his wife live. The pensioners shows us the rotten balcony ceiling. If it rains, the water runs in streams down and collects on the balcony, he says. “I’ve complained already. But no one’s coming.”

The city is not in Dresden is responsible. The has sold over ten years ago, the entire municipal housing stock to the current Vonovia, Germany’s largest private and therefore profit-oriented landlords. The tenants don’t care – the front door needs to be repaired urgently, scolds Bürgel. The Wind pipe sometimes up to the living room. Earlier it had been in the district for at least a caretaker’s office. But it was closed.

Migrants is estimated as an asset: Carmen with her two-year-old daughter

He and his wife live about 1800 euros a month. They wanted to be able to afford something Small, says Bürgel, the belong to life. For himself, he do not Worry, says the former bricklayer. But his adult grandson Patrick lives with him. “But what’s to become of the youth? The sits around and has no prospects.” In the GDR there had been an obligation to work. Social help many lose today, the desire for the Work.

Some like multi-kulti

On the Playground Carmen climbs to two-year-old daughter Victoria on the slide. Carmen lives happily digging in the Koitsch settlement, she says. The district recently received new playgrounds. The mother is one of those who appreciates the changes and feels it is important for an open society: “It will be colorful here. It can also be seen in the children who play here. It is an asset, I think – but some will not find the.”

“Germany is a friendly country”: Abdulqadeer Ahadi from Afghanistan

In the case of the mothers on the koitsch dig Playground is also Abdulqadeer Ahadi. All four of his daughters go in circles on the bike and play clapping games. Abdul has worked in Mazar-i-Sharif in Northern Afghanistan as a Translator for the German armed forces. He has to get a visa for Germany and is living since 2014 in Dresden.

He works hard to incorporate his family in school and everyday life and to help other newcomers. If Afghan families as asylum-seekers in the area, he has for you – even if the applications are often rejected. Afghanistan is simply not a safe country, says Abdul. “What I hope for from the German, and particularly of the Saxon government, is that you have to help these people.” Of all the countries of the world Germany is the most at the Moment is the helpful..