Coal exit: If the home is on the game

admin

7 years ago

In German brown coal, many villages are cleared areas, and citizens relocated. For the coal – and often against the will of the residents. The hope for a timely exit strategy from Coal. A Mood Image.

Demolition of the Immerather Church on 8.1.2018. There are doubts as to whether the coal will be including at all.

“A lot of people die here from grief,” says Helmut Kehrmann visibly moved. Grief, because you have to leave your home. Kehrmann lives in Keyenberg. The place has about 800 inhabitants, was first mentioned in 893 in a document and are not to be sacrificed according to the RWE, and for the mining of lignite. By the end of 2026 would have sold for that all the inhabitants of their houses and leave.

“I don’t want to”

Particularly hard, especially the older citizens are affected. “My neighbor was within a few weeks, seven Times at funerals.” Normally, not more, so Kehrmann was. “But many of the older people say: I don’t want to be anymore.”

Hilde and Helmut Kehrmann in a mass for climate justice in the hambach forest

It is the soul, the Psyche, the not more often or no longer want to keep. The pain of the forced relocation, the loss of home and house, the destroyed neighborhood, and also the material existence. “It is above all the people that have been here for generations farms. The do not know to go how to do it,” says Monika Krüger, who is also in Keyenberg home.

Lost Existence

But even the Younger ones suffer from the relocation. In the shops the customers to stay away, because the surrounding villages are razed to make way. The existence of a basis is lost. “The two small super markets not here because it is profitable. And the host sits there in the evening without guests,” says Krüger. “Is not that bad?”

The result of illness and depression – so, too, the fate of your well-known Insurance agent of the meanwhile destroyed the neighbouring town of Immerath are often: “He has become so sick, that he has found no peace and at night the streets ran with worry.” As with the resettlement of the population, the clients were left to him away.

Monika Krüger feels comfortable in Keyenberg and don’t want to leave their village

Hambach forest: “Each is worthy of support”

Monika Krüger, Hilde and Helmut Kehrmann show solidarity with the protest movement in the hambach forest. The young climate activists, there would be more hope, more reports about the consequences of a brown coal mine, also about the expulsion from the villages and the associated suffering.

“I think this is basically good. Actually, the inhabitants of the whole of Keyenberg would have to sit here on the trees and not the young people,” says Hilde Kehrmann after a service visit for climate justice in the hambach forest. “Young people deserve every support. You know, that we need the earth. If we continue like this, can not live up to our grandchildren to this world. Brown coal is simply no longer required.”

More: brown coal will become less and less used

Romy, Norbert and Monika Winzen’t want the destruction of home and yard

Last Chance

“We live here with a large family – three generations, eleven persons in a protected courtyard of 1863. This is a special place for generations to come,” says Norbert Winzen from Keyenberg.

If his family has to sell the property, with around 8000 square meters now, for the advancing open pit mine, “then we can’t keep living like this. We would have to split as a family. We will not have a Chance, such a big place, from old ruins to rebuild, the compensation and our financial assets.”

The Winzens hope and rely on the rapid Carbon phase-out. This is now decided and implemented, then a good way to save the yard and Keyenberg would be.

Unnecessary pressure from RWE

You would think, RWE know the Paris climate agreement and knew that the coal phaseout is necessary. Not last, the energy should be a company also about the consequences of forced relocation be aware of.

But to treat instead of to the inhabitants some peace and the plans of the coal Commission until December to be seen, “increases RWE massive pressure in the negotiations with the resettlement-affected people, and pushing for short-term decisions,” says Winzen. “Our village is, apparently, received very quickly, and for the residents of unattractive. It is clear that the brown coal is not in the planned scope further promoted.” For citizens, this is all understandable.

Deutsche Welle’s requests for the reasons for this behavior are not answered RWE to date. Also the question whether the company with the acquired properties and land to build after the end of the day, other interests track, remained without any reaction.

Antje Grothus is a representative of the mining-affected local residents in the coal Commission. You can find the Press of the inhabitants by RWE totally unnecessary. “People now sell from their home in order, and not in good faith. Currently, no one knows whether the coal is promoted in the villages ever,” says Grothus, compared to the DW.

Concerned citizens in the coal Commission have presented signatures to the Chairman, Ronald Pofalla.

The expulsion and expropriation, would be operated on the basis of the mountain to the right more – but also other financial interests of RWE followed – this would be for Grothus “a scandal”. The people on the ground “in front of it have a great fear,” she says.

The RWE already acquired houses and land should not be used for the open pit, there is for the Affected to date no right to recover. The rights of mining Affected must be protected, therefore, “necessarily better,” says Grothus. But so far, the state government of North Rhine-don’t be-Westphalia and the Federal government.

The death knell for the Immerather Dom
No mercy for the “Dom”

The energy company RWE Power starts with the demolition of the so-called Immerather Cathedral. The neo-Basilica and the village of Immerath is to be demolished, in order to promote including the brown coal.
The death knell for the Immerather Dom
A last look

Immerath is located in the largest brown coal mining area of Europe West of Cologne. The energy company RWE Power continues to rely on brown coal for electricity generation. Villages must therefore differ to the open pit. The people from Immerath have to relocate and leave their homes.
The death knell for the Immerather Dom
The cemetery must give way to

Once more than 1200 people lived in Immenrath. Most have left the village already, many of the houses have already been demolished. The view from the cemetery to the parish Church, therefore, was already free. Only three families now live in the village. Also, all the mortal Remains of the villagers need to be “resettled”.
The death knell for the Immerather Dom
Protest against the demolition

The resistance against the village destruction and resettlement is old. Many citizens have joined the forces. With an Ecumenical-political prayer, but the representatives of the great churches of the day before the demolition of a character Against the other home – and the destruction of the environment. Some villages are on the demolition list.
The death knell for the Immerather Dom
And all for what?

A quick Coal phase-scientists and environmentalists say is inevitable. Otherwise Germany could not fulfil its contribution to the Paris climate agreement. There is Overcapacity in the electricity market and the power supply could also be secured if Germany get out of the business of brown coal, say environmentalists.
The death knell for the Immerather Dom
The last defender

Greenpeace activists occupy so shortly before the demolition of the Basilica, and requested to leave, at least so long, until the new government has decided over the course of the Coal phase-out. RWE, the operator of the mine – rejects this request, the occupying police premises and the excavator to roll on in.
The death knell for the Immerather Dom
The cultural center of the place

The neo-Basilica was completed in 1891, is finished and was 122 years, the centre of the village community. Here are the important stations of life were considered, family celebrations, Baptisms, first communion, wedding celebrated and bid farewell to the members. At the last service of 2013, many tears flowed.
The death knell for the Immerather Dom
Grief, anger, and rage

Pastor Günter Salento is now empty graves. “Our hearts today are melancholy and sadness, perhaps also anger and rage,” said Salentin at the time of his last sermon. “All resistance was doomed due to the supremacy of politics, the economy, interest and profit maximization to Fail from the outset.”
The death knell for the Immerather Dom
And the policy does not respond

The call for coal will rise throughout the world. The fate of Immerath is not sealed, although the demolition of the place was perhaps even necessary. The underlying coal will not be possibly to decide reduced – depending on how the future German government in the question of the coal-fired power generation.

Author: Gero Rueter