Spaces of Fear, Vol. 2

A quick update on the debate about no-go areas for people of color in Germany: the former spokesman of the red-green government, Uwe-Karsten Heye, who is now head of the anti-racist organization Gesicht zeigen! (Show our face!) has also advised caution for non-white visitors of Germany--and quickly withdrawn his remarks. In an interview with the public radio station Deutschlandradio Kultur he said:

There are small and medium-sized towns in Brandenburg, as well as elsewhere, which I would advise anyone of another skin colour to avoid going to. It is possible he wouldn't get out alive.

He was heavily criticized for these remarks and withdrew them to a certain extent, expecially making clear the he didn't want to single out Brandenburg. On the other hand, there was support for his claims, often saying that he was only stating the obvious. For an English article on the debate click here.

Spaces of Fear

In the aftermath of the racist attempted murder that now no one any longer regards as racist. the German weekly Die Zeit has published an interesting video about "Spaces of Fear: Where black people in Berlin and Brandenburg do not dare to go." In the short documentary people of colour talk about their experience of racism in the Berlin-Brandenburg area, where a significant amount of places are off-limits for them. One of the interviewees from the Africa Council Berlin also talks about plans to publish an brochure and map for visitors of African origin of the soccer world cup that gives advice on "precautionary measures" to avoid becoming victims of racist violence during their visit.

The video (partly in English) is accompanied with a (German) interview of the urban sociologist Hartmut Häußermann. He discusses the situation in Berlin and possible counter-measures to no-go areas and everyday racism from an urban planning point of view.

Denk ich an Deutschland

Denk ich an Deutschland in der Nacht,
dann bin ich um den Schlaf gebracht.
(“When I think of Germany at night, I can no longer sleep”; Heinrich Heine 1843)

Why do I always have to write about bad news here? Is it my German angst, is it only natural that I, a German student, am "usually not "begeistert"? Or is it maybe the state of the world in general and of Doitschland in particular? Judge for yourself:

On April 16, an Afro-German citizen was attacked by two men and one woman in the East-German city of Potsdam. Prior to the attack, the man tried to call his wife from his cell phone, got only her mailbox, and somehow he didn't hang up. Thus we have a recording of the racist insults (e.g. "Dirty nigger") that preceded the attack. The attack left the man severly wounded and he was put in an artificial coma, now still struggling for his life. So far, so terrible.

Immediately after the racist attempted murder became public there was a large outcry of concern and politicians from all over the spectrum condemned the attack. However, several observers suspected that some people might have been more concerned with Germany's reputation than with the racist crime itself, especially only a few weeks before the soccer world-cup will begin (slogan: "The world hosted by friends"). Attacks on foreigners (or those who are believed to be non-German) are not uncommon and this case is by no means unique.

The suspicion about the motives of politicians is furthered by the disgusting remarks of the German minister of the interior, Wolfgang Schäuble (Christian Democrats). In an interview with the public broadcaster Deutschlandradio Kultur four days after the attack he proclaimed: "We don't know about the motives, we don't know the offenders. We should be a bit careful." As if this was not enough, he then fantasized about poor Aryan victims: "Blond, blue-eyed people are also victims of violent crimes, partly even by offenders that possibly don't have the German citizenship. That is no better."

I am so sick!