Seven friends create a paradise retreat in the Uckermark!

Seven friends create a paradise retreat in the Uckermark!

In the Uckermark, seven Berlin friends have come together to design a community courtyard that is not only a place to retreat, but also a symbol of tolerance and democracy. An oasis is being created on an area of ​​8,000 square meters, characterized by wild flowering meadows and a rustic farmhouse that bears the inscription “This is Panama”. Inspired by Janosch's children's book, the friends, including Tomek Kaczmarek, who has been part of the project since 2020, created this place as a refuge from stressful city life. People don't just live here; The main house offers space for five renovated rooms and invites you to cook and work together in a well-equipped barn. The rounds at the big table are increasingly becoming an important part of their community.

But the community yard is not just a place of peace. It also represents an important concern of the villagers of Rutenberg, who are actively involved against the Reich Citizens' Movement. One of the outstanding actors is the “Democracy Alliance Rutenberg e.V.”, which was awarded the “Ambassador for Democracy and Tolerance” award in 2024. This award, worth 10,000 euros, was most recently presented by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser in Berlin. The alliance has primarily positioned itself against the settlement of “Reich citizens” and ethnic settlers in order to preserve the diversity and integrity of the village.

Tolerance and diversity instead of extremism

The threat from “Reich Citizens” has grown in recent years, with groups such as the “Kingdom of Germany,” led by Peter Fitzek, actively seeking real estate to establish some kind of extraterritorial territory. Rutenberg, with its 180 inhabitants, is repeatedly the target of such settlement attempts. Thanks to the commitment of the “Democracy Alliance”, further land purchases in the region have so far been successfully prevented. The local community has come together to face these challenges together - a sign that the village has no place for extremists and actively defends democracy.

Brandenburg's Interior Minister Michael Stübgen emphasized the importance of the local initiatives and praised Rutenberg as exemplary in dealing with such threats. The alliance has worked hard to inform citizens and work with authorities to protect the fundamental values ​​of a democratic society. A goal that is also manifested in planned events such as a democracy festival and a barbecue evening with a plant exchange. The aim here is to promote a sense of community and create a space for exchange.

The ideologies propagated by “Reich Citizens” are based on the assumption that the Federal Republic of Germany does not have a valid constitution and that an alternative legal system exists. These thought patterns meet with vehement resistance from the residents of Rutenberg. The “Democracy Alliance” and the Community Court see themselves as a bulwark against such radical views – and with great success.

These initiatives are a positive example of how a community can stand together to defend its values. Rutenberg affirms that there is room for many ideas and ways of life, but no room for hatred and extremism. The people living there show that working together and actively promoting an inclusive society is the right way.

Stuttgart newspaper reports that... RBB24 informed about the award and bpb the background to the “Reich Citizens” is illuminated.