Torn society: Lena Elfers in the AfD stronghold of Erfurt

Torn society: Lena Elfers in the AfD stronghold of Erfurt

An exciting journey to found the value is currently taking place in Erfurt, where journalist Lena Elfers carries out a ten-day experiment in a city that is often in the political focus. With the aim of promoting the dialogue between locals and refugees, Elfers lives in the Herrenberg district, where almost 50% of voters made their cross at the AfD in the last federal election. In her report "Foreigners Criminal, Ossis racist?" she illuminates the differences in the political views and everyday life on site. thuringia. .

During her stay in Herrenberg, Elfers are repeatedly confronted with the rejection and fears that shape the political mood in East Germany. In conversation with residents: inside it becomes clear that the refugee people are often responsible for their concerns about the loss of home. So a resident named Miri expresses that she does not see the migrants: inside, but primarily the men as a problem. Local residents without a migration background also report on their fears, which are fueled by social upheavals, while Lena tries to understand the perspectives of the people. supplemented .

insights into the accommodation of refugees

Am Herrenberg lives Lena in an accommodation that Monika Fiege is operated. This expresses itself skeptically about the refugees and is supported by many seniors in the area who represent similar views. It is a picture of the misery that reflects the concerns and fears of the citizens: inside. In the accommodation, Elfers runs talks with refugees, including Egosha from Nigeria, who describes the discrimination that he experiences every day. The Syrian refugee Seba, on the other hand, emphasizes that she wants to work and learn to integrate into society.

These experiences show how important it is to conduct a respectful dialogue and build bridges. Elfers also makes the walks of the authorities and visits to the doctor with refugees in order to make their challenges and the bureaucratic jungle more understandable. She paints Easter eggs with the residents: inside of a record construction-a small but important gesture of rapprochement. The Federal Center for Political Education reports about the deeply seated prejudices and the challenges that show up.

social context and challenges

The debates and tensions in East Germany are complex. The sociolog: inside Naika Foroutan and Daniel Kubiak postulate an analogy between the situation of migrants: inside and East Germans, both of which are perceived as victims of social exclusions. Many East Germans who have experienced the change after the fall of the wall also feel disadvantaged and often as citizens: second -class inside, while at the same time there are little attention to these experiences in the higher -level discourse.

After the end of the GDR, the social tissue structure still suffers from the consequences of privatization and a lack of strategic exchange. This mixed situation means that there is a representative gap that affects both refugees and the East German population. The challenge is to develop a differentiated, appreciative story about the realities of life and identities of everyone involved.

Such reports as those of Lena Elfers are urgently necessary to re -infect the discussion about acceptance and coexistence. While she spends her end of the day in Herrenberg and documents the experiences, it becomes clear that together in a split society is not only possible, but is necessary. We can look forward to the further development of this exciting story.