Press Release
We, the residents of Genovevastraße 40, are a group of 10 women and men aged from early 20s to mid-40s, along with five dogs. In June 2009, we were assigned to this house by the Cologne housing office after the Katharinengraben 9, which we inhabited, was to be demolished to make way for a new building.
The same is now supposed to happen with the aforementioned house, as we have learned from the Cologne housing office. In a letter, we were informed that we are to vacate the house by June 30, 2014. So far, no alternative housing has been offered to us where we can continue to live together. We see ourselves as a kind of family that has grown closely together over the years. Therefore, we want to continue living together.
Here is a quote from a lawyer's letter in the Katharinengraben case:
"Moreover, the separation of the residents would mean an unreasonable hardship for each individual. The residents of Katharinengraben 9 have been living together there for about 10 years. They have formed a community comparable to a family."
This fact has not changed to this day!
On March 27, 2014, together with some supporters, we peacefully demonstrated at the opening ceremony of the newly designed Buchheimer Straße to draw attention to our problem. Initial discussions took place with attending politicians: Mayor Jürgen Roters, District Mayor Norbert Fuchs, and Bundestag member Prof. Dr. Karl Lauterbach. Particularly the latter showed understanding for our situation. He said that a way to help us was being sought, and even a possibility for us to remain living in Cologne Mülheim. But Mayor Roters and District Mayor Fuchs were also willing to schedule a meeting with us for clarifying discussions. We would of course be happy to accept these offers.
Now to the background: originally, a large part of the people in our house belonged to the punk project of the city of Cologne. An former showcase project of the cosmopolitan and tolerant city of Cologne. We were to be resocialized. This means, among other things, reasonable jobs that suit us, no further squatting, etc.
All of this has borne fruit. Because we no longer occupy houses, and we are not all Hartz 4 recipients. Our house consists of self-employed individuals, temporary workers, students, and one student, two early retirees. And yes, there are also Hartz 4 recipients among us.
So the same situation as in the normal population average.
We were thrown out of our previous house, and now after just five years, the same is supposed to happen again. We feel threatened in our existence. What will become of us? Where are we supposed to go?
We, the residents of Genovevastraße 40, are a group of 10 women and men aged from early 20s to mid-40s, along with five dogs. In June 2009, we were assigned to this house by the Cologne housing office after the Katharinengraben 9, which we inhabited, was to be demolished to make way for a new building.
The same is now supposed to happen with the aforementioned house, as we have learned from the Cologne housing office. In a letter, we were informed that we are to vacate the house by June 30, 2014. So far, no alternative housing has been offered to us where we can continue to live together. We see ourselves as a kind of family that has grown closely together over the years. Therefore, we want to continue living together.
Here is a quote from a lawyer's letter in the Katharinengraben case:
"Moreover, the separation of the residents would mean an unreasonable hardship for each individual. The residents of Katharinengraben 9 have been living together there for about 10 years. They have formed a community comparable to a family."
This fact has not changed to this day!
On March 27, 2014, together with some supporters, we peacefully demonstrated at the opening ceremony of the newly designed Buchheimer Straße to draw attention to our problem. Initial discussions took place with attending politicians: Mayor Jürgen Roters, District Mayor Norbert Fuchs, and Bundestag member Prof. Dr. Karl Lauterbach. Particularly the latter showed understanding for our situation. He said that a way to help us was being sought, and even a possibility for us to remain living in Cologne Mülheim. But Mayor Roters and District Mayor Fuchs were also willing to schedule a meeting with us for clarifying discussions. We would of course be happy to accept these offers.
Now to the background: originally, a large part of the people in our house belonged to the punk project of the city of Cologne. An former showcase project of the cosmopolitan and tolerant city of Cologne. We were to be resocialized. This means, among other things, reasonable jobs that suit us, no further squatting, etc.
All of this has borne fruit. Because we no longer occupy houses, and we are not all Hartz 4 recipients. Our house consists of self-employed individuals, temporary workers, students, and one student, two early retirees. And yes, there are also Hartz 4 recipients among us.
So the same situation as in the normal population average.
We were thrown out of our previous house, and now after just five years, the same is supposed to happen again. We feel threatened in our existence. What will become of us? Where are we supposed to go?
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