jAQ KnOSt in
ECHOMEDIA BERLIN PLÂŤ NO. 04684I
C
1 0 0 0 Berlin 4 4 West Germany
West Germany 1986 P r o t e s t and R e s i s t a n c e Sabotage P o l i c e Rearmament
Contents Presentation
3
C h r o n o l o g y o f t h e West German A n t i - N u c l e a r The S t o r y History
behind
the Brokdorf
Movement
Resistance,
o f the Resistance against
the Nuclear
5 Reprocessing
Plant a t Wackersdorf Mass
Protests, Militant
A
7 Resistance,
D i f f u s e Sabotage and
P o l i c e Rearmament
10
The R e c e n t " S e c u r i t y " Laws
16
E m i g r a n t s a n d R e f u g e e s i n West Germany
18
The P r i v a t i s a t i o n
o f t h e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f Human C o n t i n g e n t s
The S i t u a t i o n i n B e r l i n
Prisons
I n t e r v i e w w i t h a Former P r i s o n e r P l o t a e n s e e/We s t B e r l i n
. .
. .19 20
o f t h e Women's P r i s o n i n •. .
21
Documentation Revolutionary Communique
Rage by RZ
Issued
25
by t h e RAF
26.
Presentation The AG K n a s t ( w o r k i n g g r o u p on g a o l s ) has been w o r k i n g i n t h e a n t i - r e p r e s s i o n f i e l d f o r two y e a r s , e s p e c i a l l y on t h e i s s u e s o f p o l i c e , j u s t i c e a n d g a o l s . We i n t e n d t o a n a l y s e , document and i n f o r m about the a c t i v i t i e s , methods and t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s o f theses s t a t e i n s t i t u t i o n s . The members o f t h e c o l l e c t i v e are working i n d i f f e r e n t f i e l d s of a c t i o n : s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t r a c ism and d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , a n t i m i l i t a r i s m , against the nuclear s t a t e , c u l t u r a l work w i t h minorit i e s , d r u g s a n d f e m i n i s m . We a l l have a r a d i c a l l e f t autonomous p e r s p e c t i v e i n common. Our c o l l e c t i v e i s n o t b o u n d
s s a r y f o r us t o h a v e d i r e c t knowledgs o f t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t r u g g l e s a n d movements so t h a t t h e y have r e p e r c u s s i o n s and cons e q u e n c e s i n B e r l i n . T h i s suppos es a d i r e c t r e l a t i o n and s o l i d a r i t y w i t h the a c t i v i s t s o f these struggles. And we b e l i e v e t h a t f o r i n i t i a t i n g an e x c h a n g e t h e f i r s t s t e p i s t o p r o p o s e s o m e t h i n g . We t r i e d to point out that objective w i t h t h i s documentation. We'd l i k e t o meet p e o p l e i n t e r e s t e d i n s u c h an e x c h a n g e . Ag K n a s t c/o B a b y l o n i a e.V. C u v r y s t r . 20 D-1000 B e r l i n / W e s t 36 West Germany
Chronology Movement
o f t h e West
F e b r u a r y 1975: 2 0 , 0 0 0 o c c u p y the s i t e of the planned n u c l e a r power p l a n t a t Wyhl ( B a d e n ) . F e b r u a r y 1977: A f t e r two o c c u p a • t i o n s of the b u i l d i n g s i t e 50,000 d e m o n s t r a t e a g a i n s t t h e n u c l e a r power s t a t i o n a t Brokdorf. March 1977: 20,000 t r y t o o c c u p y the b u i l d i n g s i t e of the p l a n n e d p l a n t a t Grohnde, I n those days the s i t e s were m i l i t a n t l y o c c u p i e d u s i n g r o p e s and m e t a l cutters. Police react with b r u t a l i t y . 20,000 d e m o n s t r a t e a t t h e s i t e of the planned r e p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t and n u c l e a r cementary at Gorleben. J u l y 1977: 80,000 from a l l o v e r Europe demonstrate a g a i n s t the f a s t breeder r e a c t o r a t M a l v i l l e / F r a n c e . One d e m o n s t r a t o r i s k i l l e d by a p o l i c e granade,
German.Anti-Nuclear
several mutilated. September 1 9 7 7 : 70,000 d e m o n s t r a t e a g a i n s t the f a s t breeder a t K a l k a r . 12,000 p i g s a r e employed, T h o u s a n d s o f d e m o n s t r a t o r s t r a v e l l i n g to K a l k a r a r e h e l d f o r up to e i g h t hours. Those e x p e r i e n c e s w i t h the p o l i c e and n u c l e a r s t a t e a r e a b a c k l a s h to t h e movement; b e f o r e t h a t t h e r e had been i l l u s i o n s o f q u i c k l y s t o p p i n g t h e n u c l e a r programme. March 1979: I n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n g r e s s o f e x p e r t s on G o r l e b e n . 120,000 p r o t e s t a t H a n n o v e r , the c a p i t a l of t h a t f e d e r a l state. May 1979: P r i m e M i n i s t e r A l b r e c h t o f Lower S a x o n y : "The n u c l e a r r e p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t c a n ' t be e n f o r c e d p o l i t i c a l l y . " The b u i l d i n g o f t h e n u c l e a r cement a r y , however, c o n t i n u e s .
May 1980: O c c u p a t i o n o f t h e r e s e a r c h a r e a "1004" a t G o r l e b e n f o r one month; s e v e r a l t h o u s a n d p e o p l e p a r t i c i D a t e i n the " F r e e R e p u b l i c o f Wendland" (Wendland i s t h e r e g i o n o f the planned cementary). J u n e 1980: E v i c t i o n o f " 1 0 0 4 " ; s u c h mass p r o t e s t s a g a i n s t t h e e v i c t i o n had n e v e r been s e e n b e f o r e i n West Germany. O c t o b e r 1980: 150,000 d e m o n s t r a t e i n Bonn u n d e r t h e s l o g a n " S c r a p t h e n u c l e a r programme". 1 9 8 1 / 8 2 : Mass a c t i o n s a t t h e five reconsidered reprocessing plant sites. F e b r u a r y 1981: 100,000 d e m o n s t r a t e i l l e g a l l y a t Brokdorf. March 1982: A c o u r t p e r m i t s t h e p l a n t a t Wyhl to be b u i l t . 100,000 d e m o n s t r a t e a t F r e i b u r g . The p l a n t h a s n ' t been b u i l t to t h i s d a y .
The
Story behind
An E x t r a c t o f a S p e e c h from the. Anti-Brokdorf Preparatory M e e t i n g i n Hamburg, May 1986 The a n t i - n u c l e a r power movement has been g o i n g on f o r o v e r t e n y e a f s now, the a c t u a l cons t r u c t i o n s i t e s b e i n g the major s c e n e s o f c o n f l i c t . The nuclear c l o u d s e m a n a t i n g from C h e r n o b y l p r o v e d t h e f e a r s and w a r n i n g s e x p r e s s e d i n t h e W i l s t e r Marsh (the a r e a around B r o k d o r f ) i n 1976. The d e m o n s t r a t o r s , w h i l s t g a t h e r e d u n d e r t h e motto "Der B a u p l a t z muB w i e d e r z u r W i e s e w e r d e n " (The c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e must r e v e r t t o f i e l d s and meadows) w e r e t h e v i c t i m s o f brutal police violence, a v i o l e n c e d i r e c t e d a t smashing t h e i r r i g h t to d e f e n d l i f e and health. Today, j u s t t e n y e a r s a f t e r , t h e few r e m a i n i n g p r o t e s t and i n f o r m a t i o n g r o u p s h a v e been completely inundated with questions concerning nuclear plants, r a d i o a c t i v e f a l l o u t , and t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of p r o t e c t i o n . T h e i r dusty, nearly forgotten about info-brochures have suddenl y become much s o u g h t a f t e r . P e o p l e who e a r l i e r showed l i t t l e o r no i n t e r e s t have been s h a k e n cut of t h e i r i n d i f f e r e n t s t a t e . E s p e c i a l l y t h e y c u n g - and o f t m f o r the f i r s t t i m e - w a n t to g e t i n v o l v e d . Not o n l y has t h e s t r u c t u r e of the a n t i - n u c l e a r power movement changed o v e r t h e y e a r s , so too have t h e c o n d i t i ons o f f i g h t i n g t h e c l o s u r e s o f The
construction
of
Lhe
Brok-
the Brokdorf
d o r f H u c l e a r P l a n t h a s been completed even though the a c c e s s r o a d was b l o c k e d , t h e p l a n t and i t s perimeter fence attacked i n c l u d i n g the f i r m s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r i t s c o n s t r u c t i o n and m a i n t e n a n c e . As we g a t h e r f o r y e t a n o t h e r g r e a t demo and r a l l y i n Brokdorf, i n these post-Chernob y l d a y s we can o n l y hope we can, i n the l a s t m i n u t e s , prevent the i n a u g u r a t i o n of t h i s s u p e r f l u o u s and l i f e threatening plant. I n o r d e r to p r e v e n t any illus i o n s and to keep o u r f r u s t r a t i o n to a minumum l e t us now l o o k back a t t h e i m p o r t a n t exp e r i e n c e s l e a r n e d from t h e f i g h t against Brokdorf. In the 1960s the p r o p o s a l s f o r a g i a n t i n d u s t r i a l zone on t h e l o w e r E l b e were l a i d down. I n o r d e r to s a t i s f y the huge e n e r gy demands a complex o f n u c l e a r power p l a n t s were p l a n n e d f o r tfe region. In 1973 the e l e c t r i c power c o m p a n i e s d e c i d e d on B r o k dorf as a p o t e n t i a l s i t e . A p r o t e s t body, known a s the E n v i r o n m e n t a l P r o t e c t i o n Group ( E . P . G . ) o f t h e l o w e r E l b e was i m m e d i a t e l y s e t up. S i m i l a r g r o u p s s p r a n g up l i k e mushrooms, p a r t i c u l a r l y a f t e r the s u c c e s s f u l g r a s s r o o t s campaign a g a i n s t t h e Wyhl power p l a n t i n K a i s e r s t u h l . In the 26th of October 1976 t h e Atom S t a t e r e a r e d i t s u g l y head f o r t h e f i r s t time i n t h e W i l s t e r Marsh. Over n i g h t ar.d u n d e r t h e c o v e r o f f o ; t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e was s u r r o u n -
Resistance ded w i t h b a r b e d w i r e . T h i s d i d not p r e v e n t thousands occupyi n g t h e s i t e . The e n s u i n g e v i c t i o n took p l a c e w i t h t h e by now common p l a c e p o l i c e b r u t a l i ty: water tanks, b u l l d o z e r s , CS gas o r t e a r gas and countless b l o o d y b a t o n c h a r g e s . The s i t e soon r e s e m b l e d a f o r t r e s s . On t h e 13th'November 1976 o v e r 35,000 p e o p l e took p a r t i n a m a s s i v e demo w h i c h a t t a c k e d t h e s i t e i n an u n s u c c e s s f u l a t t e m p t a t o c c u p y i n g t h e p l a n t once mora A f t e r the " G r o S a k t i o n " of 1976 r e s i s t a n c e a g a i n s t B r o k d o r f grew e v e n g r e a t e r . The r e s i s t a n c e t o o k on new f o r m s , making i t a l l t h e more d i f f i c u l t f o r t h e Atom S t a t e to b r e a k , and i t was no c o i n c i d e n c e t h a t at t h e p e r i o d the A d m i n i s t r a t i v e Court of S c h l e s w i g r u l e d a h a l t to t h e building. The c o u r t s and i n d e e d p a r l i a ment need s u c h o u t s i d e pressure i f t h e y a r e to g o v e r n i n o u r i n t e r e s t s . Without such pressure e x p e r i e n c e has shown us n o t to t r u s t t h e s e powers and t o r e l y on o u r own s t r e n g t h and power e x p r e s s e d a t t h e n u c l e a r power p l a n t s t h e m s e l v e s . T h i s a p p l i e s e s p e c i a l l y to t h o s e members o f t h e G r e e n P a r t y who s t i l l b e l i e v e t h a t t h e 3onn m i n i s t r i e s and n o t t h e s i t e s s h o u l d be o c c u p i e d . The c o n s t r u c t i o n s t o p p a g e o f 1976 b r o u g h t i n t o p e r s p e c t i v e our c o n t i n u a l r e s i s t a n c e . I n s u c h a b r e a d movement a s o u r s i t -s o n l y n a t u r a l t h a t d i f f e r e n t
o p i n i o n s on s u c h m a t t e r s a s : the r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h the S t a t e , t h e e c o n o m i c s y s t e m and c o n c r e t e forms o f p r o t e s t and r e s i s t a n c e , should e x i s t . During the prepar a t i o n s f o r t h e B i g Demo o f F e b r u a r y 1977 i t p r o v e d imposs i b l e to v e r i f y t h e s e d i f f e r e n ces. The S o c i a l D e m o c r a t i c P a r t y (SPD) and t h e German Communist P a r t y (DKP) s h i e d away from any d i r e c t a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e construction s i t e s , the r e s u l t o f t h i s s p l i t : 30,000 d e m o n s t r a t o r s took p a r t i n a r a l l y i n ' I t z e h o e and a n o t h e r 3 0 , 0 0 0 i g n o r e d t h e ban and m a r c h e d on the s i t e . The l a t t e r f a i l x d t o r e a c h the p e r i m e t e r fence but t h e i r a c t i o n p r o v e d t o be one o f t h e most d e c i s i v e a c t i o n s i n t h e b a t t l e a g a i n s t n u c l e a r power and a l s o one o f t h e most r e s p o n s i b l e because a t a c e r t a i n p o i n t the marchers d e c i d e d not to go any f u r t h e r , t h u s p r e v e n t i n g a m e a n i n g l e s s and v e r y bloody c l a s h w i t h the p o l i c e . T h i s s p l i t allowed the p r e s s and Atom Lobby t o d i f f e r e n t i a t e b e t w e e n good and e v i l d e m o n s t r a t o r s . Not o n l y d i d t h e S p e c i a l M o b i l e Commando U n i t a t t a c k t h e r e a r of the demonstration brand i s h i n g machine guns, but the f i r s t wave o f c o u r t c a s e s d a t e from t h i s F e b r u a r y 77 action. The s p l i t promoted c r i m i n a l i s a t i o n . S i n c e t h e n t h e Atom S t a t e h a s o n l y become more a g g r e s s i v e In S e p t e m b e r 1 9 7 7 , thousands of d e m o n s t r a t o r s from Hamburg w e r e p r e v e n t e d from r e a c h i n g K a l k a r by a P o l i c e manoeuvre u s u a l l y r e s e r v e d f o r t i m e s o f C i v i l 'war. The Atom M a f i a seemed t o be immune t o t h e v o i c e s o f e v e r i n c r e a s i n g d e m o n s t r a t o r s . An e x c e p t i o n being the Gorleben t r e k to H a n n o v e r w h i c h r e s u l t e d i n the " R a d i a n t S m i l i n g " A l b r e c h t (the C o n s e r v a t i v e Prime M i n i s ter o f Lower S a x o n y ) i s s u i n g a statement saying a n u c l e a r r e p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t i n Lower S a x o n y w o u l d be p o l i t i c a l l y u n realistic. v
T o w a r d s t h e end o f 1980 a c o u r t d e c i s i o n ended a r e l a t i v e ly q u i e t chapter in Brokdorf's h i s t o r y . ( I t was t h e y e a r t h e l e g e n d a r y v i l l a g e on t h e e x p l o r a t i o n a r e a " 1 0 0 4 " i n Wendl a n d was d e s t r o y e d . ) A f t e r t h r e e y e a r s , t h e m o r a t o r i u m was l i f t e d and S t o l t e n b e r g , t h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r of S c h l e s w i g - H o l s t e i n , gave t h e g o - a h e a d f o r c o n s t r u c t i o n t o c o n t i n u e . The g r e a t e r m a j o r i t y o f the a n t i - n u c l e a r power movement now b e l i e v e d t h e motto "Wo R e c h t zu U n r e c h t w i r d , w i r d Widerstand zur P f l i c h t " (where i n j u s t i c e r e i n s r e s i s t a n c e must become a d u t y ) s h o u l d be t a k e n t o h e a r t and u s e d a s a b a t t l e c r y . Soon b l o c k a d e s , a t t a c k s and a c t s o f s a b o t a g e w e r e t h e o r d e r o f t h e d a y . Par a l l e l to t h i s a huge demons t r a t i o n was p l a n n e d f o r F e b . 1931. M e a n w h i l e more t h a n 10, 0 0 0 a c t i v i s t s were b u s y t r y i n g to i n f l u e n c e t h e SPD conference i n Hamburg to oppose t h e B r o k d o r f n u c l e a r power p l a n t . The t h e n Hamburg Mayor, K l o s e , a c t u a l l y won a m a j o r i t y o p p o s e d to 3 r o k d o r f , o n l y t o 1E l a t e r s e n t i n t o the p o l i t i c a l w i l d e r n e s s . A l t h o u g h e v e r y f o o l knew
t h a t B r o k d o r f was completely s u p e r f l u o u s and a doomed i n v e s t m e n t o f t h e Hamburg E l e c t r i c i t y B o a r d from t h e s t a r t , t h i s d i d n ' t stop the o r d i n a r y c u s t o m e r from b e a r i n g t h e b r u n t o f t h e new electricity p r i c e s . The SPD were j u s t a s r i d i c u l o u s l y weak and t r a n s p a r e n t when B r o k d o r f came up - c a n a l i s i n g the a n t i - n u c l e a r movement w i t h s u c h buncum a s the p o s s i b l e promise o f a n u c l e a r f r e e f u t u r e "sometime in the next millenium". B u t l e t ' s g e t Back t o t h e B i g B r o k d o r f Demo o f t h e 2 8 t h o f F e b . 1981. I t was soon c l e a r t h a t the n u c l e a r programme, i n c l u d i n g B r o k d o r f w a s n ' t g o i n g t o be shelved, t h a t ever i n c r e a s i n g numbers o f a n t i - n u k e s were going t o t r a v e l a l l o v e r West Germany i n o r d e r t o e x e r c i s e t h e i r l e g s i n n u c l e a r power l a n t "X" o r p l a n t "Y". During t h e demo r a l l y one a r g u m e n t i n p a r t i c u l a r seemed t o h a v e g r e a t s i g n i f i c a n c e i n the f u t u r e of t h e movement:"Our s t r u g g l e i s n o t to be d e c i d e d on t h e out-, come o f t h i s d e m o n s t r a t i o n i t ' s i m p e r a t i v e we p r e p a r e f o r long-term s t r u g g l e , a s t r u g g l e t h a t impermeates our whole l i f e . - work l i f e , p r i v a t e l i f e and l o v e l i f e , a s t r u g g l e t h a t does, n o t j u s t f i n d e x p r e s s i o n on t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e f e n c e and at the B r o k d o r f p l a n t . " F
The p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h i s demo h a s b e e n a c c o m p a n i e d by an i n c r e d i b l e s t i r r i n g up by t h e p r e s s . Reports s t a t i n g that demonstrators intended a t t a c k ing t h e n o r m a l p o p u l a t i o n . The h i g h p o i n t o f t h i s being the demo ban w h i c h c o v e r e d n o t j u s t t h e p r o p o s e d march r o u t e , b u t t h e w h o l e conmmunity o f S t e i n b u r g . The f a c t t h a t o v e r 100,000 r e a c h e d t h e s i t e i g n o r i n g t h i s ban and w i t h s t a n ding the i c e - c o l d February w e a t h e r i n o r d e r to e x p r e s s t h e i r p o l i t i c a l w i l l under the banner " l e g a l , i l l e g a l , scheiBegal" (legal, i l l e g a l , I d o n ' t g i v e a s h i t ) was surely a great success. T h i s s u c c e s s c a n n o t howe v e r hide the l i m i t a t i o n s of s u c h a c t i o n s . The w h o l e e v e n t was c h a r a c t e r i s e d by a v e r y a c t i v e m i n o r i t y and a " c o n sumer" m e n t a l i t y o f t h e m a j o r ity. T h i s l e d to a f e e l i n g o f i n s e c u r i t y and a s p r e a d i n g o f rumous. T h a t ' s why i t was p o s s i b l e f o r Jo L e i n e n ( t h e c h a i r p e r s o n of the A s s o c i a t i o n of C i t i z e n I n i t i a t i v e s f o r E n v i r o n m e n t a l P r o t e c t i o n ) to g e t h i s i d e a s a c r o s s , e.g. t h a t many d e m o n s t r a t o r s were u n n e c e s s a r i l y searched, thus s t r a i n i n g the s o l i d a r i t y of t h e demo ."With more t h a n 100, 000 t a k i n g p a r t i n t h e demo t h e i n f o - and c o m m u n i c a t i o n s n e t work was c o m p l e t e l y o v e r s t r e c h e d and p r o v e d u s e l e s s . A l s o , the f a c t t h a t a f t e r such a m a s s i v e demo t h e b u i l d i n g p r o gramme w o u l d c o n t i n u e a s i f n o t h i n g had happened was f o r many a b i t t e r l y f r u s t r a t i n g experience. The p r e s s u r e o f 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 demons t r a t o r s w a s n ' t enough to p r e v e n t t h e s t a t e j o i n ? or. a
" c r i m i n a l i s a t i o n orgy". Extremel y hard "exemplary" s e n t e n c e s were d i s h e d o u t to i n d i v i d u a l d e m o n s t r a t o r s , even though the v i c t i m , who had f a l l e n i n w a t e r , was l a t e r p r o v e n to be u n i n j u r e d . M i c h a e l D u f f k e and Markus Mohr w e r e s e n t e n c e d to 81/2 y e a r s , even though the charge a g a i n s t them was n e v e r p r o o v e d . A f t e r c o u n t l e s s campaigns o f s o l i d a r i t y t h e s e n t e n c e s were m a r g i n a l ly cut. The Atom Lobby, s i n c e a l o n g t i m e w i t h i t s b a c k up a g a i n s t the w a l l c o n t i n u e s to p a i n t the a n t i - n u c l e a r power d e m o n s t r a t o r as a c r i m i n a l . This a p p l i e s e s p e c i a l l y to t h a t t y p e o f d i r e c t and p r e c t i c a l r e s i s t a n c e , s e e n i n B r o k d o r f and Wendland. F o r t h i s r e a s o n i t ' s more important than ever t h a t t h i s S a t u r d a y ( J u n e 7 t h 1 9 8 6 ) so many p e o p l e a s p o s s i b l e t r a v e l to W i l s t e r Marsh. We have no i l l u s i o n s t h a t the B r o k d o r f p l a n t i n a u g u r a t i o n w i l l be d e c i d e d on t h e 7 t h o f J u n e , b u t t h e c a l l to d e m o n s t r a t e on t h e p l a n t s i t e s c a l l s to mind once a g a i n t h e p o l i t i c a l d i s c u s s i o n and a n a l y s i s o f t h e w h o l e r e s i s t a n t movement. Many could j o i n i n the p o l i t i c a l d i s c u s s i o n s . The e x p e r i e n c e s o f t h e l a s t few y e a r s c o u l d a l s o augment t h e d i s c u s s i o n s podium. L a s t l y , t h e a n t i - n u c l e a r movement p r e s e n t s i t s e l f to t h e Media a s a l a r g e , i n d e p e n d e n t and o f f e n s i v e p o l i t i c a l power. We s t i l l have a l o n g way t o go b e f o r e we f o r c e t h e p r i c e o f t h e N u c l e a r Programme so high t h a t i t c a p s i z e s . Even a f t e r C h e r n o b y l we h a v e n ' t got i t e a s y . A l o t depends on t h e d a i l y a c t i o n o f young and o l d p e o p l e e v e r y w h e r e who must s l o w l y h e l p t h e -Atom I n d u s t r y to l o o s e t h e l i t t l e confidence i t s t i l l enjoys. Our s t r e n g t h l i e s i n t h e v a r i e t y of the r e s i s t a n c e . Let us t a k e t h e s e t h o u g h t s w i t h u s and l e t i t mark a new phase i n the A n t i - B r o k d o r f campaign a s we p r e p a r e t o go to W i s t e r Marsh. NO NUCLEAR PLANT IN 3R0KD0RF AND EVERYWHERE!
Demo am
7. Juni in Brokdorf
H i s t o r y o f t h e R e s i s t a n c e A g a i n s t "the' N u c l e a r Reprocessing P l a n t a t Wackersdorf P r e v i o u s h i s t o r y : No to t h e Rep r o c e s s i n g P l a n t i n t h e Wendland ! I n t h e 70s t h e SPD/FDP g o v e r n m s i p l a n n e d a n u c l e a r c e m e n t a r y and a r e p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t (German a b b r e v i a t i o n : WAA) i n t h e Wendl a n d . The c i r c u i t o f c o m b u s t i b l e n u c l e a r m a t e r i a l was to be c l o s e d down i n c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h the f a s t breeder r e a c t o r a t K a l k a r , and t h e " p l u t o n i u m e c o nomy" was to be i n t r o d u c e d . The programme was d r i v e n on by a u t a r k y and m i l i t a r y i n t e r e s t s . The WAA was meant a s a s t e p t o w a r d s the German n u c l e a r bomb. In the l a t e 7 0 s r e s i s t a n c e a g a i n s t t h e p l a n n e d WAA a t Gorl e b e n d e v e l o p e d w h i c h was c a r r i e d o u t b o t h on a l o c a l l e v e l a s w e l l a s on a n a t i o n a l one. The h i g h l i g h t s o f t h e r e s i s t a n c e were a d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f 120,000 s u p p o r t e d by a l o t o f f a r m e r s on t r a c t o r s i n "979. The o c c u p a t i o n o f a r e s e a r c h a r e a was p r o c l a i m e d "The F r e e R e p u b l i c o f Wendland" i n 1980. The P r i m e M i n i s t e r o f Lower S a x o n y , A l b r e c h t , d e c l a r e d t h a t it:.was p o l i t i c a l l y n o t p o s s i b l e to c a r r y t h r o u g h t h e "WAA i n the
The B i r t h o f the i n the O b e r p f a l z nate )
WAA-Resistance (Upper P a l a t i -
I n t h e summer o f 81 news l e a k e d o u t t h a t t h e WAA was to be b u i l t i n B a v a r i a . S i n c e t h e 50s the B a v a r i a n Prime M i n i s t e r F r a n z - J o s e f StrauB has played a m a j o r r o l e i n b u i l d i n g up t h e n u c l e a r programme and r e m i l i t a r i s a t i o n . He has been i n t e r e s t e d i n a West German n u c l e a r bomb r i g h t from t h e s t a r t o f h i s p o l i t i c a l carreer. Expecting t h a t t h e WAA c o u l d be e s t a b l i s h e d , w i t h o u t any p r o b l e m s i n t h e O b e r p f a l z , a r e g i o n known to be r u r a l , c a t h o l i c ai. i c o n s e r v a t i v e W a c k e r s d o r f i n the Oberpfalz was choosen a s a l o c a t i o n i n November 1981. As soon a s t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n l e a d e d o u t 2,000 people demonstrated a t Regensb u r g , the c a p i t a l o f t h e Oberpfalz. Citizen Initiatives (BI's) were s e t up i n S e h w a n d o r f , t h e n e a r e s t town to W a c k e r s d o r f , a l s o i n R e g e n s b u r g , Nuremburg and i n a l o t o f v i l l a g e s . F o r the time b e i n g the r e s i s t a n c e was l i m i t e d to a l o c a l l e v e l b u t i t was s u r p r i s i n g l y a c t i v e . I n March 1982 a d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f 1 5,000 took p l a c e i n Sehwan-
d o r f . The f o r m s o f a c t i o n v a r y as f o l l o w s : beside C h r i s t i a n p r o c e s s i o n s to t h e WAA-site, l e g a l proceedings ( a l l without any s u c c e s s so f a r ) , a summer camp w i t h s p o r a d i c a t t e m p t s o f b u i l d i n g h u t s and s p o r a d i c a c t s of sabotage a g a i n s t d r i l l i n g equipment took p l a c e . A " F r o n t f o r t h e L i b e r a t i o n o f Upper P a l a t i n a t e " claimed r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . The WAA as Pro t e s t
a National
Focus
of
I n F e b r u a r y 1985 t h e l o c a t i o n of W a c k e r s d o r f was o f f i c i a l l y p r o c l a i m e d and t h e r e s i s t a n c e expanded r a p i d l y . F o r t h e f i r s t t i m e a n t i - n u c l e a r a c t i v i s t s from o u t s i d e the r e g i o n made c o n t a c t s w i t h l o c a l anti-WAA o p p o n e n t s and B I ' s . The f i r s t a'ction c a r r i e d o u t by t h e n a t i o n a l s u p p o r t g r o u p s was t h e summer camp on t h e WAA l o c a t i o n , w h i c h was still a wooded a r e a i n A u g u s t 19o5A l o t o f the r e s i d e n t s supported the attempted o c c u p a t i o n o f the s i t e . The movement became more radi tai. As a r e s u l t o f t h e d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f 50,000 on 1 2 - 1 0 - 8 5 i n Munich W a c k e r s d o r f became the f o c u s of the n a t i o n a l a n t i -
n u c l e a r movement. I n t h e e v e n i n g an anti-WAA s t r e e t f e s t i v a l m a i n l y v i s i t e d by autonomous a c t i v i s t s was b r u t a l l y r a i d e d by t h e p i g s ; 200 p e o p l e w e r e a r r e s t e d . The s t a t e ' s s t r a t e g y to d i v i d e t h e movement became transparent. Living
A n a r c h v : the
Hut
Villages
On 1 4 - 1 2 - 8 5 , t h r e e d a y s a f t e r the s t a r t of the c l e a r i n g , 50,000 p e o p l e d e m o n s t r a t e d on the c l e a r i n g s i t e a t Wackersd o r f . 3,000 s t a r t e d to c o n s t r u c t h u t s , a whole v i l l a g e o f h u t s s p r a n g up. Two days l a t e r the p i g s e v i c t e d the v i l l a g e . 869 p e o p l e , 75? o f whom w e r e o u t s i d e r s , were a r r e s t e d and c h a r g e d . S h o r t l y b e f o r e C h r i s t m a s , on 2 1 - 1 2 - 8 5 , anti-WAA a c t i v i s t s s e t up a s e c o n d v i l l a g e c o n s i s t i n g o f 70 h u t s . On 7-1-86 5,000 p i g s r a i d e d i t . 734 p e o p l e were a r r e s t e d and c h a r g e d . The two h u t v i l l a g e s have p l a y e d an i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n the r e s i s t a n c e : f o r the f i r s t time a g r e a t number o f t h e r e s i d e n t s , middle-class i n t h e i r way of l i f e , participated in i l l e g a l a c t i o n s , t o g e t h e r w i t h the autonomous a c t i v i s t s , w h i c h were d e n o u n c e d a s " C h a o t e n " ( t r o u b l e - m o n g e r s ) by t h e b o u r g o i s p r e s s . The anti-WAA r e -
s i s t a n c e became a mass movement w h i c h was l o c a l l y r o o t e d . On 8-2-86 10,000 anti-WAA opp o n e n t s c e l e b r a t e d C a r n i v a l on the b u i l d i n g s i t e . S i n c e then t h e r e has been a p r o c e s s i o n to t h e b u i l d i n g s i t e e v e r y Sunday. 1,000 to 3,000 p e o p l e from a l l o v e r the r e g i o n p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e s e "Sunday Processions". D u r i n g t h e Sunday P r o c e s s i o n on 3-3-86 an e l d e r l y woman from W a c k e r s d o r f d i e d from a h e a r t attack a f t e r being b r u t a l l y m a l t r e a t e d by t h e p i g s . Mass M i l i t a n c y
and
CS
Gas
On 3 1 - 3 - 8 6 100,000 p e o p l e demons t r a t e d a t the s e c u r i t y f e n c e now c o m p l e t e d . I t was t h e f i r s t j o i n t a c t i o n by t h e P e a c e Movement E a s t e r m a r c h e r s and the A n t i - N u c l e a r Movement. A f t e r some p e o p l e s t a r t e d t o make h o l e s i n the f e n c e p o l i c e h i g h p r e s s u r e w a t e r c a n o n s s h o t CS gas i n t o t h e crowd f o r h o u r s . A man s u f f e r i n g from a s t h m a d i e d from t h e g a s . T h i s E a s t e r mass m i l i t a n c y p r a c t i c e d by autonomous g r o u p s and w e l l s u p p o r t e d by Upper P a l a t i n a t e c i t i z e n s w o r r i e d the r u l i n g c l a s s . The r e s i s t a n oe t h r e a t e n e d to become u n c o n t r o l l a b l e . The t r u s t i n t h e S t a t e of broad c i r c l e s of the populat i o n was a p p a r e n t l y b r o k e n .
A f t e r a d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f 10, 000 i n E r l a n g e n a g a i n s t t h e KWU ( t h e KWU i s the manufacturer o f t h e WAA and o t h e r n u c l e a r power s t a t i o n s ) t h e P e n t a c o s t a camp c l o s e to t h e WAA building s i t e took a n o t h e r t u r n . Instead of d i s c u s s i n g r e s i s t a n c e pers p e c t i v e s t h e r a g e on 1he a r r o gance o f t h e p o w e r f u l , who witho u t any qualms s t u c k t o t h e i r n u c l e a r c o u r s e (even a f t e r the a c c i d e n t a t C h e r n o b y l ) , was exp r e s s e d by m i l i t a n t a c t i o n y o f a s c a l e and t o u g h n e s s h i t h e r t o u n s e e n i n West Germany. "Sawf i s h " t u r n e d the f e n c e i n t o a Swiss cheese f u l l of h o l e s ; w a t e r c a n o n s and p i g s w e r e a t t a c ked w i t h c a t a p u l t s and p e t r o l bombs. The r e s i d e n t s g a t h e r e d stomes and handed them to t h e militants. I t was o b v i o u s to t h e p i g s t h a t t h e s i t u a t i o n was o u t o f h a n d . The w h o l e f o r e s t a r o u n d t h e f e n c e was s h o t w i t h CS gas g r e n a d e in a f i t of sheer revenge a pig h e l i c o p t e r d r o p p e d CS gas g r e n a des on a p e a c e f u l crowd o f 30,000 p e o p l e , amongst them k i d s and e l d e r l y . P a n i c c h a n g e d i n t o r a g e on t h e p i g s . Some meatwagons w e r e b u r n e d and a rcunit o f 60 p i g s b e a t e n b a c k . " F i r e and F l a m e f o r t h i s S t a t e " . The b a l a n c e o f t h e P e n t a c o s t a a c t i o n s : 300 wounded p i g s , 600
wounded d e m o n s t r a t o r s (mainly i n j u r i e s to t h e eyes a s a r e s u l t o f CS g a s ) p l u s a damage o f L500.000. On 7-6-86, a t t h e same t i m e a s the d e m o n s t r a t i o n a t B r o k d o r f , a n o t h e r 30,000 p e o p l e d e m o n s t r a t e d a t t h e WAA-fence a t Wackersd o r f . The more o f f e n s i v e t a c t i c s o f t h e p i g s ( e s p e c i a l l y more m o b i l e s u p p o r t u n i t s employed outside the fence).showed the l i m i t a t i o n s o f mass m i l i t a n c y . I n t h e n e x t months t h e b u i l d i n g s i t e was t u r n e d into a v i r t u a l f o r t r e s s , Wood w h i c h h a d s e r v e d as p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t p i g s and w a t e r c a n o n s was c l e a r e d . Whole, h i l l s were removed. M i l i t a n t a c t i o n s a t t h e f e n c e became less possible. A t t e m p t e d D i v i s i o n o f t h e Movement t h r o u g h t h e Q u e s t i o n o f Violence At t h e same t i m e t h e G r e e n P a r t y and t h e SPD t r i e d t o d i v i d e t h e r e s i s t a n c e through t h e question o f v i o l e n c e . The p e a c e f u l r e s i dents shouldn't support the " s t e e l b a l l f a c t i o n " and s h o u l d h a n d them o v e r t o t h e p i g s . And e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e a t t e m p t s to s p l i t t h e movement was t h e c o m m e r c i a l c o n c e r t on t h e 2 6 t h and 2 7 t h o f J u l y 1986. T h e m u s i c i a n s a p p e a l e d t o t h e 100, 000 l i s t e n e r s n o t t o go t o t h e fence a n t to a v o i d any v i o l e n c e . B e h i n d t h e f e n c e t h e p i g s w e r e .. p r e p a r e d now armed w i t h p l a s t i c bullets. The d i v i s i o n c o u l d be s e e n a s w e l l when t h e G r e e n P a r t y w i t h drew t h e i r s p o n s o r s h i p from t h e d e m o n s t r a t i o n i n Munich on 4 - 1 0 - 3 6 . They were a f r a i d t h a t p o s s i b l e v i o l e n t clashes with the p i g s could l e a d to l o s s e s in the Bavarian e l e c t i o n s t a k i n g p l a c e t h e f o l l o w i n g weekend. Following t h e argumentation of the Greens t h e c o u r t s p r o h i b i ted the demonstration. Neverthel e s s , 10,000 t o o k p a r t i n i t . 3 1 o c k a d e D a y s : A t t a c k on t h e Infrastructure New d i m e n s i o n s were opened durirg the b l o c k a d e a c t i o n s i n t h e d i s t r i c t o f S c h w a n d o r f on t h e 16th and 17th o f October 1986. Due t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e b a t t l e a t t h e f e n c e became f u t i l e t h e a t t a c k was s h i f t e d t o t h e WAA's i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , i e . t h e companies p r o d u c i n g f o r t h e WAA, t h e roads o f t r a n s p o r t , the courts, t h e cop s h o p s , e t c . . T h o s e b u i l d i n g c o m p a n i e s w e r e , more i n t e n s i v e l y a f t e r Chernobyl, targets of uncontrollable attacks. They h a v e c a u s e d damages o f m i l l i o n s o f Marks. On t h e B l o c k a d e Days t h e a c t i o n s ranged from n o n v i o l e n t " g o - s l o w b l o c k ades" over blockading f a c t o r i e s to b u r n i n g b a r r i c a d e s on t h e r o a d s l e a d i n g t o t h e WAA a n d chopped down e l e c t r i c i t y pylons. For t h e f i r s t time t h e i s s u e s of the r e g i o n a l r e s t r u c t u r i n g process i n the i n t e r e s t s of c a p i t a l t h r o u g h t h e WAA's cons t r u c t i o n and the aggravation of l i v i n g and working c o n d i t i o n s were r a i s e d . I n t h i s way a movement, w h i c h s t a r t e d t o d e f e n d t h e i r homeland,
of which c o n s c i o u s l y f i g h t a g a i n s t t h e n u c l e a r s t a t e and r e s i s t c o n d i t i o n s imposed upon them by c a p i t a l a n d t h e State. Epilogue: Perspectives Movement i n C r i s i s
of a
Today t h e Anti-WAA Movement i s in a c r i s i s . A l o t of the l o c a l a c t i v i s t s a r e worn o u t ; t h e structure of the " c i t i z e n i n i t i a t i v e s " m o d e l l e d on t h e f a m i l i a r club structure (chairperson, e x c h e q u e r , e t c . ) a n d the"Stammt i s c h " (pub t a l k ) p r a c t i c e o f d i s c u s s i o n loads t h e buld of o r g a n i s a t i o n a l work on a few f u n c t i o n a r i e s . Furthermore, a wave o f 3,000 c h a r g e s a n d s e n tences has a f f e c t e d the r e s i s t e r s . Support s t r u c t u r e s l i k e collective preparation for t r i a l s or funds c o v e r i n g t h e c o s t s ( which e x i s t i n the b i g c i t i e s ) h a v e n o t been d e v e l o - e d y e t i n t h e r u r a l O b e r p f a l z . The l o c a l movement i t s e l f i s t o r n a p a r t by d i s p u t e s between r a d i c a l s and c o n s e r v a t i v e s , who a r e e v e n r e a d y to have t a l k s w i t h t h e p i g s . A l l o f those t a l k s have been e x p l o i t e d by t h e p r o p a g a n d a machine o f t h e s t a t e . F o r examp l e , the new B a v a r i a n Secretary o f S t a t e , G a u w e i l e r , t r i e d to "restore confidence into the p o l i c e " t h r o u g h t a l k s w i t h some unauthorized representatives of t h e 31's w h i l e c e l e b r a t i n g C h r i s t mas w i t h t h e p i g s s t a t i o n e d on t h e b u i l d i n g s i t e . The C h r i s t m a s a c t i o n s a t t h e fence had r e l a t i v e l y l i t t l e p r e s s c o v e r a g e compared with Gauweiler's s t u n t . To s o l v e t h a t c r i s i s , t h e o r ganisational structure of " p a r t n e r s h i p s " between o u t s i d e autonomous groups a n d B l ' s i s g o i n g to be i m p r o v e d . T h o s e s t r u c t u r e s a r e meant t o e n h a n c e a c o n t i n u a l p o l i t i c a l exchange and c o - o p e r a t i o n i n a c t i o n s . C o n n e c t i n g d i f f e r e n t ways o f l i f e - rural/metropolitan, middle-class/marginalised, etc. T h o s e " p a r t n e r s h i p s " make a c t i o n s p o s s i b l e w h i c h make the p a r t i c i p a n t s more r a d i c a l
t h o s e who p l a n a c t i o n s a n d t h o s e who c a r r y them o u t c o n t r a r y to mass d e m o n s t r a t i o n s w h i c h a r e p l a n n e d by t h e s e l f same f u n c t i o n a r i e s a n d a r e a i m e d o n l y a t media c o v e r a g e . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e two c u r r e n t s i n t h e movement a r e e x p r e s s e d i n t h e p l a n n i n g o f a mass d e m o n s t r a t i o n combined w i t h b l o c k a d e a c t i o n s i n autumn o f '87 - a compromise i n e v e r y r e s p e c t .
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Mass P r o t e s t s , M i l i t a n t R e s i s t a n c e , D i f f u s e Sabotage and P o l i c e Rearmament The 100th a t t a c k on a n e l e c t r i c i t y p y l o n t o o k p l a c e somewhere i n Bavaria, probably shortly a f t e r the October blockades i n the O b e r p f a l z (Upper P a l a t i n a t e , i n t h e N o r t h o f B a v a r i a ) . 92 a t t a c k s on p y l o n s were r e g i s t e r ed b y t h e F e d e r a l B u r e a u o f C r i m i n a l I n v e s t i g a t i o n (BKA) b e tween J a n u a r y a n d t h e b e g i n n i n g of September. I n t h e e y e s o f t h e M i n i s t e r o f t h e I n t e r i o r , howe v e r , t h e r e w e r e 103 a t t a c k s d u r i n g t h e same p e r i o d , a n d t h e B a v a r i a n P o l i c e A u t h o r i t y count e d 116 a t t a c k s u n t i l t h e m i d d l e o f November. H a l f o f t h e a t t a c k s produced t o t a l d e s t r u c t i o n , i . e . c o l l a p s e o f t h e mast a n d o c c a s i o n a l l y t h e p u l l i n g down o f t h e a d j a c e n t p y l o n s u p p o r t s . The damage i s e s t i m a t e d a t a b o u t 30 m i l l i o n M a r k s (10 m i l l i o n fc). The r e s u l t s o f t h e p o l i c e i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a r e bound t o make every p i g laugh; not a s i n g l e c a s e h a s been s o l v e d u n t i l t o day. T h e o n l y s u s p e c t i s a woman s e r i o u s l y i n j u r e d by a n e l e c t r i c shock produced during the f a l l o f a p y l o n on wet g r o u n d . Up t o t h i s d a y s h e h a s not been f o r m a l l y arrested. The o r i g i n s o f s y s t e m a t i c s a b o t a g e on p y l o n s might h a v e
been the a c t i o n s o f a group c a l l e d 'Chop t h e s h i t a w a y . At the. b e g i n n i n g o f 1985 t h e y bombed t h e l i n k b e t w e e n t h e n u c l e a r power s t a t i n a t Krummel and t h e e l e c t r i c g ? i d . S i n c e then the m a j o r i t y o f the f e d e r a l state security forces started to e s t a b l i s h s p e c i a l s e c t i o n s w o r k i n g on t h a t f o r m o f s a b o t a g e against the nuclear s t a t e . I n B a v a r i a , t h e r e g i o n most a f f e c ted by such a c t i o n s , t h e a u t h o r i t i e s have t r i e d to w i n the c o l l a b o r a t i o n a n d w a t c h f u l ness of private s e c u r i t y person e l l , f o r e s t guards and c r o s s country s k i e r s ( ! ) . Further, t h e y o f f e r e d a r e w a r d o f 150,000 Marks (1,50,000) f o r e a c h s u c c e s s f u l d e n u n c i a t i o n . So f a r w i t h o u t any s u c c e s s . T r a n s f o r m e r s a n d c e n t r a l points of the n a t i o n a l g r i d a r e g u a r d e d , t h e most i m portant masts r e c e i v e c o n c r e t e socks. But i t i s p r a c t i c a l l y i m p o s s i b l e to p r o t e c t a l l 180,000 h i g h v o l t a g e p y l o n s (380 and 220 k v ) s c a t t e r e d throughout t h e c o u n t r y . T h e d i f f i c u l t y of c a t c h i n g t h e ' o f f e n d e r s ' i n f l a g r a n t i d e l i c t o means t h a t t h e s t a t e s e c u r i t y f o r c e s t r y and i n f i l t r a t e the c i r c l e s they bel i e v e have a p r e d i s p o s i t i o n to 1
s u c h a c t i o n s . Armed w i t h s e a r c h and c o n f i s c a t i o n w a r r a n t s t h e police has discovered the d i s t r i b u t i o n networks of various p u b l i c a t i o n s . Furthermore, there are dozens o f p u b l i s h e d c a s e s where a g e n t s p r o v o c a t e u r s were i n f i l t r a t e d into c i t i z e n i n i t i a t i v e s or i n t o t h e i r coordination c o m m i t t e e s , e v e n c a s e s where some o f t h e i r members were i n t i m i d a t e d or o f f e r e d b r i b e s . B u t i n cont r a s t t o t h e open mass v i o l e n c e where y o u a l w a y s meet p o l i c e a g e n t s w i t h no qualms about i n c i t i n g people to v i o l e n t a c t s , t h e f r i e n d s o f t h e saw and t h e c u t t i n g t o r c h o n l y work i n g r o u p s of c l o s e and l i k e - m i n d e d f r i e n d s . These groups b e a r i n g i r o n i c names a n d i s s u i n g s p a r s e s t a t e ments o p e r a t e c o m p l e t e l y a u t o n o mously. They o b t a i n the n e c e s s a r y t e c h n i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n from s e m i p u b l i c p u b l i c a t i o n s . Of c o u r s e , i n t e r e s t f o r p h y s i c s and chemist r y i s d e v e l o p e d where y o u won't expect i t . A l o t of the 'sawfish' as the saboteurs are c a l l e d i r o n i c a l l y - Mao; 'the r e v o l u t i o n a r y lives l i k e a f i s h i n the water - are convinced that they a r e a c t i n g i n a s t r i c t l y n o n - v i o l e n t framework. P r o b a b l y because o f t h i s 1
original middle-class s e n s i t i v e n e s s they have a developed i n t u i t i o n o f what t h e y ought n o t do so a s n o t to r i s k a l i e n a t i n g a p o p u l a t i o n s h o c k e d by t h e madn e s s and t e n a c i t y o f t h e n u c l e a r lobby, i n p a r t i c u l a r a f t e r Chern o b y l and i t s r a d i o a c t i v e f a l l o u t . F o r example, s i n c e the U k r a i n i a n a c c i d e n t t h e a t t a c k s on t h e p y l o n s c o n n e c t i n g n u c l e a r power s t a t i o n w i t h the e l e c t r i c i t y g r i d h a v e e e a s e d so a s n o t to provoke a sudden s w i t c h i n g - o f f o f t h e n u c l e a r r e a c t o r and t h e f o l l o w i n g p a n i c among t h e p e o p l e l i v i n g nearby. The s a w f i s h a r e j u s t one c u r r e n t i n the f i e l d of d i f f u s e sabot a g e . A c c o r d i n g to t h e M i n i s t r y o f t h e I n t e r i o r •ftiere had b e e n 178 i n c e n d i a r y and 27 bomb a t t a c k s by t h e end o f summer '86. The damage p r o d u c e d amounts t o 10 m i l l i o n M a r k s ( c a . i>3 mio.) S i x weeks l a t e r , i n t h e m i d d l e of September, they had a l r e a d y c o u n t e d 236 attacks. I n a d d i t i o n to the a t t a c k s on e l e c t r i c pylons, construction m a c h i n e s and i n d u s t r i a l c o m p a n i e s ( a b o u t 100 w e r e a f f e c t e d ) o p e r a t i n g on c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e s o f n u c l e a r power s t a t i o n s and o f the n u c l e a r r e p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t at Wackersdorf i n p a r t i c u l a r , the o b j e c t i v e s of d i f f u s e sabot a g e were t h e f o l l o w i n g :
p o r t o f arms and a m u n i t i o n by NATO f o r c e s and f o r t r a n s p o r t o f radioactive material, - r e s e a r c h c e n t r e s ( l a s e r , genet i c ) and i n f o r m a t i o n centres, b o t h s t a t e and p r i v a t e , and - o f f i c e s of s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s . Tendencies Movement
i n the
Anti-Nuclear
The a n t i - n u c l e a r movement i s made up o f p o l i t i c a l l y v e r y d i f f e r e n t g r o u p s . T h e i r o n l y commor. p r i n c i p l e i s the demand f o r the immediate c l o s u r e of a l l n u c l e a r power s t a t i o n s . The s p e c t r u m r a n g e s from m i d d l e - c l a s s r e f o r m i s t c l u b s to a n t i - s t a t e m i l i t a n t g r o u p s . The a n a l y s i s o f t h e n u c l e a r programme v a r i e s depend i n g on t h e p a r t i c u l a r p o l i t i c a l s t a n c e , and so does t h e s t r a t e g y to f i g h t i t . T h i s d i s p u t e a b o u t t h e " r i g h t way" has e v e n l e d to the denouncement o f m i l i t a n t g r o u p s by p a r t s o f t h e movement. A s t r i k i n g example f o r t h a t was the open l e t t e r i s s u e d by some p r o m i n e n t members o f t h e G r e e n P a r t y s h o r t l y a f t e r the m i l i t a n t c l a s h e s a t W a c k e r s d o r f and B r o k d o r f i n May and June o f 8 6 . In t h i s l e t t e r , s i g n e d by G e r d B a s t i a n and P e t r a K e l l y , t h e a u t h o r s d e n o u n c e d m i l i t a n t s a s "opponents o f t h e a n t i - n u c l e a r movement" f i t to be handed o v e r to t h e p o l i c e . However, t h a t s e r i o u s a t t e m p t a t d i v i s i o n was rebutted - banks w i t h o u t d i s t i n c t i o n as by n e a r l y a l l a n t i - n u c l e a r g r o u p s . t h e a c t u a l power i n t h e s t a t e , - t h e m i l i t a r y - i n d u s t r i a l comS u c h e x c e s s e s a r e c a u s e d by p l e x ( D a i m l e r - B e n z , D o r n i e r , e t c * ) d i f f e r e n t a n a l y s e s o f the n u c l e a r programme. The m i d d l e - c l a s s r e - r a i l w a y l i n e s used for t r a n s s
f o r m i s t g r o u p i n g r e g a r d t h e des t r u c t i v e p o t e n t i a l of n u c l e a r power a s an outcome o f a t o t a l l y i r r a t i o n a l t h i n k i n g . I t t r i e s to c o n f r o n t t h e owners o f n u c l e a r power s t a t i o n s w i t h an a l t e r n a t i v e e c o l o g i c a l t h i n k i n g . By proposing this a l t e r n a t i v e t h i n k i n g t h e y s e e k the s u p p o r t o f a b r o a d m a j o r i t y o f t h e popul a t i o n . The abandonment o f nuc l e a r e n e r g y s h o u l d be achieved through p a r l i a m e n t a r y methods. That strategy p r e s c r i b e s that t h e movement has to s t i dc to t h e r u l e s of the democratic-bourgeois „ate. At b e s t s l i g - h t v i o l a t i o n s o f r u l e s , e.g. s t r i k t l y nonv i o l e n t b l o c k a d e s , i n o r d e r to a t t r a c t p u b l i c a t t e n t i o n . Howe v e r , anybody who q u e s t i o n s the s t a t e and does n o t s t a y w i t h i n t h e bounds o f t h e law p o s e s a t h r e a t to t h a t s t r a t e g y b e c a a u s e a p a r l i a m e n t a r y m a j o r i t y cannot be won i n a n t i - s t a t e s t r u g g l e s . The a n t i - s t a t e p a r t o f t h e movement c o n c e i v e s t h e n u c l e a r programme a s an e x p r e s s i o - o f c a p i t a l i s t l o g i c . This logic d o e s n ' t c o n s i d e r t h e d a n g e r to m i l l i o n s of people i n the i n t e r e s t s o f p r o f i t . They c o n c e i v e P a r l i a m e n t a r y Democracy a s a form o f c a p i t a l i s t management iof s o c i e t y . Consequently the c r e a t i o n of a parliamentary m a j o r i t y c a n ' t be t h e way to a c h i e v e t h e abandonment o f n u c l e a r power. D e s p i t e some common p r i n c i p l e s t h e r e a r e d i f f e r e n t s t r a t e g i e s i n s i d e the extra-parliamentary camp. The
" n o n v i o l e n t p a r t h o p e s to f o r c e t h e r u l i n g c l a s s to c a p i t u l a t e by means o f mass p r o t e s t , m a s s i v e n o n - c o o p e r a t i o n or gener a l s t r i k e . The m o r a l u n i t y o f ends and means, i . e . a nonv i o l e n t s o c i e t y f r e e o f domin a t i o n - n o n v i o l e n t means, i s meant to c o n v i n c e t h e population o f t h e t r u t h and a u t h e n t i c i t y o f t h e i r m o t i v e s . As v i o l e n c e v i o l a t e s that moral u n i t y i t i s o p p o s e d a s a p o t e n t i a l form o f a c t i o n . However, t h e d e f i n i t i o n of v i o l e n c e v a r i e s i n s i d e that s p e c t r u m : some a c t s o f s a b o t a g e , e.g. t a k i n g o f f s c r e w s o f e l e c t r i c i t y p y l o n s , a r e s e e n a s nonv i o l e n t and acceptable. The m i l i t a n t p a r t r e g a r d s the use of v i o l e n c e as a l e g i t i m a t e and n e c e s s a r y method to f i g h t the s t a t e . The q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r to u s e v i o l e n t methods i s t a c t i c a l ; i t i s d e t e r m i n e d by t h e s i t u a t i o n of the s t r u g g l e , i e . the r e l a t i o n of f o r c e p o t e n t i a l to t h e c o n c r e t e o b j e c t i v e . As a r e a c t i o n to p o l i c e s u p e r i o r i t y a t mass d e m o n s t r a t i o n s more and more m i l i t a n t g r o u p s r e s o r t to c l a n d e s t i n e sabotage. Hamburg: ' I f y o u e v i c t u s gonna c a l l the Russians
we're
The a n t i - n u c l e a r m i l i t a n c y m a i n l y takes place i n r u r a l areas. I t s a c t i o n are complimented i n u r b a n a r e a s through the attempts t o m a i n t a i n and e n l a r g e f r e e s p a c e s . I t i s r e m a r k a b l e how the t o l e r a n t p o l i c y of the c i t y a u t h o r i t i e s c o n s i s t i n g of materia l s u p p o r t f o r t h e c u l t u r a l and economic g h e t t o s i s t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o a s t r a t e g y of c o u n t e r - i n s u r g e n c y as soon as those g h e t t o s become p l a t f o r m s o f s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t t h e power o f the s t a t e . The t r a n s i t i o n t o t h e S t r o n g S t a t e n e v e r h a p p e n s a t o n c e . The s t i c k - a n d - c a r r o t p o l i c y remains i n operation f o r a long time. I n general i t i s successful, just look a t the p a c i f i c a t i o n of the B e r l i n s q u a t t i n g movement. Anyhow, i n 1986 the s e c u r i t y f o r c e s h a d to r e s o r t t o p u r e l y r e p r e s s i v e m e a s u r e s more f r e q u e n t l y t h a n ever before. C e r t a i n l y , that d e p e n d s on t h e l e v e l t h e s t r u g g l e s h a v e r e a c h e d . You m i g h t t h i n k t h e y ' r e l o o s i n g t h e i r temper. B u t t h e e f f e c t i s t h e r e anyhow' t h e t r a d i t i o n a l and v e r y e f f e c t i v e method - d i v i d e and r u l e h a s b e e n r e p l a c e d by i n d i s c r i m i n a t e r e p r e s s i o n , the consequence of which i s the i n e v i t a b l e s o l i d a r i t y . Protest i s consequently driven into resistance. The s i x h o u s e s i n t h e ' H a f e n strafle', a former harbour area i n Hamburg, l o c a t e d n e a r t h e f a m o u s f i s h m a r k e t , were s q u a t t e d b y a m i x t u r e o f p u n k s , unemp l o y e d y o u t h and s o c i a l r e b e l s 5 y e a r s ago. The h o u s e s , b u i l t durin;; the p e r i o d of Bourgeois e x p a n s i o n a t t h e end o f the 19th c e n t u r y , a r e owned by t h e s e m i s t a t e l a n d l o r d . S A G A . The h o u s e s form the d o c k s i d e f a c a d e of a formerly working-class, now middle-class, area c a l l e d Altona, w h i c h i s a l s o t h e e n t r a n c e to the p r o s t i t u t i o n . a n d drugs market S t . P a u l i . The n e i g h b o u r h o o d h a s a l a r g e number o f r e b e l s and r a d i c a l s of v a r i o u s persuasions.
1 2 - -
G i g a n t i c redevelopment plans have been d r a f t e d f o r t h a t a r e a . A c c o r d i n g to t h e p l a n s 500 flats w e r e t o be e i t h e r n e w l y c o n s t r u c ted or e x t e n s i v e l y renovated the r e n t would r i s e from 2 to 9 Marks per square meter. E v e r y t h i n g o l d was to be p u l l e d down e x c e p t a few s y m b o l s ; i n b r i e f , t h e w h o l e a r e a was t o be s o c i a l l y restructured. When t h e s q u a t t e r s s n e a k e d i n t o t h e s i x empty h o u s e s i n autumn •81 t h e c i t y was j u s t a b o u t t o h a v e e l e c t i o n s . The r e s u l t o f t h e e l e c t i o n s was a w e a k e n e d s o c i a l - d e m o c r a t i c government, f l i r t i n g w i t h t h e GAL - t h e Hamburg G r e e n s - and n o t i n t h e p o s i t i o n to a f f o r d the l u x o r y o f showing m u s c l e . But put o f f i s n o t c a n c e l l e d ; i n t h e end o f '83 individual leases valid for 3 y e a r s w e r e made f o r 27 f l a t s i n t h e 6 h o u s e s . The concessions w e r e m u t u a l : SAGA h a d t o come t o terms w i t h 'delinquents'; the s q u a t t e r s i n t u r n had to a c c e p t i n d i v i d u a l l e a s e s . With t h a t they made t h e m s e l v e s open to s u p e r v i s i o n and c o n t r o l . However, the s t r e e t f e s t i v a l c e l e b r a t i n g the l e g a l i z a t i o n ended i n s c u f f l e s . F o r the p i g s the houses remained a n e s t of disorder; for SAGA a wedge i n i t s r e d e v e l o p m e n t p l a n s . Anyhow, s i n c e 1983 money f o r r e n o v a t i o n h a s b e e n made a v a i l a b l e by t h e g o v e r n m e n t and p r i v a t e s p o n s o r s . The s q u a t t e r s w e r e occupied with renovating until t h e autumn o f '8k. SAGA n e g l e c t e d the maintenance of the houses against t h e i r c o n t r a c t u a l o b l i g a t i o n s . SAGA demanded, however, a r i g h t of s u p e r v i s i o n o v e r t h e b u i l d i n g s i t e and t h e c a r r y i n g out of the terms o f t h e 1 eases. The new p h a s e o f c o n f l i c t d e v e l o p ed r o u n d a s c a f f o l d i n g w h i c h was p u t up t o r e p a i r t h e r o o f s . The r e s i d e n t s w a n t e d to p a i n t t h e f a c a d e a t t h e same t i m e . SAGAr e f u s e d and p o l i c e v i o l e n c e e n f o r c e d t h e i r d e c i s i o n ; the s c a f f o l d i n g was t a k e n down. S h o r t l y after-wards v e h i c l e s bel o n g i n g to t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n comp a n y owning t h e s c a f f o l d i n g w e r e s e t on f i r e by p e r s o n s unknown. A f t e r t h a t s t a r t e d to r e d u c e o r w i t h h o l d t h e i r r e n t and e l e c t r i c i t y payments - a l e g a l p o s s i b i l i t y i n West Germany i n c e r t a i n c i r c u m s t a n c e s to p r o c e e d a g a i n s t i r r e s p o n s i b l e l a n d l o r d s . Cons e q u e n t l y t h e e l e c t r i c i t y was c u t o f f and an e v i c t i o n o r d e r i s s u e d by t h e c o u r t s . The squatt e r s took l e g a l a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h i s and u s e d an e l e c t r i c i t y generator. I n p u b l i c opinion the 6 houses i n the H a f e n s t r a f l e w e r e a f o r t r e s s o f c r i m e ; f o r t h e n e o n a z i s and the s k i n h e a d s t h e y w e r e a t a r g e t . Not o n l y d i d the p i g s p o p u l a t e the a r e a w i t h undercover a g e n t s and a g e n t s p r o v o c a t e u r s ; they a l s o m i s s e d no o p p o r t u n i t y o f d e s t r o y i n g the f l a t s d u r i n g r a i d s . On t h e one hand the s q u a t t e r s b u i l t b a r r i c a d e s and on t h e o t h e r t h e y opened a c a f e and h o l d s o l i d a r i t y c o n c e r t s . The h o u s e s became c e n t r e s o f r e s i s t a n c e , the s q u a t t e r s were i n v o l ved i n e v e r y s t r u g g l e i n the c i t y .
I n the eyes o f the parliamentary l e f t - GAL and i n d i v i d u a l s o c i a l democrats - the Hafenstrafle i s t h e p l e b s . Sometimes i t i s u s e f u l , s o m e t i m e s u n c a l c u l a b l e but always indispensable for t h e i r own i m a g e . About 100 p e o p l e a r e l i v i n g i n the h o u s e s , the m a j o r i t y from s o c i a l s e c u r i t y and disguaranteed j o b s . They have been c a l l e d lumpenproletariat a s L e n i n meant it b y t h e c h i e f o f t h e Hamburg Verfassungsschutz (the i n t e r n a l s e c r e t s e r v i c e ) . I n the n e o l i b e r a l and s t a t e - c o n t r o l l e d m e t r o p o l i s t h e y a r e n o n e t h e l e s s the p r o l e t a r i a t . Indeed, the r e s i d e n t s have n o t h i n g t o l o o s e , no j o b s and no p r o p e r t y . A l l d e c i s i o n s a r e made a t w e e k l y m e e t i n g s ; f o r a f f a i r s i n t e r n a l to the houses t h e r e i s no o t h e r a u t h o r i t y . F o r e x a m p l e , t h e t o r t u r i n g and raping o f a woman by two p e o p l e was d e a l t w i t h by b e a t i n g them up, shaving t h o i r h e a d s and t h r o w i n g thorn o u t . N a t u r a l l y t h e p r e s s was scandal i z e d by t h i s autonomous a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of j u s t i c e . The s t a t e s e c u r i t y t r i e d to c o n n e c t the s q u a t t e r s w i t h the RAF; the l o c a l e d i t o r i a l board o f the TAZ - the o n l y l e f t i s t p a p e r p u V l i s h e d the s t a t e m e n t s of the c h i e f of the i n t e r n a l s e c r e t s e r v i c e . The s q u a t t e r s r e a c t ! y d e s t r o y i n g the l o c a l o f f i c e s of the paper. I n those days of O c t o b e r '85 unknown p e o p l e b r o k e i n t o o f f i c e s of the housing a u t h o r i t y and s t o l e a c o u p l e o f documents w h i c h w e r e h a n d e d o v e r to the s q u a t t e r s ; t h e y c o n s i s t e d of minutes taken during meetings of reps of the l a n d l o r d , the p i g s and the j u d i c i a r y . The d o u b l e game o f t h e a u t h o r i t i e s was r e v e a l e d by t h e s e m i n u t e s ; t h e p l a n was t h a t t h e s q u a t t e r s w e r e to be p r o v o k e d by SAGA, and t h e i r r e a c t i o n w o u l d be the j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r the f i n a l e v i c t i o n - e v e r y t h i n g i l l e g a l but i r r e v e r sible . 1
1
I n O c t o b e r '86 6 r e s i d e n t s l o s t t h e i r appeal a g a i n s t the e v i c t i o n . 600 p i g s i n c l u d i n g a n t i - t e r r o r u n i t s e v i c t e d them, e n t e r i n g t h e h o u s e s o v e r t h e r o o f s and t h r o w i n g a l the f u r n i t u r e o u t o f t h e window. The w h o l e of t h e a r e a was s e a l e d o f f b e f o r e h a n d . As t h e p i g s r e t r e a t e d they l e f t the bedrooms o f t h e o t h e r f l a t s c o v e r e d w i t h CS g a s and to add i n s u l t to i n j u r y t h e y m i x e d CS g a s i n t o a b o t t l e o f rum w h i c h was s t a n d i n g t h e r e . The r e s i d e n t s o f t h e a r e a w e r e more and more f e d up w i t h t h e f r e q u e n t p r o v o c a t i o n s and i n t e r v e n t i o n s by t h e p i g s (10 lrvrges c a l e r a i d s i n t h e l a s t 10 m o n t h s ) . P e o p l e who u n t i l t h e n r e g a r d e d the s q u a t t e r s as c r i m i n a l s s t a r t ed t a l k i n g to them. A n e a r b y church offered a h a l l f o r meetings i f t h e p i g s s e a l e d o f f the h o u s e s . A l l t h a t e x p l a i n s why more t h a n 10,000 p e o p l e took p a r t i n a demo i n the c o m m e r c i a l a r e a o f the c i t y b e f o r e C h r i s t m a s '86 demanding the p r o l o n g a t i o n of the l e a s e s . The p i g s t r i e d to e n c i r c l e the ' B l a c k B l o c k ' ( t h e m i l i t a n t autonomous g r o u p i n g ) to i s o l a t e them f r o m t h e r e s t o f t h e demo. B u t t h e d e m o n s t r a t o r s s t i l l remembered the M'air.burg E n c i r c l e m e n t . (A s e c t i o n 1
of a demo a g a i n s t p o l i c e b r u t a l i t y on 8-6-36 was e n c i r c l e d by t h e p i g s . 700 p e o p l e h a d to s t a n d crowded t o g e t h e r f o r 15 h o u r s w i t h o u t b e i n g a l l o w e d a c c e s s to t o i l e t s o r to f o o d o r drinlc) T h i s t i m e t h e p i g s were b e a t e n b a c k w i t h s t o n e s and b o t t l e s . The r e s t o f t h e demonstrators stood f i r m i n s o l i d a r i t y w i t h the B l a c k B l o c k . F o r t h e f i r s t time i n a c o u p l e o f y e a r s t h e p i g s were d r i v e n back - i n s p i t e of g a s and b a t o n s . The demo c o n t i n u e d and e n d e d p e a c e f u l l y .
c i t y ' s shopping a r e a took p l a c e . Gottingen i s a shopping centre f o r S o u t h e r n L o w e r S a x o n y . On S a t u r d a y s one s e e s a n o r g y o f cons-oration. The a c t i o n c a u s e d a s u b s t a n t i a l damage t o w a r e h o u s e s and shop w i n d o w s . The m i l i t a n t s , h a v i n g d r i v e n o f f 25 p i g s , u n d e r c o v e r and u n i f o r m e d , d i s a p p e a r e d i n t o a u n i v e r s i t y c o n c e r t . Not a s i n g l e p a r t i c i p a n t was caught. I n a communique t h e a u t h o r s r e g a r d e d t h e a c t i o n a s 'a d e c i s i v e and p r a c t i c a l a c t o f s o l i d a r i t y w i t h the v i c t i m s of l a s t weeks' repression . A t t h e end o f t h e month t h e c h a n c e h a s come f o r t h e p i g s to p r o v e who h a s t h e monopoly o f v i o l e n c e i n town. On t h e 1 s t o f December p o l i c e r e i n f o r c e m e n t s from o u t s i d e a r r i v e d , s e a l e d o f f t h e a r e a s a r o u n d t h e s q u a t s and e v i c t e d them. The s q u a t t e r s w e r e a r r e s t e d . The c i t y was occupied by t h e p i g s ; o n l y some s c a t t e r e d c o u n t e r - s t r i k e s were p o s s i b l e . I n t h e e v e n i n g i t was d e c i d e d t o hold a meeting i n the s o c i a l c e n t r e ' J U Z I ' . As soon a s t h e ^00 p a r t i c i p a n t s a r r i v e d a p o l i c e army b o r e down u p p n thorn, s t r u g g l i n g t h r o u g h b r o k e n d o o r s . Anybody t h e r e was b e a t e n up. The p i g s were not a b l e to produce a s e a r c h w a r r a n t . They j u s t i f i e d t h e i r o p e r a t i o n w i t h an o s t e n s i b l e ' c r i m i n a l p r e p a r a t i o n ' , which has a p p a r e n t l y b e e n b r o a d c a s t by a p i r a t e r a d i o . The p e o p l e p r e s e n t w e r e p h o t o g r a p h e d and r e g i s t e r e d , o u t s i d e the s u p e r i o r s t r e n g t h of the p i g s f r u s t r a t e d a l l attempts a t s o l i d a r i t y a c t i o n s . On t h e f o l l o w i n g days s e v e r a l demonstrat i o n s w e r e c a l l e d f o r by l e f t 1
G o t t i n . - e n : ' P i g Town - You Us Throw Up
Make
1
For y e a r s G o t t i n g e n h a s had the r e p u t a t i o n o f b e i n g a n autonomous and a n t i - i m p e r i a l i s t s t r o n g h o l d . I n t h i s 'nest of v i o l e n c e ' ( i n the o p i n i o n o f the p o l i c e ) r a d i c a l s and G r e e n s ( r e p r e s e n t e d i n the C i t y C o u n c i l ) l i v e t o g e t h e r i n r e l a t i v e s o l i d a r i t y . The r e c i p e o f t h e s t a t e power f o r such c o n s t e l l a t i o n s — massive police presence, i n f i l t r a t i o n , e l e c t r o n i c s u p e r v i s i o n - hasn't produced the e x p e c t e d s u c c e s s e s . Therefore p o l i c e experts decided to a p p l y u r b a n r e p r e s s i o n methods i n the b e s t t r a d i t i o n o f c o u n t e r i n s u r g e n c y and b e g a n o r g a n i z i n g surprise raids. P r e v i o u s t o t h a t 3 empty h o u s e s were s q u a t t e d i n November '86. Shortly afterwards Chancellor K o h l came to town t o h o l d an e l e c t i o n meeting. H i s v i s i t ended w i t h v i o l e n t c l a s h e s between c o u n t e r - d e m o n s t r a t o r s and the p i g s . I n the n i g h t o f the 2 3 r d o f November a m i l i t a n t and o f f e n s i v e a e t i o n a g a i n s t the
s o c i a l d e m o c r a t s , G r e e n s and r a d i c a l g r o u p s . N o t h i n g seemed t o i m p r e s s t h e p i g s . Don't t h e y t h i n k , i n p o l i t i c a l t e r m s any more? Police
Rearmament
For y e a r s the s o - c a l l e d 'prevent i o n of c o n f l i c t ' has been the o f f i c i a l doctrine for police i n terventions: massive p o l i c e pres e n c e , accompanying and/or enc i r c l i n g demonstrations, preventative controls and.arrests, t e c h n o l o g i c a l and i n f o r m a t i o n r e armament a n d l a s t b u t n o t l e a s t f r i e n d l y meetings with v i s i b l e o r g a n i z e r s o f m a s s demos b e f o r e hand. T h i s d o c t r i n e r e g a r d s the p u b l i c p r o t e s t meetings as a n e c e s s a r y a c t of s o c i a l prophyl a x i s - under the c o n d i t i o n t h a t they remain c a l c u l a b l e . The d o c t r i n e o f d a n g e r a v o i d a n c e has a s u b s t a n t i a l social-democ r a t i c component: i n s t e a d of pure r e p r e s s i o n i t o f f e r s the channels for discharging s o c i a l tensions regarded as i n e v i t a b l e . I t i s o n l y one a s p e c t o f t h e s o c i a l democratic concept of s t a t e i n t e r v e n t i o n . I t i s not s u r p r i s i n g that the o l d l o g i c of r e p r e s s i o n i n s t e a d of p r e v e n t i o n i s establ i s h e d again a f t e r the - c h r i s t i a n d e m o c r a t s t o o k power a t the And t h a t t h i s r e p r e s s i v e l o . T i c reacts with increasing b r u t a l i t y when c o n f r o n t e d w i t h an i n c r e a s i n g o p p o s i t i o n to the system. I t f o l l o w s the t y p i c a l s p i r a l o f state r e p r e s s i o n . Every p o l i c e f a i l u r e l e a d s to a h a r d e n i n g and r e e q u i p p i n g o f the r e p r e s s i o n and to a s p r e a d i n g and r a d i c a l i z a t i o n of the p r o t e s t .
Due t o t h e f e d e r a l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e W.est German S t a t e p o l i c e tasks are i n control o f i n d i v i d u a l s t a t e governments (except the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r f i g h t i n g ' t e r r o r i s m ' ) . As a r e s u l t of this different s t r a t e g i e s c a n c o e x i s t a t t h e same time. General s t r a t e g i e s can o n l y be e f f e c t i v e v e r y s l o w l y . On t h e o t h e r h a n d t h e s o c i a l d e m o c r a t i c governments o f Hesse S t a t e and N o r t h r h i n e - W e s t f a l i a p e r f e c t the o l d i n t e r v e n t i o n i s t doctrine to achieve a higher p e n a l e f f e c t i v i t y . On t h e o t h e r hand t h e more c o n s e r v a t i v e g o v e r n m e n t s o f B a v a r i a , Lower Saxony and S h l e s w i g - H o l s t e i n seem t o p r e f e r o p e n l y r e p r e s s i v e methods w h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g t h e a c h i e v e m e n t s o f the a n t e r i o r period: psychologists direct the p o l i c e i n t e r v e n t i o n s , i n formation technology i s mainly used f o r p r e v e n t i o n , e t c . Prev e n t i o n supposes a p h y s i c a l contact with the demonstrator, the p o l i c e o f f i c e r has to appear a s a ' f r i e n d and h e l p e r ' ( s l o g a n o f the M i n i s t r i e s o f t h e I n t e r i o r ) . On t h e c o n t r a r y r e p r e s s i o n has t o keep the demonstrators i ndistance, to i n t i m i d a t e them a n d i n f l i c t i n j u r y upon them. T h a t ' s why new weapons w e r e i n t r o d u c e d : - t h e w a t e r canon WaWe 9 w i t h a w e i g h t o f 26 t o n s , a c a p a c i t y t o h o l d 9,000 l i t e r s of l i q u i d , a d e v i c e t o mix t e a r gas a n d w a t e r , a w a t e r p r e s s u r e o f 15 b a r s ( w i t h - a s p e e d o f 60 mph a n d a r a n g e o f 65 m e t e r s i T h i s monster - i t s h e i g h t i s about f o u r meters - throws p e o p l e t o t h e ground a t a d i s t a n c e o f 30 m e t e r s . I f i t h i t s you w h i l e y o u a r e s i t t i n g on t h e g - r o u n d y o u r r i p s may be smashed o r y o u r k i d n e y s c r u s h e d . WaWe 9 has a n e l e c t r o n i c s y s t e m to d i r e c t t h e c a n o n s a n d t h e o b s e r v a t i o n c a m e r a s . Canons a t the h e i g h t o f a person's l e g s
prevent any approaches. I t s f i r s t v i c t i m was t h e d e m o n s t r a t o r G l i n t e r S a r e who was r o l l e d over during- a demonstration a t n i g - h t i n September '85- t h e new CS g a s : c o n t r a r y t o c o n v e n t i o n a l t e a r gas C s g a s has p a r a l y z i n g e f f e c t s , both m o t o r i c a n d r e s p i r a t i o n a l , and i s more e f f e c t i v e a t l o w temp e r a t u r e s . CN gas d o e s n ' t b e come g a s e o u s a t c e r t a i n t e m p e r a tures. 3 o t h g a s e s h a v e i n common t h a t t h e y a r e banned a s combat weapons ( u n d e r t h e Geneva Convent i o n o f 1927), t h a t they are d a n g e r o u s t o human l i f e a t c e r t a i n c o n c e n t r a t i o n s (0.1 grams p e r c u b i c meter i s deadly i n a p e r i o d o f 10 m i n u t e s . The same deadly e f f e c t i s achieved i f 10 p e o p l e whose c l o t h e s have been s o a k e d w i t h CS gas a r e crowded t o g e t h e r i n a meatwagon). CS gas i s p a r t i c u l a r l y d a n g e r -
ous f o r p e o p l e s u f f e r i n g from asthma, a l l e r g i e s o r b r o n c h i t i s . At W a c k e r s d o r f an a s t h m a t i c person was k i l l e d a f t e r a n a i r bombing w i t h CS g a s . CS g a s mixed w i t h w a t e r i s u s e d by w a t e r c a n o n s . I t i s c o n t a i n e d in s p e c i a l 'frog' granades, which c o n t r a r y t o t r a d i t i o n a l granades jump a b o u t when t h e y h i t t h e g r o u n d i n o r d e r t o p r e v e n t them from b e i n g t h r o w n b a c k . Two p e o p l e l o s t t h e i r h a n d s by s u c h e x p l o s i v e f r o g s when t h e y t r i e d to r e t u r n them. - the d i f f e r e n t types o f rubber b u l l e t s ; one t y p e opens l i t e a c r o s s when f i r e d , The o t h e r has a s h o t e f f e c t . They a r e s m a l l e r than the t y p e s used i n Northern I r e l a n d and Euskadi* Combined w i t h t h e new weapons new i n t e r v e n t i o n t a c t i c s a r e employed: the r a p i d t r a n s p o r t o f a n t i r i o t u n i t s by t r a n s p o r t h e l i -
c o p t e r s . T h i s i s known a s t h e Puma' w i t h room f o r 2 0 p i g s . - f o l l o w i n g the i n i t i a l use of hit-and-retreat' t a c t i c s small u n i t s a r e formed w h i c h s p e c i a l i z e i n d e t e n t i o n of a c t i v i s t s and d o c u m e n t a t i o n o f o f f e n c e s . The docu p i g s a r e c o n n e c t e d w i t h v
e a c h o t h e r by w a l k y - t a i k y devices integrated into their h e l m e t s . They u s e v i d e o e q u i p ment and s p e c i a l i z e d d e t e n t i o n c e n t r e s . -he o b j e c t i v e o f . t h o s e u n i t s i s to o b t a i n i r r e f u t a b l e proofs of the offence i n order
to s e c u r e r a p i d s e n t e n c i n g I n H e s s * S t a t e 2 5 0 p e r s o n s were detained during only 20 p o l i c e i n t e r v e n t i o n s ; the major p a r t o f them were s e n t e n c e d f o r rioting.
The Legislation
Recent " S e c u r i t y " Laws
for "Public Security
S i n c e 1985, t h e c u r r e n t f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t h a s been t r y i n g t o b r i n g a p a r c e l of seven laws through the Bundestag ( t h e f e d e r a l p a r l i a m e n t ) . As t h e t i t l e " S e c u r i t y Laws" s u g g e s t s , they a r e meant t o s e r v e t h e s e c u r i t y o f West Germany. S e c u r i t y f o r t h e S t a t e means h a v i n g t h e l e g a l p o s s i b i l i t y to p u r s u e a l l forms o f s p y i n g and t h e c o l l e c t i o n of a l l p o s s i b l e data which the v a r i o u s s t a t e s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s can g e t . Due d o u b t s w i t h i n t h e g o v e r n ment c o a l i t i o n i t s e l f o n l y one o f t h e l a w s h a s been p a s s e d t i l l now: t h e " P e r s o n a l ID C a r d and P a s s p o r t A c t " . As a conseq.uence of t h i s the " A u t o m a t i c a l l y Reada b l e P e r s o n a l ID C a r d " w i l l be i n t r o d u c e d t h i s y e a r . The manual t r a n s m i s s i o n o f d a t a from t h e ID c a r d t o t h e c o m p u t e r i s no l o n g e r n e c e s s a r y . The ID c a r d w i l l now be f e d i n t o an a u t o m a t i c reading device. T h i s means t h a t t h e c h e c k i n g - u p o f one p e r s o n c a n now be done f i v e times f a s t e r than b e f o r e . T h i s a l s o means t h a t f i v e t i m e s more p e o p l e c a n be c o n t r o l l e d by t h e same number o f p e r s o n n e l . F o r example, i n the l e a d - u p to a demo, e v e r y d e m o n s t r a t o r h a s to r e c k o n w i t h b e i n g c h e c k e d up. and r e g i s t e r e d . A f t e r t h e - i n t r o d u c t i o n o f the a u t e m a t i c a l l y r e a d a b l e ID c a r d , a l l computer d a t a f i l e s can be p u t t o u s e . T h i s i s not only p e r m i t t e d i n t h e c a s e o f an a c t u a l p r o s e c u t i o n but a l s o as a p r e c a u t i o n a r y m e a s u r e , w i t h o u t any d e f i n i t e s u s p i c i o n . The automatic s t o r a g e o f d a t a ( e g , somebody p i c k e d up by t h e p o l i c e a t a checkpoint) i s regulated in a p a r a g r a p h o f t h e Code o f C r i m i n a l Procedure t o g e t h e r w i t h the law r e g a r d i n g t h e p e r s o n a l ID c a r d and t h e p a s s p o r t . I n t h e s e p a r a graphs i t i s s p e l l e d put t h a t when a p e r s o n i s c o n t r o l l e d " a l l obtainable data regarding the i d e n t i t y of persons as w e l l a s the c i r c u m s t a n c e s r e l e v a n t to the s o l v i n g of a crime or the s e i z u r e of the o f f e n d e r " a r e p e r m i t t e d t o be s t o r e d i n a s p e c i a l u a t a f i l e . The r e c o r d o f t h i s h a s t o be c l e a r e d a f t e r a maximum o f 9 months. Of course, i t i s only c l e a r e d i f the " s u s p i c i o n " of the person c o n t r o l l e d has t u r n e d out to be u n f o u n d e d . These laws give the S t a t e a f r e e r e i g n i n i t s g r e e d f o r dat a and i n f o r m a t i o n . The S t a t e can j u s t i f y t h e s e m e a s u r e s by r e f e r r i n g to t h e r e l e v a n t l a w s ; more s p e c i f i c a l l y , the r e f e r e n c e to such f l e x i b l e and vague t e r m s a s , " P u b l i c S e c u r i t y " , "General S u s p i c i o n " or " S u s p i c i o n o f a T e r r o r i s t O r g a n i s a t i o n " . N a t u r a l l y the S t a t e always handles such terms i n a l o o s e and " t o l e r a n t " mann e r . E v e r y p e r s o n o v e r t h e age o f 16 must h a v e an ID c a r d and i s o b l i g e d t o p r e s e n t i t on r e q u e s t , a d u t y w h i c h was first
Another important law i s t h a t r e g a r d i n g t h e c o o p e r a t i o n between t h e v a r i o u s s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s , namely t h e e x c h a n g e o f i n f o r m a t i o n . I t would be t o o . c o m p l i c a t e d t o a t t e m p t an, i n depth e x p l a n a t i o n of t h i s law, as i t i n v o l v e s the f u n c t i o n of t h e f e d e r a l and l o c a l s t a t e s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s . However a b r i e f summary: t h i s l a w a l l o w s f o r the exchange o f p e r s o n a l d a t a between t h e i n d i v i d u a l s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s . The p a s s i n g on o f t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n i s n o t o n l y p e r m i t t e d b u t sometimes.c o m p u l s o r y - eg. i n c a s e s o f suspected of spying or t e r r o r i s m . Not t h e body p a s s i n g on t h e d a t a r a t h e r t h e r e c e i v e r o f t h e same has the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y to check whether the t r a n s m i s s i o n i s l e gal. This data i s rendered void • o n l y when a b s o l u t e l y n o t h i n g can be o f u s e - t h e a u t h o r i t y to^unl i m i t e d s t o r i n g of d a t a . There a l s o e x i s t s the o b l i g a t i o n to p a s s on i n f o r m a t i o n t o a n o t h e r body on r e q u e s t . T h i s body d o e s n ' t h a v e t o g i v e r e a s o n s f o r i t s r e q u e s t ; nor i s t h e i n f o r m a t i o n l i m i t e d t o one s p e c i f i c i s s u e ; i t i s permitted to a v a i l o f a l l k i n d s o f i n f o r m a t i o n on a p e r s o n . I t i s an e s t a b l i s h e d f a c t t h a t t h e o b l i g a t i o n to p a s s on d a t a doesn't a l l o w f o r whether the i n f o r m a t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e or w h e t h e r i t has to be dug o u t . T h i s can l e a d to an a p p e t i t e for i n f o r m a t i o n , even i n c a s e s where t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n i s not r e l e v a n t to the a r e a of t h a t p a r t i c u l a r body. T h i s l e g a l r e g u l a t i o n h a s , on t h e one hand, t h e r e s u l t t h a t t h e a l r e a d y e x i s t i n g p r a c t i c e of t h e s e methods becomes l e g a l i s e d - , and on t h e o t h e r t h a t t h e r i g h t of the i n d i v i d u a l s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e to p a s s on i n f o r m a t i o n i s extended. T h i s provides the b a s i s f o r t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f a comp l i c a t e d i n f o r m a t i o n network, of O r w e l l i a n p r o p o r t i o n s . T h i s conn e c t i o n between s t a t e s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s and t h e p o l i c e a l l o w s f o r the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a s e c r e t s e r v i c e , even b e t t e r equipped than the GeStaPo. The p r o p o s e d c h a n g e s i n t h e t r a f f i c laws are a l s o of i n t e r e s t , t h o u g h on f i r s t h e a r i n g , t h e y may seem h a r m l e s s . T h i s law aims a t r e g u l a t i n g the a v a i l a b i l i t y of c a r r e g i s t r a t i o n d a t a . The p o l i c e can o b t a i n t h e name and a d d r e s s o f t h e c a r owner i n a few seconds, s i m p l y be f e e d i n g t h e r e g i s t r a t i o n number i n t o t h e computer, c o n n e c t e d o n - l i n e to t h e c e n t r a l "Verkehrsinformationssystem" ( t r a f f i c information system). C o n t r o l l i n g i s now much e a s i e r f o r t h e p o l i c e t h a n by convent i o n a l methods - l e t t e r , t e l e phone, t e l e x . In " s u s p e c t " p l a c e s (eg. a t demos o r p u b l i c m e e t i n g s ) a l l c a r owners p r e s e n t can be i d e n t i f i e d 'immediately. In a d d i t i o n to t h a t , . t h e d o c u m e n t a t i o n p r o d u c e s ( " p i c t u r e s o f movement")
c h a r t s o f an i n d i v i d u a l ' s movements . The o t h e r s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s can o n l y g e t d a t a t h r o u g h t h e c o n v e n t i o n a l methods and n a t u r a l l y , the p o l i c e w i l l help out i n important c a s e s . T h i s l a w shows once a g a i n t h e attempt to c o n s t r u c t a p e r f e c t i n f o r m a t i o n network, i n t o which e v e r y b o d y can d r i v e w i t h o u t h i s / h e r knowing i t . The
Anti-Terrorim
Laws
To g r a s p t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e o f the new a n t i - t e r r o r i s m l a w s , a b r i e f d e s c r i p t i o n of the r e s i s t a n c e w i t h i n t h e l a s t two y e a p s i s necessary. 1985 - Zimmermann, a member o f the board of d i r e c t o r s of MTU ( m u n i t i o n s company), was shot. 1986 - B e c k u r t s , manager o f S i e m e n s , was k i l l e d i n h i s c a r by an e x p l o s i v e d e v i c e . . - von B r a u n m u h l , d i p l o m a t and a d v i s e r to the f o r e i g n m i n i s t e r was s h o t . In the ranks of the " l a w f u l " r e s i s t a n c e movement, an i n c r e a s e d , m i l i t a n c y was b e g i n n i n g t o emerge. On t h e i s s u e o f t h e d e p l o y ment o f C r u i s e M i s s i l e s , t h e P e a c e Movement p r o t e s t s were m o s t l y n o n - v i o l e n t ; however,, i n . the a n t i - n u c l e a r f i e l d , t h e r e ware r e p e a t e d c a s e s of sabotage, a t t a c k s and c o n f r o n t a t i o n s w i t h the p o l i c e : - a p p r o x i m a t e l y 100 e l e c t r i c i t y p y l o n s w e r e sawn t h r o u g h and down i n one y e a r ; - repeated incendiary attacksw e r e c a r r i e d o u t on b u i l d i n g f i r m s i n v o l v e d . i n the cons t r u c t i o n o f n u c l e a r power plants; - attempts to d i s r u p t the transp o r t of n u c l e a r waste throughmeans o f b l o c k a d e s and t h e damaging o f r a i l w a y l i n e s ; - on t h e b u i l d i n g s i t e o f t h e planned r e p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t i n Bavaria, incidents reminiscent o f c i v i l war s c e n e s , i n w h i c h p e o p l e d i e d and w e r e i n j u r e d , , took p l a c e . Remarkably, a strong s o l i d a r i t y developed h e r e between t h e l o c a l p o p u l a t i o n and t h e m i l i t a n t s m a k i n g i t ' d i f f i c u l t fcr the p o l i c e to cope w i t h t h e s i t u a t i o n . Using t h i s background as a p r e t e x t , t h e f e d e r a l government drew t h e a n t i - t e r r o r i s m l a w s out of the h a t . F i r s t l y , the supergrass re-g u l a t i o n was t o be i n t r o d u c e d ; l i m i t e d t o two y e a r s , "members of t e r r o r i s t o r g a n i s a t i o n s " c o u l d be g r a n t e d immunity, on the d i s c l o s u r e of i n f o r m a t i o n . T h i s a t t e m p t was w r e c k e d on t h e h e s i t a t i o n o f one o f t h e g o v e r n i n g p a r t i e s who, i n s t e a d o f immunity, a d v o c a t e d a mere r e d u c t i o n o f the p e n a l t y . Remarkably, d u r i n g the p u b l i c d i s c u s s i o n of the w h o l e i s s u e , t h i s l a w was pushed v e r y much t o t h e f o r e a l t h o u g h the e f f e c t i v e n e s s of t h i s r e g u l a t i o n was much i n d o u b t ; m e a n w h i l e t h e o t h e r l e g a l meas u r e s , t h o u g h o f a more r e p r e s s i v e n a t u r e , were n o n e - t h e - l e s s
p o l i t e l y e s c o r t e d through. § 1 2 9 a o f t h e P e n a l Code, which d e a l s w i t h membership o f and support f o r a t e r r o r i s t organis a t i o n , was t i g h t e n e d up s u b stantially: up t o t h i s t i m e , t e r r o . s i s t o r g a n i s a t i o n s had been l e g a l l y d e f i n e d a s g r o u p s whose methods were murder, m a n s l a u g h t e r , k i d - , n a p p i n g , a r s o n and e x p l c t i o n s , , . t h e new r e g u l a t i o n s were now to i n c l u d e : - dangerous i n t e r f e r e n c e s i n t r a i n - , s h i p - and a i r - t r a f f i c . I n r e a l i t y t h i s means : d i s r u p t i n g the t r a n s p o r t of m u n i t i o n s and n u c l e a r w a s t e . - disrupting public services. I n r e a l i t y t h i s means: damage t o e l e c t r i c i t y p y l o n s , a t t a c k s on m i l i t a r y and p o l i c e e s t a b l i s h m e n t s of a l l s o r t s , on p l a n t s p r o d u c i n g e n e r g y t h i s a l s o i n c l u d e d machinery on t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e o f a nuclear plant. The p e n a l t y f o r membership o f s u c h an o r g a n i s a t i o n was i n c r e a s e d from a f i v e to a t e n year prison sentence. Up t o t h i s t i m e , s o - c a l l e d t e r r o r i s t o r g a n i s a t i o n s were t h o s e w i t h t h e aim o f c a u s i n g human i n j u r y , now h o w e v e r damage t o p r o p e r t y s u f f i c e d . C o n s i d e r i n g the p o s i t i o n of t h e r e s i s t a n c e movement, d e s c r i b e d above, i t i s c l e a r t h a t these laws a r e a d i r e c t attempt a t the r e p r e s s i o n of the m i l i t a n t r e s i s t a n c e movement. The a t t e m p t by t h o s e who govern, to r e d e f i n e t h e t e r m t e r r o s i s m and t o l a b e l a s many p e o p l e a s p o s s i b l e t e r r o r i s t s , now had a l e g a l foundation. T h i s law has d i f f e r e n t o b j e c tives : 1. P o t e n t i a l p e r p e t r a t o r s should be d i s c o u r a g e d by t h e h i g h deg r e e o f p u n i s h m e n t and t h e aggravation of imprisonment conditions which people s i t t i n g u n d e r §129a e n d u r e ( s o l i t a r y confinement, h i g h - s e c u r i t y wing, e t c . ) . 2. The c r i m i n a l i s a t i o n o f t h e r e s i s t a n c e movement was t o be. a c h i e v e d through the p o s s i b i l i t y of d o l i n g o u t h a r d p e n a l t i e s to t h e p e r p e t r a t o r s and g e n e r a l l y by b e i n g a b l e t o g e t t h e i r h a n d s on and c o n v i c t more people w i t h the a i d of t h i s § i n t h e P e n a l Code. The r e p r o a c h w i t h membership o f o r s u p port for a t e r r o r i s t organis a t i o n , c o u l d f u r t h e r be p u t to u s e i n t h e w i d e f i e l d of-, t h e r e s i s t a n c e movement.. E i t h e r one o f t h e above-ment i o n e d p u n i s h a b l e o f f e n c e s can be p r o v e n and t h u s membership i n a t e r r o r i s t o r g a n i s a t i o n or one t r i e s t o f a b r i c a t e membership i f i t i s n ' t p o s s i b l e to come up w i t h e v i d e n c e o f a c o n c r e t e o f f e n c e . This, shouldn't prove d i f f i c u l t for t h e c o u r t s and t h e DPP, cons i d e r i n g - the l o o s e d e f i n i t i o n of " t e r r o r i s t o r g a n i s a t i o n " . 3. A l o n g s i d e t h i s " t h i g h t e n i n g up", t h e r e i s a l s o an a t t e m p t b e i n g made t o c a u s e a s p i t i n t h e moveme-nt. M i l i t a n t r e s i s t a n c e , d r a w i n g s u p p o r t fromsome o f t h e p o p u l a c e , should C9 e l i - i r . a t e d t h r o u g h t h i s 1
l a b e l of t e r r o r i s m . At t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h i s y e a r , a n o t h e r l a w came i n t o f o r c e dec l a r i n g the p r o v i s i o n of i n f o r m a t i o n on and i n c i t e m e n t t o , commit an " o f f e n c e " a s an o f f e n c e i n i t s own right. T h i s gave t h e DPP a f r e e hand to p r o c e e d a g a i n s t e v e r y " s c e n e " newspaper; every newspaper d i s c u s s i n g a c t i o n s w h i c h c o u l d be . branded " c r i m i n a l " or p r o v i d i n g i n f o r m a t i o n on s u c h a c t i o n s o r a t t a c k s ; e v e r y u t t e r a n c e , even when w o r t h l e s s , can be I n t e r p r e t e d as a g u i d e l i n e or i n c i t e m e n t to a p u n i s h a b l e a c t . P u b l i c a t i o n s , where i t c a n n o t be p r o v e n t h a t t h e c o n t e n t s c o n t a i n a d i r e c t c a l l or i n c i t e ment to a c t i o n , can n e v e r t h e l e s s be p r o s e c u t e d b a s i n g t h e a c c u s a t i o n on t h e c o n t e x t o f the paper i n g e n e r a l . T h i s m e a s u r e n o t o n l y makes a j o k e of the " r i g h t " to freedom of e x p r e s s i o n , i t a l s o attempts to p a r a l y s e any k i n d o f b r o a d based d i s c u s s i o n t a k i n g p l a c e w i t h i n t h e movement. Under t h i s l a w , n o t o n l y t h e p e o p l e who e d i t and p r o d u c e newspapers or pamphlets a r e open to p r o s e c u t i o n , t h o s e i n volved i n p r i n t i n g , type-setting copying s e l l i n g , d e l i v e r i n g are also l i a b l e . Other "trimmings" a r e planned: - the use of a b a l a c l a v a or d i s g u i s e on a d e m o n s t r a t i o n i s to become an o f f e n c e . - t h e r i g h t to d e m o n s t r a t e i s t o be c u t somewhat: 1. Any p e r s o n who d o e s n ' t d i s t a n c e h i m / h e r s e l f from a group by w h i c h an o f f e n c e i s c o m m i t t e d , l e a v e s h i m / h e r s e l f open t o being charged; imprisonment i s threatened. 2. P e o p l e who h a v e once been thus c o n v i c t e d , would, a f t a r a v i o l e n t demonstration, be a u t o m a t i c a l l y l i a b l e to de| t e n t i o n as p o s s i b l e s u s p e c t s .
!
The C r i m i n a l i s a t i o n Radical Press
of
the
I n t h e wake o f t h e B e r l i n S q u a t t i n g Movement o f 1 9 8 0 - 8 3 , " R a d i k a l " h a s become one o f t h e most i m p o r t a n t p a p e r s o f t h e German autonomous g r o u p s . "Radikal" i s published irregul a r l y , more r e c e n t l y from abroad as a consequence of a charge a g a i n s t the l e g a l l y r e s p o n s i b l e e d i t o r s . The 1WQ could only a v o i d imprisonment t h r o u g h t h e i r e l e c t i o n to t h e European P a r l i a m e n t as r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the Green P a r t y . A f t e r the p u b l i c a t i o n of the l a s t i s s u e , " R a d i k a l No. 132", t h e c o u r t s and the p o l i c e have s e t i n motion a complete p l a n of o b s e r v a t i o n and i n t i m i d a t i o n o f t h e distributors. Armed w i t h s e a r c h w a r r a n t s , t h e p o l i c e s e a r c h e d 12 books h o p s and p r o j e c t s i n B e r l i n , U i n F r a n k f u r t , another U i n Hamburg, 30 more i n t h e r e s t o f West Germany. The s e c r e t s e r v i c e was p r e s e n t d u r i n g the s e a r c h e s . Standard c h a r g e s were brought
a g a i n s t the p r o j e c t s . I n cont r a s t to the charges a g a i n s t t h e a c t u a l e d i t o r s , who were, sued f o r "support f o r a t e r r o r i s t o r g a n i s a t i o n " , now t h e d i s t r i b u t o r s were charged w i t h "support f o r the support f o r a terrorist organisation"(sic!). I n O c t o b e r '86 t h e a u t h o r i t i e s c a r r i e d o u t new house s e a r c h e s . T h i s t i m e t h e y were d i r e c t e d by t h e F e d e r a l P o l i c e A u t h o r i t y ( B K A ) . The p o l i c e knew o f t h e a r r i v a l o f some c o p i e s b e c a u s e t h e N a t i o n a l P o s t O f f i c e had p r o v i d e d them w i t h t h e s u b s c r i b e r list. The c a s e o f t h e " R a d i k a l " i s n o t u n i q u e . The e d i t o r i a l b o a r d o f the S t u t t g a r t magazine " S ' B l a t t l e " a l s o p r e f e r r e d to go a b r o a d a f t e r b e i n g c h a r g e d w i t h § 1 2 9 a . And t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e r e l a t i v e s and f r i e n d s o f p o l i t c a l p r i s o n e r s "Die V e r gessenen" (the forgotten.) f i n d s i t s e l f i n t h e same p o s i t i o n now. T h i s w i n t e r a much more mass i v e c a s e o f c e n s o r s h i p to.ok p l a c e i n B a v a r i a , a g a i n s t the Anti-WAA m a g a z i n e " R a d i A k t i v " . . " R a d i A k t i v " has a c i r c u l a t i o n o f 5,000 c o p i e s and h a s been p u b l i s h e d by t h e B a v a r i a n Conference of B l ' s s i n c e February j 1 9 8 5 . The e d i t o r s o f t h e l a s t I s i x i s s u e s ( n i n e h a v e come out. so f a r ) w e r e p r o s e c u t e d . In January 87 t h e t r i a l a g a i n s t t h e e d i t o r s o f No. 6 t o o k p l a c e . The c h a r g e s w e r e : - " i n c i t e m e n t to c r i m e " : t h e y had p r i n t e d a l i s t o f t h e companies i n v o l v e d i n the c o n s t r u c t i o n cf t h e WAA which had been t a r g e t s o f s a b o t a g e . - " s m e a r i n g the symbols of the S t a t e " : t h e y had made a c a r i c a t u r e o f the B a v a r i a n c o a t o f arms s h o w i n g the h e r a l d i c l i o n s as b r u t a l cops. - a n o t h e r " i n c i t e m e n t t o crime".: | thew had a p p e a l e d to l e a k o u t i n f o r m a t i o n on a u t h o r i t i e s c o n c e r n e i n g c o r r u p t i o n , etc.. I n the f i r s t c a s e the charges were dropped but n o t i n the s e icond and t h i r d c a s e . I T h e s e p r o c e e d i n g s h a v e been a [ t e s t t r i a l f o r t h e new §130a ' ( c e n s o r s h i p of a n y t h i n g " t h a t m i g h t i n c i t e t o a c r i m e " ) . They a r e n o t o n l y aimed a t c o l l e c t i n g a s much i n f o r m a t i o n on the. r a d i c a l scene as p o s s i b l e but a l s o to suppress i t s communications network. Addresses: R a d i k a l : d o u b l e e n v e l o p e , on t h e o u t e r one: I n t e r n a t i o n a l Gr^n F o r t l i n g R y e s g a d e 58 DK-2100 K«(benhaun i on t h e i n n e r one: Z.K. Die Vergessenen: M a i n z e r L a n d s t r a s s e 14-7 D-6000 F r a n k f u r t / M a i n s'Blattle: c/o Decoy Postfach K2 NL-9700 AC G r o n i n g e n RadiAktiv: Rothenburger S t r . 106 D-8500 N i i r n b e r g 70
E m i g r a n t s and Refugees I n West'. Germany A n t i - R a c i s t and S o l i d a r i t y S t r u g g l e s B e f o r e WWI i t was t h e P o l i s h who' e m i g r a t e d from t h e i r c o u n t r y , imp o v e r i s h e d and e x p l o i t e d , w i t h the p r o s p e c t o f l a b o u r i n g i n the then c e n t r e o f E u r o p e a n i m p e r i a lism, Berlin. Today t h e T u r k i s h and K u r d s make up t h e b i g g e s t i m m i g r a n t m i n o r i t y i n W e s t - B e r l i n and West Germany. They come from t h e p o o r e s t r e g i o n s of the Middle E a s t , w h i c h a r e s o c i a l l y d e s t r o y e d by the a d v a n c e o f c a p i t a l i s m . D r i v e n o u t o f t h e i r c o u n t r i e s by the d i f f i c u l t i e s to s u r v i v e t h e r e t h e y were l u r e d to Germany w i t h f a l s e p o l i t i c a l p r o m i s e s i n the 60s. The t y p i c a l method o f e m i g r a t i o n i s a s f o l l o w s : t h e y come from t h e c o u n t r y s i d e i n t o the slum s u b u r b s o f the b i g T u r k i s h c i t i e s . Then t h e y l e a v e t h e i r c o u n t r y and t h e i r f a m i l i e s i n m i l l i o n s t o t r a v e l t o the i n d u s t r i a l N o r t h o f E u r o p e . Eco-. nomic r e a s o n s a r e n ' t t h e c s u s e in a l l cases; there are p o l i t i c a l reasons as w e l l . The s t r u g g l e s t a k i n g p l a c e i n I s t a m b u l i n t h e s l u m s and i n the f a c t o r i e s have t u r n e d Turkey into a pre-revolutionary country. The m i l i t a r y f o l l o w i n g NATO d i r e c t i v e s smashed t h o s e c e n t r e s
of popular s t r u g g l e . During t h e i r a n t i - r e v o l u t i o n a r y campaign t h e y k i l l e d more t h a n 5,000 people. I n West Germany the i m m i g r a n t T u r k s c a r r i e d out s t r u g g l e s i n German f a c t o r i e s b e i n g t h e p r o t a g o n i s t s o f t h e g r e a t 1973 s t r i k e s . The s t r u g g l e s ended w i t h the d i s m i s s a l of a l o t of T u r k i s h s t r i k e r s and l e d to s p e c i a l laws for f o r e i g n e r s . The m a j o r i t y o f t h e T u r k s have been l i v i n g i n Germany f o r 15 to 20 y e a r s . T h e i r c h i l d r e n cons t i t u t e t h e s o - c a l l e d s e c o n d gen e r a t i o n . They p r e f e r s p e a k i n g German to T u r k i s h and a r e i n a bad p o s i t i o n a s t h e y f a l l between two c u l t u r e s . How can t h e y preserve t h e i r c u l t u r a l i d e n t i t y and the memory o f t h e i r p a r e n t s ' s t r u g g l e s and t h e i r orig i n ? How can t h e y d e f e n d thems e l v e s a g a i n s t racism degrading them to s e c o n d - c l a s s p e r s o n s ? S h a l l t h e y s t a y i n West Germany where they a r e a b u s e d a s f o r e i g n e r s o r s h a l l t h e y r e t u r n to T u r k e y where t h e y a r e r e g a r d e d a s Germans? They a r e l i v i n g i n g h e t t o s , concentrated in p a r t i c u l a r areas: Kreuzberg i n B e r l i n , G a l l u s i n
F r a n k f u r t ; a r e a s where they are l i v i n g a l o n g s i d e the p o o r e s t Germans; a l o n g s i d e t h e r a d i c a l German l e f t ; where t h e r e i s l i t t l e work and a l o t o f dreams; a r e a s where t h e s q u a t t i n g movements had i t s o r i g i n s . B u t t h o s e quarters are fragmented; there i s l i t t l e c o n t a c t between Turks and German-, b e t w e e n Punks and o l d p e o p l e , between p o o r shopk e e p e r s and p o l i t i c a l c o l l e c t i v e s , between w o r k e r s and u n e m p l o y e d . I t i s an i m p o r t a n t t a s k to r e move t h a t f r a g m e n t a t i o n and to develop networks of s o l i d a r i t y and s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t r a c i s m and m a r g i n a l i s a t i o n , to b u i l d up a s e l f - o r g a n i s e d and a n t i - c a p i t a l i s t project. In 1973 t h e West German G o v e r n ment d e c i d e d to p u t a h a l t to immigration. S i n c e then only r e l a t i v e s of people a l r e a d y l i v i n g i n West Germany h a v e been admitted. S u r r e p t i t i o u s l y the conditions of f a m i l y r e u n i f i c a t i o n were a g g r a v a t e d . I n f a c t , t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l o b l i g a t i o n to p r o t e c t the f a m i l y only r e l a t e s to Germans; f o r e x a m p l e , c h i l d ren are admitted only i f they a r e below 16; a n e w l y m a r r i e d husband can t a k e h i s w i f e t o
Germany o n l y i f he h a s been l i v i n g there for a t l e a s t 8 y e a r s ; the e f f e c t of t h i s i s t h a t t h e y m i g h t n o t meet e a c h o t h e r f o r two o r t h r e e y e a r s . On top o f a l l t h i s : i f t h e young w i f e i n t e n d s t o s e e h e r husband i n West Germany she has t o o b t a i n a v i s a and t o l e a v e a d e p o s i t a t t h e German embassy i n T u r k e y ; i f s h e s t a y s i n West Germany l o n g e r t h a n t h r e e months s h e i s e x p e l l e d , l o o s e s h e r d e p o s i t , e v e n i f she became p r e g n a n t i n t h e meantime. I n c o n t e m p o r a r y West Germany, a c e n t r e r i c h w i t h l u x u r y and p r o f i t s , t a l k i n g of misery i s hardly understood, t a l k i n g of h u n g e r , war o r f o r c e d e m i g r a t i o n meets d e a f e a r s . P e r h a p s i t e v o k e s memories t h e y ' d l i k e t o supp r e s s . But e v e r y r e f u g e e c a r r i e s t h a t memory w i t h h i m / h e r . T h e r e i s a r e l a t i o n o f c a u s e and e f f e c t b e t w e e n t h e w e a l t h h e r e and t h e s i t u a t i o n h a v i n g prompted the f l i g h t . Here w e a l t h , t h e r e exp r o p r i a t i o n s , here l a b o u r , there w a r s c a u s e d by i m p e r i a l i s m and p r o v i d e d w i t h arms p r o d u c e d h e r e , '//ho h a s n ' t h e a r d o f t h e e c o l o g i c a l and e c o n o m i c c a t a s t r o p h e s p r o v o k e d by l o w - c o s ^ production, and o f t h e a g r i c u l t u r e d e p e n d e n t on o u r c h e m i c a l i n d u s t r i e s ? Some t e n s o f t h o u s a n d s r e f u g e e s h a v e a r r i v e d h e r e so f a r ; r e fugees f o r e x p l i c i t l y p o l i t i c a l r e a s o n s o r , i n g e n e r a l , on t h e f l i g h t from p o l i t i c a l and economic m i s e r y . A m i n i m a l f a c t i o n of t h o s e 17 m i l l i o n r e f u g e e s w o r l d w i d e t h a t a r e known i n t h e l a s t y e a r s . But s t a r t i n g w i t h t h e i r a r r i v a l i n West Germany and West 3 e r l i n i n the '80s a n o t h e r phase o f the d i r t y h i s t o r y of o f f i c i a l ,and s t a t e r a c i s m t o w a r d s f o r e i g n e r s began. The i m a g e s o f forced emigration during the Nazi e r a reappear, the hard ' l a b o u r f o r 30p an h o u r , t h e work camps i s o l a t e d from t h e r e s t o f the population. The c a u s e i s m i n i m a l i n numbeis compared w i t h t h e s i t u a t i o n i n o t h e r c o u n t r i e s but the ideol o g i c a l apparatus of r e j e c t i o n i s g i g a n t i c . They a r e lodged i n a n c i e n t b u i l d i n g s , i n cheap vacant boarding houses, i n b a r r a k s a n d " c o n t a i n e r camps". They
a r e p r o h i b i t e d to w o r k , r e f u s e d c a s h and k e p t b e h i n d w a l l s and f e n c e s c o n s t a n t l y . The l i e s a b o u t t h e i r c r i m i n a l i t y and t h e i r i n security build intransmissible w a l l s . T h e y a r e t h e f i r s t and l e a s t d e f e n s i b l e v i c t i m s of w e l f a r e p o l i t i c s w h i c h i s an example and a w a r n i n g o f a f u t u r e when s o c i e t y and i t s p o l i t i c a l c o n sensus d i s i n t e g r a t e . N a t u r a l l y , t h e n e x t v i c t i m s w i l l be n o n c o n f o r m i s t s and t h o s e who a r e e c o nomically marginalised by t h e c r i s i s . The c o u r t s ' d e a l i n g w i t h t h e i r a p p e a l s f o r asysum i s a m a r v e l l ous e x a m p l e o f t h e r e l a t i v i t y and o p p o r t u n i s m o f t h e j u d i c i a l s y s t e m and t h e l a w . Though t h e a r t i c l e no. 16 o f t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n guarantees the r i g h t of asylum without l i m i t a t i o n s f o r anybody p e r s e c u t e d f o r h i s / h e r p o l i t i c a l or r e l i g i o u s c o n v i c t i o n s or h i s / h e r r a c e ; the c o u r t s h a v e d e v e l o p e d an a b s u r d p r a c t i c e ; f o r example, t o r t u r e i s no r e a s o n t o a c c e p t anybody as a p o l i t i c a l refugee i f a l l p r i s o n e r s of t h a t country (as i s the case i n Turkey) a r e t o r t u r e d i n d i s c r i m i n a t e l y . The j u d i c i a l l o g i c i s t h a t : the i r e f u g e e can t c l a i m a g e n e r a l (condition of h i s / h e r country as a p e r s o n a l reason f o r h i s / h e r flight. I These r e c e n t j u d i c i a l d e c i s i o n s Iwould h a v e meant t h a t Jews p e r jsecuted i n the Nazi e r a wouldn't jbe g r a n t e d p o l i t i c a l a s y l u m i n other countries. Witnesses of such p e r s e c u t i o n are T a m i l s , hunted i n S r i Lanka, t h e n coming t o West Germany and then r e f u s e d asylum; or Kurds, v i c t i m s of the b r u t a l r e p r e s s i o n by T u r k i s h n a t i o n a l i s m and n o t r e c o g n i s e d as such. I t i s no wonder, h o w e v e r , t h a t jmost r e f u g e e s a r e n o t g r a n t e d a s y l u m i n t h i s c o u n t r y ; and t h a t j t h e e x p u l s i o n s and d e p o r t a t i o n s to t h e c o u n t r i e s o f o r i g i n t u r n the odyssey of the f l i g h t i n t o a t r a g e d y . T h e r e a r e 200,000 people l i v i n g here without t h e i r refugee s t a t u s being recognised. They a r e " t o l e r a t e d " , i n t h e e y e s o f t h e A l i e n s O f f i c e . The a c t u a l e x p u l s i o n depends on t h e
i n f o r m a t i o n g i v e n by t h e German e m b a s s i e s and t h e a s s e s s m e n t made by d i f f e r e n t s t a t e i n s t i t u t i o n s on t h e s i t u a t i o n i n t h e c o u n t r i e s o f o r i g i n . P o l i c e and s o c i a l s e r v i c e s a d m i n i s t e r the l o d g i n g s o f t h e r e f u g e e s and handle t h e i r appeals f o r asylum. O f f i c i a l r a c i s m d o e s n ' t have a c r u e l f a c e ; i t seldom s t a i n s i S c hands w i t h blood. I n g e n e r a l , i t s e x e c u t i v e f u n c t i o n a r i e s arid . e m p l o y e e s a r e c o r r e s t bureaucra-s i n t h e i r d e a l i n g s w i t h the isol a t i o n and d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f t h e i r v i c t i m s . When t h e moment o f e x p u l s i o n comes t h e y r a r e l y r e s o r t t o b r u t a l mass a c t i o n s . Only t h o s e s u s p e c t e d o f going u n d e r g r o u n d a r e t a k e n i n t o exp u l s i o n remand. I n g e n e r a l , how, e v e r , t h e y h a v e f o u r weeks to l e a v e ; t h e Red C r o s s b u y s t h e t i c k e t s f o r them. T h e r e a r e d i f f e r e n t c l a s s e s o'f r e f u g e e s . F i r s t l y , t h o s e from tlse E a s t European c o u n t r i e s of t h e r e f u g e e s from s t a t e communism; t h e y r e n e v e r e x p e l l e d . The r e f u g e e s from t h e M i d d l e E a s t a r e lower i n the h i e r a r c h y . A t t h e bottom you f i n d t h e A f r i c a n s , P a k i s t a n i s , C e y l o n e s and, i n g e n e r a l , a l l n o n - w h i t e s and non-Christians. Bureaucracy and p o l i c e maintain those differences: I b e t w e e n t h e r e f u g e e s . The E a s t E u r o p e a n s a r e p r o h i b i t e d to work f o r one y e a r , a l l t h e o t h e r s f a s t h r e e y e a r s . The s t a t e knows perf e c t l y w e l l t h a t they a l l have to work f o r a p i t t a n c e i n t h e b l a c k economy. They h a v e no other c h o i c e : the dole o f f i c e doesn't i s s u e cash b u t o n l y f o o d stamps a n d p a y s r e n t a n d expenses, i n s i d e t h e camps. T h e r e a r e h u n g e r s t r i k e s and continued p r o t e s t s of the people a f f e c t e d . S o l i d a r i t y was o r g a n i s e d between German c o l l e c t i v e s and groups of r e f u g e e s t h a t were p a r t i c u l a r l y a f f e c t e d l i k e the Leb a n e s e and P a l e s t i n i a n s who were t h r e a t e n e d by i m m e d i a t e e x p u l s i m i n w i n t e r o f '86. A p a r t o f t h e p r o t e s t a n t c h u r c h i s w i l l i n g to h i d e p e o p l e on c h u r c h p r e m i s e s . So do d o z e n s o f communes. As the b o r d e r s become i m p e r m i s s i b l e more and more t o u t s make b i g b u s i n e s s smuggling i n r e f u g e e s .
The P r i v a t i s a t i o n o f t h e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f Human. C o n t i n g e n t s The a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of the r e fugee c o n t i n g e n t , which the C i t y of W e s t - B e r l i n i s o b l i g e d t o t a k e ( 2 . 7 $ o f t h e t o t a l West German c o n t i n g e n t ) , can be expressed i n three steps: I . A d m i s s i o n and R e g i s t r a t i o n The r e f u g e e s r e c e n t l y a r r i v e d i n W e s t - B e r l i n came v i a E a s t Germany. Nowadays f e w e r a r e ' c o m i n g v i a t h e E a s t b e c a u s e the E a s t German G o v e r n m e n t has c o r r u p t e d i t s e l f by m a k i n g a d e a l w i t h t h e West German Government; i n e x c h a n g e f o r a c r e d i t i t no l o n g e r admits refugees travelling t o West Germany o r S c a n d i n a v i a to e n t e r E a s t 3 e r l i n a i r p o r t s . T h o s e coming d i r e c t l y from E a s t Germany a n d t h o s e who w e r e t r a n s p o r t e d f r o m W e s t G-ermany t o
W e s t - B e r l i n to f i l l t h e l o c a l c o n t i n g e n t were l o d g e d i n a r e f u g e e camp on t h e p e r i p h e r y o f B e r l i n . T h i s camp i s run by t h e Red C r o s s . 3 e f o r e E a s t Germany c l o s e d her b o r d e r s two s i m i l a r camps were i n o p e r a t i o n . Today t h e a u t h o r i t i e s a r e p l a n n i n g to h o u s e them t o g e t h e r w i t h h o m e l e s s p e o p l e . I n t h e w i n t e r o f '86 " c o n t a i n e r camps" were s e t up to "house" the newly a r r i v e d r e f u g e e s . The Red C r o s s was i n v o l v e d i n t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n and a d m i n i s t r a t i o n as w e l l . I I . , Custody A l l r e f u g e e s are kept i n those camps d u r i n g t h e time when t h e i r a p p e a l s f o r p o l i t i c a l a s y l u m are
two t o f i v e y e a r s . The c u s t o d y t a k e s p l a c e i n one o f t h e 2 4 camps p r o v i d i n g a t o t a l o f 3,500 p l a c e s . The r e f u g e e s have no o p t i o n to l i v e e l s e w h e r e . The Red C r o s s owns a b o u t 800 p l a c e s - 7 camps and 300 more p l a c e s i n b a r r a c k s . There i s a g e n e r a l agreement of c e s s i o n between t h e Red C r o s s and t h e West B e r l i n Government. S p e c u l a t o r s who had transformed p r i v a t e boarding houses i n t o r e f u g e e camps i n the p a s t l o s t t h e i r s t a t e t e n d e r s to l o d g e r e f u g e e s . R e f u g e e camps a r e now e x c l u s i v e l y ceeded t o t h e Red Cross. The r e f u g e e s k e p t i n t h o s e camps a r e g u a r d e d by p r i v a t e
a t t e n d e d by a GP, e m p l o y e d by t h e Red C r o s s , f e d by an i n d u s t r i a l catering service (without t a k i n g i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n the r e f u g e e s ' customs o r r e l i g i o u s p r a c t i c e s ) and p r o v i d e d w i t h c l o t h e s and d i v e r s e u t i l i t i e s . For v i t a l expenses t h e y r e c e i v e f o o d stamps and a l i t t l e cash. The c h i l d ' r e n a r e n o t o b l i g e d to go t o s c h o o l . T h o s e who h a v e found a teacher w i l l i n g to take t h e m a r e o f t e n t h r o w n o u t by t h e German p a r e n t s f o r f e a r o f
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t h e i r k i d s b e i n g i n bad company. I I I . Equal Status to o t h e r Foreigners 'When t h e i r a p p e a l f o r p o l i t i c a l asylum i s recognised they are a l l o w e d t o l o o k f o r w o r k and a l i v e l i h o o d . They r e c e i v e s o c i a l s e c u r i t y i n c a s h . The Red C r o s s i s r e c e i v i n g DM33.50 p e r d a y (L11) f o r each a d u l t r e f u g e e ( h a l f o f t h a t f o r k i d s ) . For looking after their contingent t h e Red C r o s s e m p l o y s 300 p e o p l e , h a l f o f who- a r e f o r -
Situation in Berlin
T h e r e a r e 10 p r i s o n s i n B e r l i n today, which a l l work a c c o r d i n g to d i f f e r e n t methods. Normal p e n i t e n t i a r y c o n d i t i o n s are f o u n d i n h o u s e s 1wo a n d t h r e e o f t h e o l d p r i s o n T e g e l , and i n t h e U H A - M o a b i t . They f o l l o w t h i sa-e p a t t e r n s o f p r i s o n s throughout the w o r l d : d e t e n t i o n , a minimum o f s o c i a l p r o g r a m m i n g , an e x t e n s i v e d i s c i p l i n a r y system r a n g i n g from the w i t h drawal of buying p r i v i l e g e s to c e l l c o n f i n e m e n t , and, o f c o u r s e , t h e b e a t i n g s c a r r i e d o u t by t h e " r a i d i n g s q u a d " , and f o r s u b m i s sive behaviour, l i g h t e r p r i s o n c o n d i t i o n s r a n g i n g from o f f grounds p r i v i l e g e s to t r a n s f e r r a l t o a "minimum s e c u r i t y p r i son". F o r some y e a r s now B e r l i n a n d West Germany h a v e been f o l l o w i n g
maximum s e c u r i t y p r i s o n s i n t h e f i r s t p h a s e ; and i n B e r l i n the r e b u i l d i n g o f a p a r t o f the p r e - t r i a l d e t e n t i o n b u i l d i n g i n t o a maximum s e c u r i t y s e c t i o n . I n t h e second phase now u n d e r w a y , a l l t h e new buildings are being c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h i s way, - as we h a v e t o i l l u s t r a t e i n t h e case o f t h e new womens p r i s o n a t P l d t z e n see a n d t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e new j u v e n i l e p r i s o n . The b a s i c p r i n c i p l e u n d e r l y i n g t h e p e n i t e n t i a r y methods i s , t h a t a p e r s o n who goes a g a i n s t s o c i a l norms i s c o n s i d e r e d t o be i l l . The i d e a t h a t his/her behaviour has a r i s e n from s o c i e t a l c o n d i t i o n s t h a t s/he i s by no means i l l , and t h a t t h e c o n d i t i o n s u n d e r w h i c h we l i v e a r e i n s a n e , m u s t troyea. ivs
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eigners - t h e i r c o n t r a c t s are l i m i t e d f o r 3 or 6 months. I n 1986 t h e B e r l i n G o v e r n m e n t s p e n t a b o u t 100 m i l l i o n M a r k s on r e f u g e e s p r e s e n t i n t h e c i t y ( a b o u t 7,000 p e r s o n s ) . T h a t a m o u n t s t o a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2,000 Marks p e r p e r s o n p e r month. .The a c t u a l c o s t s , h o w e v e r , a r e e s t i m a t e d a t a b o u t 300 M a r k s p e r p e r s o n p e r m o n t h . The difference i s the p r o f i t f o r 3uch h u m a n i t a r i a n o r g a n i s a t i o n s as t h e Red C r o s s .
Prisons should develop the f e e l i n g t h a t s/he h i m / h e r s e l f i s a t f a u l t . The r e a s o n s why s/he l a n d e d i n p r i s o n f o r m e r l y f e l l under the h e a d l i n e GUILT. T o d a y , i n t h e wake o f i n c r e a s i n g p s y c h o l o g i s a t i o n w i t h i n the i n d u s t r i a l s o c i e t i e s , i t i s c a l l e d an ILLNESS, w h i c h m u s t be t r e a t e d . Since the p r i s o n e r i s deeply d i s t u r b e d , s/he n e e d s a p s y c h o l o g i s t and/or a s o c i a l worker to h e l p him/her f i n d the r i g h t p a t h back t o s o c i e t y . A f u r t h e r goal i s to prevent t h e a r i s a l o f any k i n d o f s o l i d a r i t y between the p r i s o n e r s ; t h i s s o l i d a r i t y b e i n g one a g a i n s t p r i s o n c o n d i t i o n s and a g a i n s t t h e inhumane o u t s i d e c o n d i t i o n s . To r e a c h t h i s g o a l , t h e p r i s o n e r s e i t h e r are i s o l a t e d , or i n the case o f group l i v i n g , s m a l l g r o u p s a r e s e t up, each under
d i f f e r e n t c o n d i t i o n s . T h i s way t h e y work a t b e s t a g a i n s t e a c h o t h e r . These s m a l l groups, u s u a l l y between 6 a n d 15 p e o p l e , a r e t h e n c a r e f u l l y o b s e r v e d and c o n t r o l l e d by p s y c h o l o g i s t s a n d s o c i a l workers. In such small g r o u p s t h e r e i s no p o s s i b i l i t y of a v o i d a n c e o f c o n t r o l because they r e c o n s t a n t l y watched. I f the p r i s o n e r plays along, s/he g e t s p r e f e r e n t i a l t r e a t ment r a n g i n g t o t h e t e m p o r a r y l e a v i n g of the premises. Punishment a l s o means c e l l c o n f i n e m e n t and maximum s e c u r i t y d e t e n t i o n (here, these p r i s o n e r s are a l r e a d y i n maximum s e c u r i t y p r i sons The d i f f e r e n c e between t h i s and t h e i s o l a t i o n wards i s t h e r e a r e no s h a r e d b a t h and toilet facilities in isolation. P l a y i n g a l o n g means t h a t p r i soners cooperate with the p s y c h o l o g i s t s and/or s o c i a l w o r k e r s , and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n group and i n d i v i d u a l d i s c u s s i o n . The p r i s o n e r s have t o t a l k o v e r t h e i r problems, e t c . with the p r i s o n p s y c h o l o g i s t s , whereby " o p e n e s s " i s a c a t e g o r y by which t h e w i l l i n g n e s s t o be t r e a t e d i s m e a s u r e d . The p r i s o n p s y c h o l o g i s t s a r e s u p p o s e d t o become f a t h e r f i g u r e s , mother f i g u r e s ,
doctors, i n short everything. To a c c o m p l i s h t h i s , t h e y u s e the w h o l e s p e c t r u m o f p s y c h o l o g i c a l methods: g e s t a l t therapy, conversation therapy, rolegames, and so on. The end g o a l i s that the prisoner internalises the system, i n c l u d i n g the p o l i c e and t h e j u d g e s . A t t h i s p o i n t , he i s h e a l t h y a g a i n a n d i s r e = • l e a s e d . I ti s the story of brainw a s h i n g t h a t h a s been t r i e d a n d s c i e n t i f i c a l l y prepared througho u t t h e a g e s a n d now f i n d s i t s way i n t o t h e n o r m a l p r i s o n s . I n order f o r i t to f u n c t i o n , there may be no s o l i d a r i t y between the p r i s o n e r s because t h i s would strengthen the o l d " s i c k " ident i t y and h i s / h e r w i l l would n o t be b r o k e n . When f r i e n d s h i p s a r i s e i n t h e s m a l l g r o u p s , t h e y are i m m e d i a t e l y b r o k e n up. A g a i n s t t h i s b a c k g r o u n d , one can u n d e r s t a n d t h a t p s y c h o l d g i s t s and s o c i a l w o r k e r s a r e employed i n l a r g e numbers i n the p r i s o n . Furthermore,their a u t h o r i t y c o n s t a n t l y grows s t r o n g e r so t h a t t h e i r f i n d i n g s h a v e c o n s i d e r a b l e i n f l u e n c e on e a r l y r e l e a s e s . The p r i s o n e r s ' d e p e n d e n c e on them i n c r e a s e s , whereby they (the p s y c h o l o g i s t s
and s o c i a l w o r k e r s ) u s e t h e i r e x p a n d e d b a s i s o f power to p l a y the p r i s o n e r s a g a i n s t each other. T h i s they c a l l cooperatioo, and r e f u s a l t o c o o p e r a t e c a l l s f o r t h e a f o r e - m e n t i o n e d consequences. A t h i r d r e a s o n why t h e s e raethms are being p r a c t i s e d i n a l l o f B e r l i n ' s new p r i s o n s most c e r t a i n l y l i e s i n the f a c t , that under the former system there h a s been r e s i s t a n c e i n a l l o f t h e o l d p r i s o n s . To some e x t e n t i t was s u p p o r t e d f r o m o u t s i d e , with the r e s u l t t h a t prisons as a s u b j e c t r e c e i v e d widespread a t t e n t i o n . A l l t r e a t m e n t grom g u a r d s r e p e a t e d l y became p u b l i c Under t h e t h e r a p e u t i c c o n t r o l system t h i s w i l l n o t l i k e l y r e c u r . The r u l i n g c l a s s c o n s i d e r t h e s e methods t o be more e f f e c t i v e , p a r t i c u l a r l y s i n c e they c a n be more e a s i l y ( b e c a u s e t h e y r e i n v i s i b l e ) p r e s e n t e d to the public. I n t h e f o l l o w i n g a woman p r i soner d e s c r i b e s the conditions in the o l d prison of the "Lehrters t r . " and h e r move t o t h e new women p r i s o n "Plbtzensee". P l b t z e n s e e was b u i l t f o r DM 117 m i l l i o n ( L 3 0 m i l ) and h a s a c a p a c i t y f o r 330 p l a c e s .
The Women's P r i s o n i n P l b tzense.e/Wes t B e r l i n An i n t e r v i e w w i t h a f o r m e r p r i s o n e r A: Can you d e s c r i b e t h e s e r i e s of events connected with the move from t h e p r i s o n i n L e h r t e r s t r a 3 e to P l b t z e n s e e ? B: B e f o r e t h e move we r e c e i v e d papers describing conditions i n P l b t z e n s e e . S u b s e q u e n t l y 11 women w a n t on h u n g e r s t r i k e i n prot e s t . T h e s e c o n d i t i o n s c a n be o u t l i n e d a s f o l l o w s : 10 women w e r e t o be i n one w i n g a n d t h e s e 10 were t o be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r k e e p i n g i t c l e a n . T h i s work w o u l d be w i t h o u t payment a n d had t o be done i n l e i s u r e t i m e . R e f u s a l t o do work meant r e moval o f c o n c e s s i o n s s u c h a s , shopping, a s s o c i a t i o n with other p r i s o n e r s , a c c e s s t o common rooms ( w h i c h meant among other a c t i v i t i e s TV v i e w i n g w o u l d be impossible). Two d a y s l a t e r we were i n f o r m e d t h a t one c o n c e s s i o n h a d been g r a n t e d , i e . c l e a n e r s w o u l d be introduced. O t h e r demands o f t h e h u n g e r s t r i k e r s were i g n o r e d e g . t h e d i v i s i o n o f women i n t o g r o u p s , t h a t the p r i s o n e r s could n o t a s s o c i a t e w i t h women i n o t h e r w i n g s a n d t h a t w i n g s w o u l d be under c o n s t a n t and t o t a l o b s e r v a t i o n . The d i v i s i o n o f women i n t o g r o u p s was p l a n n e d a l r e a d y by s o c i a l w o r k e r s i n L e h r t e r s t r . I n e f f e c t t h i s meant t h a t women had no c h o i c e o f whom t h e y spent t h e i r sentence with. A f t e r t h e move t o P l o t z e we e x a m i n e d t h e wing, were shewn how t h i n g s would r u n and where e v e r y t h i n g w a s . F o r a moment I f e l t a s i f I was i n a "Loony S i n " . My f i r s t i m p r e s s i o n o f the new p r i s o n was one o f a s y s t e m b u i l t t o t o t a l l y c o n t r o l and observe the prisoners a t a l l t i t e s . F o r example t h e c c t n o n
room i s a l m o s t d i r e c t l y o p p o s i t e the screws q u a r t e r s . A: Can you comment on t h e s u p p o r t from o u t s i d e , was t h e r e enough and how d i d you f i n d i t ? B: W h i l e on h u n g e r s t r i k e we h a d t h e f e e l i n g t h a t we w e r e n ' t a l o n e . On t h e o u t s i d e h a n d - o u t s were p r i n t e d a n d d i s t r i b u t e d , some o f w h i c h were r e c e i v e d i n s i d e . Y e s , we h a d t h e f e e l i n g t h a t we w e r e n ' t a l o n e and t h a t people w e r e s u p p o r t i n g u s . Of c o u r s e r e f u s a l o f f o o d was o u r o n l y weapon. A: What was y o u r i m p r e s s i o n o f the a r c h i t e c t u r e ? B: L e h r t e r s t r . i s an o l d b u i l d i n g w i t h wooden f l o o r s even i n t h e c e l l s . One h a d t h e f e e l i n g t h a t i t was r e l a t i v e l y n a t u r a l . P l o t z e on t h e o t h e r hand i s composed o f c o n c r e t e - j u s t l i k e top s e c u r i t y c e l l s . The w a l l s , c e i l i n g s , and f l o o r s a r e a l l o f cement - no f l a w s e x i s t ! T h e r e i s a s p e c i a l l i n o f l o o r coveri n g w h i c h i s c o m p l e t e l y soundl e s s . The c e i l i n g s a r e o v e r p o w e r i n g a n d somehow seem t o p r e s s more t i m e on o n e s s h o u l d e r s . E v e r y - . t h i n g l o o k s t h e same t h e r e . W h i l s t t h e r e my c h a r a c t e r changed c o m p l e t e l y . I was t h e l o n g e s t t h e r e . O t h e r women s a i d t h a t I acted a s i f under constant press u r e . F o r me t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e was t h e w o r s t e l e m e n t t h e r e . I'm
e v e r y t h i n g must s t a y i n t h e c e l l s . There's a t a b l e , a c h a i r , a bed and a p r e s s i n e a c h c e l l . E v e r y t h i n g must s t a y i n p l a c e and 2 - 3 t i m e s a week t h e c e l l s are controlled. Everything l o o k s so s t e r i l e . N o t h i n g c a n be hung on t h e w a l l s , no s t i c k e r s a r e a l l o w e d ( t h e y a r e removed and c o n f i s c a t e d ) . We c o u l d p l a c e s t i c k e r s i n L e h r t e r s t r . but i n P l b t z e n s e e i t was i m p o s s i b l e t o make t h e c e l l s more c o m f o r t a b l e . E v e r y t h i n g l o o k s t h e same i n Plotzensee. A: When you l o o k e d o u t o f t h e window i n P l b t z e n s e e t h e r e was c e r t a i n l y a b i g difference to Lehrterstr. B: I n t h e c e l l s t h e r e was a b i g window but o n l y one s i d e o f i t opened so i n f a c t i t was o n l y a s m a l l window. I o f t e n had t h i s open o t kook o u t a t t h e s k y a n d a l l o f a sudden i t o c c u r e d t o me t h a t y o u r c o u l d o n l y l o o k d i a g o n a l l y . Of c o u r s e t h i s has a b i g p s y c h o l o g i c a l e f f e c t on t h e p r i s o n e r s . T h a t ' s t h e way i t ' s b u i l t , i t ' s a "psychoprison" b u t most o f t h e women dont r e a l i z e t h i s . A: What a b o u t c o n t a c t (visual and v o c a l ) w i t h o t h e r s ? B: I t d o e s n ' t e x i s t . The p r i s o n i s b u i l t i n s u c h a way t h a t no communication through t h e windows i s p o s s i b l e . T h e r e i s n o t h i n g o p p o s i t e t h e windows. c o n v i n c e d t h a t i t was b u i l t t h a t You s i m p l y l o o k o u t i n t o t h e way t o p u t t h e women u n d e r p s y c h o yard. l o g i c a l pressure - i tf e l t l i k e A:What h a s c h a n g e d b e c a u s e o f a top s e c u t i t y p r i s o n . t h i s d i v i s i o n o f women i n t o A: What was y o u r c e l l l i k e ? s m a l l groups o f 10 - 15 p r i B: A l l t h e c e l l s kook t h e same. soners? They have a s e p a r a t e l o o w i t h B: T h e r e was a l o t more h a p p e n a hand b a s i n . I n L e h r t e r s t r . we i n g i n ' t h e L e h r t e r . T h e r e were could arrange the f u r n i t u r e as a b o u t 40 women t o g e t h e r i n we p l e a s e d , even throw i t o u t . one w i n g t h e r e . A l o t o f comIn 'plotzensee i t ' s d i f f e r e n t -
-2+ m u n i c a t i o n e x i s t e d and news c o u l d be e x c h a n g e d . I n P l o t z e , w i t h o n l y 10 women t o g e t h e r t h i s i s i m p o s s i b l e . T h e s e women h a v e no c o n t a c t w i t h t h e p r i s o n e r s i n other wings except i f by c h a n c e t h e y h a v e t h e same work. So i n o t h e r words t h e r e ' s no c h a n c e o f new information s p r e a d i n g among t h e women. P r i s o n e r s s e r v i n g l o n g term s e n t e n c e s a r e p l a c e d i n t o groups o f 15 and t h e r e i s no change o f i n m a t e s on a f r e q u e n t b a s i s . I n the "problem-wings" (e.g. drug a d d i c t s ) , the doors a r e a l w a y s c l o s e d and no one can v i s i t these wings. A: How do c o n d i t i o n s d i f f e r f o r a d d i c t s and non-addicts? B: The main d i f f e r e n c e e x i s t s w i t h r e s p e c t t o v i s i t s . We add i c t s had o n l y a 1/2 h o u r v i s i t 3 t i m e s a f o r t n i g h t a s opposed to n o n - a d d i c t s who h a v e a 1 h o u r v i s i t w e e k l y . . "he v i s i t i n g room f o r a d d i c t s h a s loudspeaker c o n t r o l and g l a s s s e p a r a t e s you from y o u r v i s i t o r . So i n f a c t no b o d i l y c o n t a c t i s p o s s i b l e . T h i s i s n o t t h e c a s e f o r nona d d i c t s . T h e y a r e a l l o w e d to h a v e b o d i l y c o n t a c t and o n l y 1 s c r e w c o n t r o l l s 4-6 women. Up to now t h e p r i s o n g o v e r n o r h a s maintained these r e s t r i c t i o n s f o r a d d i c t s a s a form o f o r d e r and s e c u r i t y . A: I s t h e r e any c o n t a c t between a d d i c t s and non-addicts? B: Only i n c h u r c h and a t work. One form o f work i s f o r example g a r d e n i n g . The p r i s o n s u p p l i e s f l o w e r s to c i v i l s e r v a n t s . C l o t h e s a r e made f o r t h e p o l i c e or u n i f o r m s a r e made f o r p e o p l e in various occupations. C i v i l s e r v a n t s can even h a v e t h e i r p r i v a t e c l o t h i n g made v e r y c h e a p l y . There i s a l s o a cant i n e f o r the p r i s o n a u t h o r i t i e s where we work. Our f o o d comes from a b o r s t a l . T h e r e a r e two chamber maids who c l e a n the wings: the s t a i r s , s c r e w s ' q u a r t e r s , e t c . I n addition a "Ziegner-Stiftung" e x i s t s which i s f o r the p r i s o n e r s themselves - not f o r the p r i s o n . This " S t i f t u n g " enables women to l e a r n how to work w i t h wood o v e r a p e r i o d o f 6 months and what one makes ( e . g . c h a i r s , t a b l e s , e t c ) can be k e p t . Then t h e r e i s a type of c o n v e y o r - b l e j l t work - making c u t l e r y , s e r v i e t t e s , e t c . f o r f i r m s l i k e "Pan Am". Work h a s to be c o m p l e t e d by t h e p r i s o n e r s o t h e r w i s e 10? i s ded u c t e d from t h e w a g e s . A p r i son l a u n d r y a l s o e x i s t s . P r i v a t e c l o t h i n g c a n be g i v e n i n t w i c e a week - to h a v e a p a i r o f j e a n s w a s h e d c o s t s 10 p f e n n i g s ( 3 p ) f o r e x a m p l e . L a u n d r y work i s t h e w o r s t form o f p r i s o n w-rk. Women s o m e t i m e s spend 8 h o u r s a day i r o n i n g f o r a mere DM8,65 ( L 2 . 7 5 ) . A: I s l a b o u r c o m p u l s o r y i n Plb t z e n s e e ? 3: A t p r e s e n t t h e r e a r e as many j o b s as p r i s o n e r s i n P l o t z e n s e e . L e h r t e r s t r . was b e t t e r . Even o t h e r p r i s o n s don't h a v e a s many p o s i t i o n s a s i n P l o t z e . Of c o u r s e t h e a u t h o r i t i e s want the j o b s f i l l e d because i t ' s a c o n v i n i e n t f o r : ; o f c o n t r o l . I f one has beer, s i c k 3 t i m e s d i s c i p l i n a r y
-
m e a s u r e s a r e 'taken by t h e a u t h o r i t i e s . I f you d o n ' t work t h e n you c a n ' t buy anything and t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f b e i n g a b l e t o do s h o p p i n g i n p r i s o n i s very important. R e f u s a l to do work means b e i n g l o c k e d i n y o u r c e l l f o r 23 h o u r s . T h i s can l a s t from 3 d a y s to a week. D u r i n g t h i s t i m e you h a v e to d e c i d e to t a k e a new j o b and s i m u l t a n e o u s l y the d i s c i p l i n a r y steps regarding shopping are put i n t o e f f e c t immediately. A: Can you comment on p u n i s h ment i n P l o t z e n s e e ; i n o t h e r words i f t h e p u n i s h m e n t i s r i g - i d and i n w h i c h c a s e s i t i s given? B: P u n i s h m e n t t a k e s t h e form o f b e i n g s e n t to a b u n k e r . T h i s o n l y h a p p e n s i f women a r e d r u n k and may h a v e c a u s e d t r o u b l e by b e i n g too l o u d o f f o r i n s u l t i n g t h e s c r e w s . One s p e n d s b e t w e e n 3 and 7 d a y s i n t h e b u n k e r . T h i s bunker i s i n the c e l l a r under the drug wing. There's o n l y a b u i l t - i n cement bed w i t h a m a t t r e s s t h e r e and you g e t a b l a n k e t and a b i b l e . A: What i s a l s o e v i d e n t a b o u t P l b t z e n s e e i s t h a t an a m a z i n g amount o f p r i s o n e r s can be accomodated t h e r e . L e h r t e r s t r . had a c a p a c i t y f o r 100 a s oppos e d to P l o t z e n s e e which c a t e r s f o r 330 p r i s o n e r s . I s t h e r e any a p p a r e n t r e a s o n why more women a r e b e i n g s e n t e n c e d t o prison? B: I n L e h r t e r s t r . t h e p r i s o n was s o m e t i m e s f u l l , b u t n e v e r so o v e r f u l l t h a t a b i g p r i s o n s u c h a s P l o t z e n s e e had t o be b u i l t . P. h a s room f o r 400 women. The a v e r a g e number o f p r i s o n e r s t h e r e l i e s between 150 and 155 and h a s n e v e r e x c e e d e d 175. What o c c u r e d to me i n P l o t z e was t h a t a l o t o f women w e r e t h e r e f o r m i n o r o f f e n c e s such as s t e a l i n g a pound o f c o f f e e . A n o t h e r s h o c k i n g e x a m p l e was t h e i m p r i s o n ment o f a 7 8 - y e a r - o l d d i s a b l e d women from E a s t Germany. T h a t i s no e x a g g e r a t i o n . I t i s r e a l l y t r u e . As f a r a s I can s e e t h e women a r e " s i m p l y " s e n t e n c e d so t h a t t h e amount o f p r i s o n e r s t h e r e i s k e p t c o n s t a n t . Rem i s s i o n o f s e n t e n c e s ( 2 / 3 o f the s e n t e n c e ) i s no l o n g e r g r a n t e d , women must c o m p l e t e t h e i r f u l l t e r m . L i t t l e i s b e i n g done to h e l p p r i s o n e r s to g e t r e m i s s i o n . A: What a b o u t s h o p p i n g ? B: The s e n t e n c e d women can o n l y shop o n c e a month. The most one can e a r n i n DM 150 (Âť50) per month and 1/3 o f t h i s goes into a c e n t r a l fund which i s used a s a r e s e r v e . On a v e r a g e a p r i s o n e r h a s about DM 60 (=20) to s p e n d p e r month. I t ' s n o t much, you j u s t a b o u t t o manage to buy a l i t t l e c o f f e and tobacco. The f i r m " K b n i g " s u p p l y t h e p r i s o n w h i c h has s u p e r h i g h p r i c e s and no s p e c i a l o f f e r s . They make a l o t o f money out o f t h e p r i s o n e r s . Sometimes t h e p r i c e s a r e up t> 50% hig-her t h a n on t h e o u t s i d e . F r e s h p r o d u c t s a r e n e v e r h e a r d o f . We c o u l d do s o t h i n g to change t h e s i t u a t i o n . We t r i e d to g e t t h e f i r m "Penny" b u t f a i l e d ? When a p r i s o n e r c a n ' t go s h o p p i n g , e . g . as a f o r m o f p u n i s h m e n t ,
t h e o t h e r women s h a r e t h e i r a l l o w a n c e s and buy goods f o r t h i s p a r t i c u l a r woman. T h i s p r o c e d u r e a l s o happens w i t h r e s p e c t to r e c e i v i n g p a r c e l s o f c o u r s e t h e r e i s a l w a y s someone who n e v e r g e t s a p a r c e l . A: What a b o u t d r u g s ? I s t h e r e any h e r o i n i n P l b t z e n s e e ? B: Y e s , d r u g s a l w a y s come i n , even i n P l b t z e n s e e . N a t u r a l l y i t ' s d i f f i c u l t , i t was e a s i e r i n L e h r t e r s t r . However, d e s p i t e the d i f f i c u l t i e s i n P l b t z e n s e e , drugs w i l l always get jjhrough.
R e v o l u t i o n a r y Rage Paper o f t h e R e v o l u t i o n a r y C e l l s / O c t o b e r 1986 I n t h e p a s t weeks we've made a couple of a c t i o n s a g a i n s t those i n s t i t u t i o n s e n g a g e d i n t h e det e r r e n c e and c o n t r o l o f r e f u g e e s . We document them h e r e : J u s t to s t r e s s i t a g a i n : we doh't see those a c t i o n s as a r e a c t i o n to t h e r a c i s t p r o p a g a n da campaign w h i c h t h e r e g i m e i s waging a g a i n s t the r e f u g e e s a campaign w h i c h as i t s i n t e n ded c o n s e q u e n c e h a s t h e e x t e n s i o n of the a r s e n a l of d e t e r r e n c e m e a s u r e s to e n c l u d e t h e t h r e a t e n i n g component o f t h e Pogrom, However, we d o n ' t s h a r e e i t h e r the h u m a n i t a r i a n , n a i v e - l e g a l i t i c concept which i s h e l d mainl y by c h u r c h , t r a d e u n i o n and p o l i t i c a l l y e s t a b l i s h e d groups who a r e d e f e n d i n g t h e r i g h t o f a s y l u m . The s t a t e - t h e o r i g i n o f the v i o l e n c e a g a i n s t t h e r e f u g e e s - i s a p o i n t l e s s addr e s s of a p p e a l s and r e s o l u t i o n s . F u r t h e r , the r e a f f i r m a t i o n w i t h w h i c h the s t a t u s o f p o l i t i c a l asylum i s p r a i s e d c o n t a i n s the c o n t i n u a t i o n of the d i f f e r e n c i a t i o n and s e l e c t i o n of r e f u g e e s w h i c h i s a l s o t h e b a s i s and j u s t i f i c a t i o n of the s p e c i a l treatment. For whatever reasons p e o p l e come to West Germany t h e y may s t a y b e c a u s e t h e y a r e h e r e . We want t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e recovery of a concrete a n t i i mpe r i a l i sm i n West Germany we see our o r i e n t a t i o n on t h e refugee question i n t h i s context. A n t i - i m p e r i a l i s m doesn't only mean a t t a c k s on m i l i t a r y - i n d u s t r i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s . I t i s more than s o l i d a r i t y w i t h d i s t a n t l i b e r a t i o n movements. Our t a s k i s to r e l a t e a n t i - i m p e r i a l i s t p o l i t i c s to t h e c l a s s f r o n t h e r e and to the r e p e r c u s s i o n s i n t h i s c o u n t r y . The r e f u g e e q u e s t i o n i s
'W I'D
a c r u c i a l i s s u e i n the f o l l o w i n g re s p e c t s : 1. The m i g r a n t movements - t h e refugees having a r r i v e d here are o n l y the t i p of the i c e b e r g a r e an e x p r e s s i o n and c o n s e q u e n c e of t h e d e s t r u c t i o n w h i c h imp e r i a l i s m c a u s e s i n the count r i e s of o r i g i n ; t h e i r growing number i s t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e a c t u a l degree of c a p i t a l i s t penet r a t i o n . But the f o r c e f u l e x p u l s i o n i s a c c o m p a n i e d by t h e w i l l and d e c i s i v e n e s s o f t h e r e f u g e e s to b r e a k out o f t h o s e r e l a t i o n s and t o c l a i m t h e i r r i g h t o f l i f e and c o m p e n s a t i o n h e r e i n t h e m e t r o p o l i t a n c o u n t r i e s . The r e c o v e r y of the p r o l e t a r i a t ' s mob i l i t y i s a t s t a k e - i n f a c e of a c a p i t a l f o r which n a t i o n a l b o r d e r s became i r r e l e v a n t a l o n g t i m e ago. I f t h e m e t r o p o l i t a n r e g i m e s i n t e n d to m a i n t a i n t h e i r i n t e r n a l s t a b i l i t y through c l o s i n g t h e b o r d e r s we c a n o n l y c o u n t e r p o s e t h i s w i t h the s t r u g g l e f o r open b o r d e r s . 2. The West German w e l f a r e s t a t e shows i t s t r u e f a c e i n i t s t r e a t ment o f r e f u g e e s . We h a v e t o a t t a c k i t e x a c t l y at t h i s point. The c a t a l o g u e of s p e c i a l measur e s i s n o t an a b e r r a t i o n we have to c o r r e c t and a d j u s t t o s o c i o p o l i t i c a l n o r m a l i t y . Because t h e r e i s no c o n s i d e r a t i o n w h a t s o e v e r f o r a s o c i a l s t a t u s quo towards r e f u g e e s , s o c i a l w e l f a r e p o l i c y i s r e d u c e d to i t s e s s e n t i a l n a t u r e : a c a l c u l u s o f power o n l y aimed a t r e g u l a t i n g the job m a r k e t and a t s o c i a l c o n t r o l . The r a c i s t l a n g u a g e u s e d g u a r a n t e e s t h e r e g i m e s u p p o r t e v e n by t h o s e who a r e t h e m s e l v e s potent i a l t a r g e t s of t h i s p o l i c y . I f and how methods l i k e camps, f o o d stamps o r s p e c i a l j u s t i c e c o u r t s
s e r v e a s a model f o r f u t u r e s t e p s a g a i n s t u n e m p l o y e d y o u t h or marg i n a l i z e d p r o l e t a r i a n s , or i f they j u s t remain as a t h r e a t , t h a t d e p e n d s on t h e f u r t h e r development of the s o c i a l c o n f r o n tation . We d o n ' t h a v e to r e f e r to t h r e a t e n i n g t i m e s, h o w e v e r , to j u s t i f y a t t a c k s on t h e most r e p r e s s i ve and e x t r e m e e x p r e s s i o n s o f t h e w e l f a r e s t a t e - the s o c i a l l y rac i s t p r a c t i se a g a i n s t r e f u g e e s i s r e a s o n e n o u g h . We d o n t know yet i f the refugee q u e s t i o n w i l l bring together a n t i - i m p e r i a l i s t p o l i t i c s with confrontation lines i n the d i sguaranteed sec t o r ; but the s t r u g g l e f o r the a c t u a l r i g h t of re sidenee f o r refugees i s c o r r e c t even then i f i t r e m a i n s l a r g e l y i s o l a t e d from the w h i t e s t r a t a o f the p r o l e t a r i a t in t h i s country. 1
Of c o u r s e , i t i s a b o u t open b o r d e r s and c i t i e s f r e e f o r r e f u g e e s . T h e y a r e , h o w e v e r , n o t to be d e manded f r o m t h e s t a t e . T h e y a r e o n l y i m a g i n a b l e and to be r e a l i z e d i n s o f a r a s we c r e a t e f o r the r e f u g e e s a space not cont r o l l e d o r r e g i m e n t e d by t h e s t a t e . The c o n t r i b u t i o n we o r g r o u p s l i k e us - c a n g i v e to s u c h a p r o j e c t i s made up o f t h e a t t a c k on t h e c o n t r o l by p o l i c e and w e l f a r e a u t h o r i t i e s ; an a t t a c k t h a t c o u l d n ' t be c a r r i e d out s o l e l y by p u b l i c camp a i g n s . But t h i s a t t a c k o n l y makes s e n s e i f n e t w o r k s f o r t h e c o n c r e t e support of r e f u g e e s are b u i l t a t t h e same t i m e ; i f a subversive praxis actually changes the g e n e r a l r e l a t i o n s . I n Hamburg we w a n t e d to p a r a l i z e the P i g s A l i e n s O f f i c e . This a u t h o r i t y executes raids and i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a g a i n s t i l l e -
KONDITOREI
-24gal f o r e i g n e r s and p r e p a r e s their expulsions - t h a t ' s why we broke in and s e t f i r e t o i t . Ve wanted t o d e s t r o y a s many f i l e s a p o s s i b l e i n order to occupy the pigs w i t h c l e a r i n g up i n s t e a d o f h u n t i n g p e o p l e so a s to g i v e the refugees some t i m e t o breathe.
(...) In C o l o g n e we a t t a c k e d the i n f o r m a t i o n c e n t r e of the Central Register for Foreigners. The d a t a on a l l f o r e i g n e r s registered i n West Germany a r e processed in i t . Because people are working at the computers round the clock
a n d we d i d n ' t w a n t to r i s k human l i f e we p u t a n e x p l o s i v e into the pipe of the a i r c o n d i t i o n i n g . The explosive destroyed the a i r conditioning, the electricity supply of the information centre and the emergency generator as w e l l . Because computers r e a c t v e r y s e n s i t i v e l y to irregularit i e s of e l e c t r i c tension and t e m p e r a t u r e and b e c a u s e chips and sensors are a l l e r g i c to m e t a l d u s t , i t c a n be assumed t h a t some h a r d w a r e a n d plenty o f d a t a was destroyed. And even w e e k s a f t e r t h e a t t a c k on the Register nothing i s working
t h e r e . Where f o r m e r d a t a was busily collected, processed and s t o r e d round the c l o c k i t i s pitchdark today: a dead fortress. (...) Other a t t a c k s : - on t h e L u n e b u r g a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c o u r t f o r i t s inhumane d e c i s i o n s expelling refugees to countries w h e r e t h e y w i l l be tortured. - on c a r s o f f u n c t i o n a r i e s o f the Red Cross i n Berlin. - o n t h e A l i e n s O f f i c e i n Hamm and i n Hagen. - on t h e d o l e o f f i c e f o r refugees in Berlin.
Communique I s s u e d by t h e RAF r e g a r d i n g t h e e x e c u t i o n o f K H E e c k u r t s on 9-7-86 ( B e c k u r t s was a member o f the board of d i r e c t o r s of Siemens and responsible for re search and d e v e l o p m e n t . P r i o r to that he h a d b e e n c h a i r m a n o f the w o r k i n g c o m m i t t e e on nuclear energy of the C o n f e d e r a t i o n of German I n d u s t r y (BDl).) (...) What N a z i s m a c h i e v e d through b r u t a l t e r r o r a g a i n s t the organ i s e d w o r k e r s movement and the peoples under Nazi occupation is t o be r e a l i s e d t o d a y b y means of the c o m p u t e r i z e d societ-y t h e m e a s u r e s d e p e n d i n g on the s p e c i f i c p o l i t i c a l and social conditions i n each country, but b a s i c a l l y along the identical l i n e s and c o n t o u r s of international capital: The o b j e c t i v e of the bourgeoisie in Western Europe i s the struct u r i n g , c o n t r o l and d i r e c t i n g of all processes of socialization and a l l s e c t o r s of s o c i e t y s e r v ing the i n t e r e s t s of P r o f i t and Imperialist War. The n e e d to a g g r e s s i v e l y impose the r e s t r u c t u r i n g process takes p r i o r i t y over the p o l i t i c s of integration characterized by Democracy, the W e l f a r e State, n a t i o n a l c o n s e n s u s and full employment . The c e n t r a l columns of c a p i t a l i s t domination i n the metropolitan c o u n t r i e s become d y s f u n c t i o n a l i n the s t r u e t u r a l c r i s i s o f the s y s t e m . The imperi a l i s t s t a t e , i n the f a c e of a l l r e s i s t a n c e , has to impose the p o l i t i c a l , economic and military condi t i o n s f o r the s t r a t e g i c plan of the b o u r g e o i s i e and i t s p l a n s for world domination. The r e s t r u c t u r i n g process cons i s t s of the t u r n i n g of the German army i n t o a h i g h l y - e q u i p p e d aggressive f o r c e ; the nuclear reprocessing plant at Wackersd o r f , which West Germany wants for i t s e n t r y i n t o the nuclear c l u b - and the use of t e r r o r tac t i c s a g a i n s t a l l m i l l t a n t s . It a l s o c o n s i s t s of the attacks on t h e r i g h t to s t r i k e , the c a l c u l a t e d mass unemployment and the programmes a g a i n s t the marginalized, which are pure instruments of c o n t r o l and rep r e s s i o n i n order to preventative l y suppress those antagonisms . H e n r y F o r d ' s s t a t e m e n t upon intr o d u c i n g the conveyor b e l t ' u n d e r no c i r c u m s t a n c e s may r"^r"*nlp I~'p n l l o w e d t o f*v**n t n r T i — p o x ~ a r i l y do a s t h e y l i k e 1
is t o d a y bein<: a p p l i e d to a l l areas of s o c i a l production and s o c i a l r e l a t i o n s . The individua l i z a t i o n of the c o n d i t i o n s of employment, the m o b i l i t y and the f l e x i b i l i z a t i o n i n work and prof e s s i o n a l t r a i n i n g and the r e a c t i o n a r y pact between state, c a p i t a l and trade unions, are the m a t e r i a l b a s i s f o r securing the r e s t r u c t u r i n g process in the m e t r o p o l i t a n countries and to f r u s t r a t e any p o s s i b i l i t y of people grasping t h e i r common s i t u a t i o n and organizing for t h e i r own i n t e r e s t s and needs. It a l s o i n c l u d e s the r e s t r u c t u r ing of s c i e n c e , universities and schools i n order to t r a n s form them i n t o d i r e c t a g e n t s of transnational companies. It includes psychological warfare t a c t i c s and the t e r r o r of the state s e c u r i t y apparatus against all r e s i s t a n c e to enforce, i f not approbation, then impotent s i l e n c e i n face of the total state. THE GROWING ANTAGONISMS S H A L L BE R E N D E R E D I M P O S S I B L E TO ORGANISE AND CHOKED I N A V I C I O U S C I R C L E OF I N T E R E S T S I N D I V I D U A L I Z E D AND F U N C T I O N A L TO T H E L O G I C OF CAPITAL. Here i n West Germany they reckon that they can f o r c e through the restructuring process for imperia l i s t aggression, because the p o l i t i c s of the trade unions i s social-democratic, their leaders h i p has been bought o f f , the broad r e s i s t a n c e i s s t i l l weak, p e t t y b o u r g e o i s and unorganized, and the r e v o l u t i o n a r y f o r c e s are s t i l l weak. When t h e C D U / F D P / S P D s p e a k of the *two-thirds s o c i e t y ' or the 'reconciliation society', which they want to c o u n t e r p o s e against the growing antagonisms i n a Europear dimension, i t i s their weak a t t e m p t to d e p o l i t i c i z e the f a c t that the r i f t between socie t y and s t a t e h a s become so deep during the whole phase of imperia l i s t r e c o n s t r u e t i o n and their aggression on a l l p o l i t i c a l economic-military levels - that they can't c l o s e that r i f t any more . T h a t d i s c o u r s e i s an exp r e s s i o n of the p o l i t i c a l fragi l i t y of the c a p i t a l i s t system, which has l o s t the c a p a b i l i t y during the c r i s i s to impose the commodity s t r u c t u r e u n i v e r s a l l y . In contrast, their fascist r o n c p n M o n i ? t h e f m ^m<?n a t i on o f s o c i e t y - i n one part those r
operating the m a c h i n e s and prof i t t i n g f r o m war economy and fascism, i n another part those who made t h e m s e l v e s c a l l o u s and u n d e r the p r e s s u r e s of an i n s e cure a x i s tence subjec t themselves to power; and a p a r t against which they have p e r f e c t e d their state s e c u r i t y apparatus, which has been c o n s t r u c t e d i n order to p e n e t r a t e a l l sec t o r s of l i f e ; these are the marginalized h a v i n g become s u p e r f l u o u s to p r o f i t production, and those whom t h e s t a t e c a n n o longer touch because they are f i g h t i n g . (...)
Break what's b r e a k i n g , you I Radios a r e w o r k i n g , r e c o r d s a r e w o r k i n g , TVs a r e w o r k i n g ; b u y i n g h o l i d a y s , b u y i n g houses, b u y i n g f u r n i t u r e ; what f o r ? Break what's b r e a k i n g y o u ! T r a i n s are r o l l i n g , d o l l a r s are r o l l i n g , machines a r e r o l l i n g ; b u i l d i n g f a c t o r i e s , b u i l d i n g e n g i n e s , b u i l d i n g canons; f o r whom? Break what's b r e a k i n g y o u ! Bombers a r e f l y i n g , t a n k s a r e r o l l i n g , pigs are a t t a c k i n g ; p r o t e c t i n g the shares, p r o t e c t i n g t h e bosses, p r o t e c t i n g the law; f o r us! Break what's b r e a k i n g y o u !