#NoPlaceforHate: Interview with Dr. Constanze Jaiser
Hundreds of thousands of people have been speaking out against right-wing extremism in demonstrations across Germany in recent weeks: Which particular challenges do civil society initiatives face in their engagement in rural areas? "The recent events and news have also shaken up many people in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. There have been demonstrations and actions at numerous locations. It seems that the hitherto silent majority is standing up and sending a signal. And that's how it should be! I would describe the situation as something between tense and highly motivated," says Dr. Constanze Jaiser from the association "RAA - Demokratie und Bildung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern" (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Regional Office for Education, Integration and Democracy). The association carries out the project überLEBENSWEGE of the Education Agenda NS-Injustice. In an interview for the "No Place for Hate" section, Constanze Jaiser talks about the association's work and her fight against right-wing extremism.
The recent events and news have also shaken up many people in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. There have been demonstrations and actions at numerous locations. It seems that the hitherto silent majority wants to be seen and speak out. And that's how it should be! I would describe the situation as something between tense and highly motivated. We are tense in the face of inhumane hate speech on social networks, the hoisting of a swastika flag at the Neubrandenburg train station and the attack on the mayor of Waren immediately after a commemorative event on November 9 by right-wing extremists who are known to the city. Action alliances for democracy have been forming in many places for weeks. This includes the Neubrandenburger Bündnis für Zusammenhalt [Neubrandenburg Alliance for Cohesion] in the third-largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where our Zeitlupe history workshop and other RAA M-V projects are based. Or the Warener Demokratie-Bündnis [Waren Democracy Alliance] in that beautiful city on the Müritz where we as RAA also have our head office. We are actively involved in these associations and we feel highly motivated when we see how many people in these relatively small towns are joining forces because they want to take concrete action against right-wing thinking. In May, we will also be taking part in a graffiti art campaign in the state capital Schwerin to mark the German Constitution Day and, in particular, to celebrate ARTICLE ONE with a graffiti performance in public spaces.
As an association which has been campaigning for democracy and education against right-wing extremism and for an open society in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for 25 years now, we naturally have a lot of experience with our various projects. And yet we too are currently concerned about how values that should be self-evident are being attacked in an irrational way, be it respect in the way we relate to each other, be it non-violent communication or an exchange of arguments that really are based on reliable sources. I see a major challenge in the upcoming local elections. And in this connection in a possible radicalization of positions, such as those represented by the AfD and right-wing populist groups in particular. We have a real need for long-term structures and alliances in rural areas to withstand the pressure from right-wing movements and to continuously provide important impetus for democracy and to establish participatory forms of democratic coexistence in the long term. I hope that a state as large as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, with relatively few resources, will be looked at more closely by central federal agencies or large foundations. At RAA we are very fortunate because some of our projects receive long-term funding. Our project "überLEBENSWEGE – Spurensuche und digitale Erinnerungswerkstätten" [Local Searches for Traces and Digital Workshops on Remembrance], which is supported under your funding program on National Socialist injustice, is also a great opportunity to develop participatory and innovative modules for historical-political education. However, we are always concerned about how we can consolidate successful project funding; with which alliance partnerships, with which resources, with which players in rural areas.
Under the umbrella of RAA M-V, we currently have approximately 50 employees working on 19 projects throughout the whole federal state. I could simplify and say: We are all constantly committed to these objectives. I would like to pick out a few specific examples: Our Regional Center for Democratic Culture (Regionalzentrum für demokratische Kultur) gives advice and training on the topics relating to the development of democracy and right-wing extremism. This can be support in crisis situations in municipalities or advice on democracy education in schools and day-care centers or advice for parents or community-oriented advice on development of municipal democracy. Our colleagues are doing a great job here. Incidentally, the head of the regional center, Dr. Daniel Trepsdorf, has just been awarded the Federal Cross of Merit for his work for human and civil rights. Fachstelle Mehrsprachigkeit M-V supports families, professionals and educational institutions in the development of a diversity-conscious and multilingualism educational practice and aims to strengthen the educational opportunities and social participation of all children and families. The RAAbatz Medienwerkstatt has been offering exciting media education programs in the district of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte for over 10 years now. Whether on fake news, Jewish life or augmented reality, whether for pupils, young adults with disabilities or disseminators, many of my colleague Anja Schmidt's projects have received awards and are regarded as best practice. Our project "perspektywa – Zusammenleben und Beteiligung" [perspektywa - strengthening coexistence and participation] is located in the project region along the Polish border, where a migration society unique to eastern Germany is emerging due to the influx of Polish citizens as well as Polish employees who commute. The perspektywa team supports this process and offers a variety of formats to break down anti-democratic attitudes and open up spaces for dialog and participation. Other very important new projects include our specialist unit to support work with Roma refugees in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and anti-discrimination counseling in Vorpommern-Greifswald. The first project is supported with federal state funds, the second with federal funds. How we can ensure continuity here in the long term will be our challenge for tomorrow. I would say that in rural areas, long-term commitment, the development of collaborative structures among players, the experience of appreciative recognition and concrete support in democratic development are a promising basis for success. In any case, we have clearly had good experience with being available as a partner directly on site. And the longer we are there, the more trust we gain and the more sustainable implementation into existing structures becomes possible. Many people here want to do something to counter right-wing populism and to support a democratic society. Many have been doing this for years. However, they often need tailor-made support in matters of knowledge transfer, advice on local conflicts, up-to-date and reliable materials for educational work. In other words, they need help for self-help. And a feeling of cohesion.