NEWS FROM BERLIN
Number of applications for naturalisation increased sharply in Berlin
The number of applications for naturalisation in Berlin has recently risen noticeably. In June, around 4,000 applications were received by the State Office for Immigration (LAE), an average of 133 per day, a spokesperson told the German Press Agency on request. From 27 June to 21 July, the office had already received over 5,000 applications – an average of around 200 per day. No figures are yet available for the whole of July. The new citizenship law formulated by the traffic-light coalition in the federal government stipulates that naturalisation is now possible after five years instead of the previous eight – provided the applicant fulfils all conditions. Source: rbb
Public-private partnership costs Berlin several billions
The organisation ‘Gemeingut in BürgerInnenhand’ criticised the construction of schools by the Howoge Group in Berlin. ‘Gemeingut in BürgerInnenhand’ has been monitoring the Berlin School Construction Offensive (BSO) since 2016. In particular, the association pointed out that outsourcing to the housing association Howoge is a public-private partnership and harbours considerable risks. Last year, the initiative revealed that a total of €11.7 billion was to be spent on Howoge schools instead of the originally stated €1 billion – for the same number of school places. The organisation believes the Berlin government has to focus on aid for overcrowded and dilapidated schools. Source: jW
CSD: neo-Nazis arrested at Potsdamer Platz
Police appear to have prevented an attack on Christopher Street Day, taking around 30 members of a far-right group into preventative custody last Saturday. The suspects occasionally flashed ‘white power’ hand signals. According to police information, this group – consisting of more than two dozen right-wing extremists – came to Berlin with the intention of creating confusion and attacking people during the CSD pride demonstration. Those ambitions were thwarted by police intervention when the group was handcuffed and removed from the area in prisoner transport vehicles. While the minors among the group were immediately released, the adults were kept in custody until after midnight; all have since been released. Source: theberliner
NEWS FROM GERMANY
Change of strategy at the Ministry of Construction
Federal Building Minister Klara Geywitz (SPD) is no longer pursuing the goal of boosting social housing construction in urban centres so that everyone can find affordable accommodation there. Instead, she now wants to encourage city dwellers to move to the provinces. ‘There are almost two million empty flats in Germany. But there is a huge demand in our major cities and metropolitan regions. We will therefore present a strategy against the vacancy rate at the end of the year,’ Geywitz announced in the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. ‘We should be ready in November.’ Source: jW
AfD candidate Björn Höcke threatens the police
Last Saturday, two sides clashed in Saalfeld, Thuringia: the party AfD had invited people to a ‘family festival’ on the market square. Opponents organised their own event and called it a ‘festival of democracy.’ During a speech by party leader Björn Höcke, there was a loud protest. He then called on the officers to take action: ‘I ask the police to stop attacking this gathering and to enforce Section 21 of the Assembly Act.’ He then became more explicit: ‘If that doesn’t work, I’ll be at the local police station afterwards and 1000 people with me.’ Source: welt
Concentration camp secretary as assistant to the mass murderers?
It could be the last concentration camp trial. Today, the Federal Court of Justice heard the case of a former concentration camp secretary. Irmgard F. had defended herself against her conviction for aiding and abetting mass murder. The Itzehoe district court had sentenced the now 99-year-old Irmgard F. to two years’ probation for aiding and abetting murder in more than 10,000 cases in the Stutthof concentration camp. The case is centred on a fundamental question: could a secretary in a Nazi concentration camp have been an accomplice to thousands of mass murders? A verdict is due to be announced on 20 August. Source: tagesschau
Red tape: immigrants frustrated at German citizenship bureaucracy
Immigrants applying for German citizenship spoke of their disillusionment with the country and its bureaucracy. The experience is only likely to get worse as more people apply. Because of this, many skilled workers in Germany have formed social media groups where they vent their anger about dealing with German bureaucracy. In late June, some organized a protest outside Berlin’s office for immigration, the LEA, calling for ‘a fair and transparent processing of citizenship applications.’ Many even feel that only legal action will get them to the top of the pile — by filing a so-called ‘Untätigkeitsklage,’ or ‘failure to act lawsuit,’ against the immigration authorities. Source: dw
