Homeless Rights

               Last winter break, my partner and I visited some family friends in Berlin, Germany. For two weeks, Grace and I lived with my au pair Anna and her two children, Liam and Raya. One Wednesday evening, when the two kids were being babysat, the three of us took the public transit to a wine tasting venue in a nearby neighborhood. After trying some wines, asking Anna lots of questions (Grace and I were not 21 at the time!), and trying not to break our banks, I got up to go to the restroom on the other side of the restaurant.

               On my way over, I saw a man sitting in the middle of the main room. He was scruffy looking, had dark winter clothes on, and on the table next to him was a pile of newspapers. Noting their familiarity, I thought back to the ride on the S-Bahn wherein a couple homeless people were loudly speaking about many things with the same newspapers in hand.  

               As I walked closer to the bathroom, the man began to gesture towards me and speak in words I did not quite understand. After stumbling through some broken German, the man told me (in English) how much the paper costed and that “all money goes to the vendor.” Intrigued by the agitative cover, I purchased the newspaper and thanked the man before going on my way.

              

               The Arts of the Working Class is a “multi-lingual street journal on poverty and wealth… It’s terms are based upon the working class, meaning everyone, and it reports everything that belongs to everyone” (link). This issue is based on unions, and in the editorial, they state, “we have deliberately chosen images that do not always correspond with the classic category of The Worker, and yet we declare them as such.” Later, the writers discuss the ongoing genocide in Palestine and state, “as a street newspaper, we try to stand solidly on shaky ground, working against Islamophobia and Antisemitism. We are now forced to negotiate our relationship with both current and coming history.” They further explain the imagery of the front cover by stating, “perhaps we can find allies just around the corner, such as the new association of homeless people, the ‘Union für Obdachlose’ in Berlin? ‘Sorry, Insufficient funds! Goodbye” – the slogan on our cover – might hint at a collective experience of not earning enough money to survive, but also to the self-activation of collective consciousness to turn away from an economy that strips us of our basic, common need of being together.”

               Throughout this newspaper are many articles in many languages and countless works of art. However, I want to focus this blog post on the "Union für Obdachlose" or the Union for Homeless Rights. Interspersed throughout the newspaper is the union’s manifesto. I found it interesting not only for the contents of the text, but also for the way in which it is written. Below you will find a rough translation of this manifesto, followed by images of the original document. I hope you find it interesting!

Union For Homeless Rights

We want our texts to appeal to everyone.

 

That’s why we write in a special form.

For example:

Politicians (of all genders)

This means all people

Not just women and men

But also for trans people

Trans people have changed their gender

That’s why we use the * (they write politicians as "Politiker*innen") 

 

Union of Homeless Rights Berlin:

Our diversity makes us strong

 

The Union for Homeless Rights has existed for a year.

A union is a group of people.

These people want to achieve something together.

They fight together for a better life or better work.

 

Homelessness is a person without a flat/apartment or room to sleep.

Homeless people sleep in parks, subway stations, or on the street.

There are also apartmentless people.

These people do not have an apartment or room.

They sleep with friends (all genders), family, or in emergency accommodations.

Emergency accommodations are houses with beds for apartmentless people.

You can only sleep there. You cannot live there.

 

The Union for Homeless Rights want a better situation for homeless and apartmentless people.

Those who are in the Union are:

-            Homeless people

-            Formerly homeless people

-            People who want to help

They all say:

-            We want to have more rights

-            We want to get an apartment

-            We want to decide for ourselves

 

There are thousands of homeless people in Berlin.

Life in Berlin is very difficult for them.

They sleep outside when it is cold and raining.

There are almost no safe places to sleep.

For women and trans people it is particularly dangerous.

 

Many of these people have even more problems:

-            Diseases/illnesses

-            Mental health problems

-            Drug addiction

-            They have lived through violence or flight

-            No contact with family

 

Every person has their own story.

Many people do not know the stories and many problems these people face.

Society often has a bad image of homeless people.

Many do not want to see them in the city.

 

Homeless and apartmentless people receive little support from the city.

There are too few apartments.

There are too few places to sleep.

There is too little medical care.

 

These people are often stressed.

They look for a place to sleep and for food every day.

They are often alone with their problems and stress.

 

The Union for Homeless Rights wants to change this.

The group has been meeting regularly for a year.

They exchange their experiences.

They listen to each other and they encourage each other.

They help each other mutually and they help other people.

And they want to fight together for more rights.

 

One of the group is named Uwe Mehrtens.

He is 60 years old.

He has been homeless several times.

Since last year he finally has an apartment.

He says: I was lucky and had lots of help.

He has been active in the union for two years.

 

He says:

We are a colorful bunch of people and we get along very well.

We are active together and fight for our rights.

 

What is special about our union is

Everyone has different experiences and stories.

They also speak different languages.

For this reason, translators (of all genders) are always present.

This diversity makes them strong.

 

Their goal is:

-            For every person to have an apartment

-            For every person to decide how they want to live

 

Together they have a lot of knowledge.

This knowledge is important for change.

They want to create more awareness in society.

This means that more people should know about their problems.

They also want to change the image of homeless people.

 

Uwe Mehrtens importantly claims:

Homeless people do not have themselves to blame.

Homelessness is generated.

 

The union has spoken with politicians and others public authorities.

Politicians (of all genders) should change something.

They spoke to them about the many problems:

-             Too few apartments

-            Bad accommodations

-            Poor health system

-            Mistreatment and exclusion of homeless people

 

They also spoke about the structure of the city.

The city is not built well for homeless people.

People cannot sleep or stay.

For example, there are always fewer and fewer benches.

Sometimes they are covered in sharp objects.

 

They also spoke with politicians about the problems with accommodations.

There are too few places.

The rules of the accommodations do not suit everyone.

There are two particular accommodations in Berlin.

People can stay there all day and night.

Those are called 24/7 accommodations.

There is also food and help there.

So that people can get their good lives back.

It was not certain whether the accommodations would remain.

Now the Senate has said: they should stay.

However, they have created a new type of accommodation.

In which the people must relocate.

There are fewer places at the new accommodation.

 

Uwe Mehrtens says:

Now comes winter.

It is already very cold at night.

There needs to be more and better accommodation for all.

 

The union also organizes many actions and protests.

They also collect warm things for people.

For example, warm clothing.

Laptops and smartphones are also important.

So that people can stay in touch.

This is important for them to fight for their rights.

 

The Union for Homeless Rights meets every two weeks.

Every second Tuesday afternoon in the Urbanstrasse Neighborhood Center.  

There is food and translators (of all genders) inside.

The next meetings are on December 12^th from 2-4pm and on January 9^th from 1-4pm.

Everyone is welcome!

 

Text:
Jorinde Splettstoesser is an author and translator in easy/simple language and works as a program curator at the FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum.

Illustrations:

The work of Miguel Angel Espinoza Jr. arises from his daily practice of drawing and painting his walks, poetically translating his memories.