„Like a fish in a tank.“
Everyday Racism in Cottbus (2022; only as PDF)
Like a fish in a tank, like something to be stared at – that’s how one of the
people interviewed for this brochure felt, when a Cottbus bus driver threw her out of the bus for no reason and even her white German friend did not intervene. Occurrences like these are still commonplace for people in Cottbus, who are seen as not white and therefore as not being part of part of society.
The interviews in this brochure, which began in late 2020, capture a small part of the experiences made by Cottbus residents of various ages, genders, social statuses and origins. Some respondents have lived in Cottbus for decades, others arrived just a few years ago. What they share are the experiences of racist hostility, exclusion and sometimes violence in their own town. Their reactions range from wanting to leave Cottbus to years of intense activity against racism in order to build a local society based on respect.
This brochure aims not just to uncover racist discrimination and violence in Cottbus, but also to support the resistance of those affected. Finally, we want to encourage all Cottbus residents and all readers to question their own racist bias, images and stereotypes and get active against racism and discrimination.
In the end, racism affects us all, and each and every one of us is needed for building a society worth living in.
*Unfortunately, this document is not available as a printed copy.