Dear queers and allies,
What do we need in times of rising fascism? In times when queers are kicked out on the street by families of origin or trans-hostile landlords? In times of patriarchal violence and capitalist isolation? What do we need in a world in which we have no places?
Living space for 14 people, 4.5 euros rent per square metre, public spaces for political events, a concert cellar for dancing and moshing and a garden where people stand around the fire barrel. A place for tenderness and solidarity.
This is what we dream of when we imagine the future of Robert Matzke Strasse 16. RM16 is a housing project in Dresden Pieschen. Squatted 25 years ago, then legalised and part of the Mietshäusersyndikat since 2014.
But many of you probably don’t even know RM16 anymore or have only heard of this house where people are arguing. No wonder, RM16 still has a long history of conflict in which structural problems are visible. But don’t worry, this is not the place to wash dirty clothes.
Because it is clear that what we experience on a small scale in our structures is an expression of what characterises us socially. We have all hurt other people. No one is protected from violent behaviour, because we all grew up in this violent society.
And we know that: The behaviour of individuals can lead to the failure of collective projects. That entire buildings like the RM16 stand empty. That we begin to doubt our utopias and ideals. Violence and conflict are often the reason why people can no longer be in our spaces, why groups break apart, why we sometimes feel that we are more concerned with ourselves than actually creating social alternatives.
We too have often felt this frustration. But we still don’t give up. Because we know that it doesn’t happen so easily when we take responsibility for each other. We are the ones who decide whether we want to avoid conflict or whether we want to learn to listen to each other. To criticise each other and look for solutions together. We can learn to examine our own behaviour and accept criticism. We can change our behaviour. And we can decide together what consequences we will draw if people are not prepared to do so.
That’s why we want to say a big thank you today to everyone who organises Queer Pride. And by that we don’t just mean this day, but above all we mean the focus on community building, on relationships. Work that takes place all year round and is often invisible. Because it is precisely this work that is needed to create spaces in which we don’t destroy each other.
And we need more of these spaces. Right now, RM16 is not that place – on the contrary. But despite seemingly insoluble conflicts, we are not giving up on the house.
We want to establish a stable house group and save the house from going bankrupt at the end of the year and going back to the bank. We want to put it back on a sound financial footing and finish renovating it.
We want to create affordable living space.
And make the rooms accessible to the movement again.
And we can only do this with your support!
- Find out about the current situation, have the courage to ask questions and don’t just accept rumours, but speak to the people in the building. Find more details about the situation in the house online.
- Come along when something is going on in RM16, bring friends!
- Organise events on site: whether it’s Küfas, workshops or the next neighbourhood brunch.
- Get creative to make the house a lively place again!
- Give the new house group direct loans if you have money.
- Support building days.
- Help us to make RM16 part of the movement again!
And best of all – you can start tomorrow, Sunday 22 June!
At 3pm, we cordially invite you to a takeaway lunch/barbecue in the RM16 garden. We want to network politically on the current situation and brainstorm ideas on how to move forward with the building.
So that RM16 becomes a place where we can argue and still hug each other afterwards.
Be proud. Be strong. Let´s fight for our spaces.