Uni-dispute around container village: Fu vs. Senate in Berlin

Uni-dispute around container village: Fu vs. Senate in Berlin

The wastewap on Thielallee 63 in Berlin-Dahlem, according to the plans of the Senate, will soon be converted into a container village for 260 refugees. However, this decision is due to strong resistance in the Free University, which actually wanted to use the site for the construction of a building to teach and research. The university president felt over and emphasized that the university was fundamentally ready to help refugees, but the property was already urgently needed for its own construction work.

Although Freie Universität Berlin has offered short -term support in the accommodation of refugees in the past, it is concerned about the current proposal of the Senate. The university proposes to use empty buildings of the Federal Real Estate Agency near Refugee accommodation, since no other areas are available on the university campus.

The special representative for refugee questions at the Senate, Broemme, defends the decision regarding the Uniigelände and emphasizes the importance of having to accommodate refugees as long as the terrain remains unused. Due to the decision of the Senate at the end of March, 16 other container villages in Berlin are to be built, since the need for accommodation for refugees is still high and the existing facilities are not sufficient.

The discussion about the use of the Uniigeländ in Steglitz-Zehlendorf leads to criticism and ridicule on the Internet, especially against the free university. Some users express lack of understanding that the university is normally cosmopolitan, but shows resistance to the temporary accommodation of refugees. Some describe this as racist and intolerant and indicate that the "Woke" facade of the university seems to crumble quickly when it comes to personal concern.