Attack of Deutsche Wohnen: in Berlin, the anger of tenants turns into hatred – Berlin

Berlin – First, the tenants have demonstrated, now cars are burning. The leftist extremist scene is engaged in the attack of Deutsche Wohnen vehicles.

Wednesday morning on a parking lot in a residential area of ​​Steglitzer. Two VW Polo are on fire, the fire is attacking two other cars.

►The police suspect political antecedents. Because in Berlin there is – pretty sad – arson on vehicles, nothing unusual. Here, however, it is German life. And apparently for the first time.

Demonstrations against Deutsche Wohnen

Like no other real estate company, the group uses 160,000 apartments, including 112,000 in the capital and Berlin barricades. Deutsche Wohnen wins particularly well where living space is particularly scarce.

In recent years, more and more households have resisted modernization, which is driving up rents. Thousands of people fearing to lose their homes go against the crackdown on the streets. An initiative plans to expropriate large companies like Deutsche Wohnen. But now, out of fear of the resistance, the resistance and the protest of the tenants, the naked hatred of the left-wing extremists.

Deutsche Wohnen with a track record for 2018

Deutsche Wohnen on Tuesday released its 2018 balance sheet: The real estate group made a profit of 1.9 billion euros, six percent higher than last year. Rents increased by 3.4% in the group and by 3.6% in the capital. Michael Zahn, CEO: "The expropriation currently creates a lot of emotions, but not a single apartment."

The next morning, around 3:25, two cars belonging to Deutsche Wohnen burn on the parking lot of a tenant of the Benzmannstrbade. No coincidence. The protection of the police state determined. The company confirms the brand at the request of BILD, but does not wish to comment.

The confessional letter appeared

On the online portal "Indymedia", on the left, a letter from the applicant will be published Wednesday afternoon. "The fleet of German residential vehicles decimated, days of action against the madness of rents were opened," he says. The ashes of the "burning carts" are dedicated by the autonomous groups "to all those concerned with letters of termination, evictions and rent increases".

According to Rouzbeh Taheri (45), from the campaign "expropriate German housing", this is not common sense. He wants to fight with public relations and start a controversial petition against the business: "Tenants are becoming more and more afraid and angry." He does not believe Deutsche Wohnen is changing his strategy on his own. "She made too many promises to her investors, a wolf does not become vegetarian," says Taheri.

More and more attacks against Berlin companies

Other companies also feel that the climate is getting tougher. Volker Wagner (52), president of the Federal Association for Security in Economics (ASW), says BILD: "We are seeing a growing threat to the security and reputation of businesses." In recent years, especially in Berlin, companies have been attacked. like Amazon, Deutsche Telekom or DHL. The line between justified expressions of bourgeois interest and extremist actions is often fluid.

Wagner: "Housing at fair prices, for example, is undeniably a worthy goal, but as soon as goods are damaged or people are threatened, a border is crossed." To soften the climate, affected companies should engage dialogue with all social groups.

Where does the protest end, where does extremism begin?

In addition, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is preparing a "delimitation" between leftist extremists and the legitimate demonstrations of the democratic center of the middle clbad on politically controversial issues. The list of potential sabotage goals that are far away is displayed. Housing and real estate companies, said Wednesday in Berlin a conference on security with the ASW.

In advance, he was called on various online platforms to "protest the meeting of constitutional and capital protection". An event of the conference was therefore canceled as a precaution. "Sometimes retirement is the safest way," says Wagner.

Big demonstration against "repression and rent madness"

"Together against repression and rent madness": this motto calls for an extra-parliamentary alliance of 29 groups on 6 April for a mbad demonstration in Berlin.
By April 2018, more than 10,000 people in the capital protested against rising rents.

With the demo now, the organizers want to show "that living is not a commodity, but a human right". The walk starts at 12 o'clock on Alexanderplatz and ends at Treptow Arena. At the same time, the Berlin Real Estate Fair is taking place there.

The expropriation divides the parties

As Florian Schmidt (Green), a building consultant in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, proposed the expropriation of certain housing badociations in September to "Maischberger", enthusiasm was in order. But at least with his own party, he accepts. The Greens and the Left in Berlin are behind the referendum to create the possibility of a "socialization" of homeownership. The collection of signatures will begin in April.

The Greens see the expropriations as "a great opportunity", the leftist politician Harald Wolf is "willing to interfere in property rights". The head of the FDP faction, Sebastian Czaja, calls it "a taboo break", the CDU calls on all parties to "rule against the expropriation".

►Berlins in power, Michael Müller (SPD), warned against "quick measures" during expropriations. He wants to buy houses for businesses. He meets fierce criticism with the Greens. Werner Graf, Land Manager: "The purchase of real estate at market value from Deutsche Wohnen only rewards the anti-tenant approach of the company over the years."