We are an initiative from Berg Fidel that builds solidarity and resistance.
The problems we all face are growing: rents are rising, apartments are falling apart. We can’t find work or are poorly paid. Addint to that, women are usually neglected, and racism and exclusion are on the rise. Authorities and politicians ignore us and treat us disrespectfully.
Yet we often remain alone as individuals, even though our problems are similar. We want to create places in Berg Fidel where people can come together, help each other, and fight injustice together.
We oppose the injustices of the capitalist system that we encounter every day.
In order to no longer deal alone with our problems, we must get to know each other and organize ourselves together.
For us, solidarity means supporting each other and fighting together for change. Our goal is a just life and a free society for all people. As we cannot rely on political parties or the state to achieve this goal, but must take action ourselves.
Let’s fight together for a world of solidarity!
Our Baselines
1. Together we are strong: We organize solidarity and resistance in our neighborhood!
Berg Fidel is diverse, yet we are united by common problems and interests. We believe that we can only achieve something against systemic problems if we organize ourselves.
We want to build a shared culture of resistance, structures of solidarity, and a strong community in which we stand up for one another.
What we are starting here in the neighborhood is a revolution, the construction of a more just and free society, the fight against oppression and exploitation—for a dignified and beautiful life for all.
2. Our vision of a just society: We decide for ourselves how to live our lives!
Many people want a different kind of society. We want to create long-term structures that enable us to decide for ourselves on the things that affect us: How do we want to live? How do we want to work? How do we want to live?
Our vision is a free society without exploitation and oppression, in which people themselves can decide on their living and working conditions in a spirit of solidarity and democracy.
3. We will not be divided: No place for racism and sexism!
We will not allow ourselves to be divided based on our origin, religion, gender, skin color, sexual orientation, or age—if we stand together, we can achieve anything! If we allow ourselves to be divided and fight amongst ourselves, the only ones who will rejoice are those in power, who will continue to exploit and oppress us.
We know that racism and the oppression of women are problems throughout society. Male domination has existed for thousands of years and women are oppressed in all areas of life: Women have the unrestricted right to fight for their freedom and against patriarchy – in the family, at work, everywhere.
We oppose all oppression and discrimination!
4. We discuss things together and make decisions based on grassroots democracy!
As a group, everyone who is committed to solidarity and cooperation in our neighborhood and to our principles decides jointly and democratically on our approach and our actions. We don’t need bosses or chairpersons – we figure out what needs to be done together.
5. We are and will remain independent of political parties, the state, and profit interests!
We are not an NGO, a political party, or a representative organization. We do not run in state elections and are independent of state funding. We are an association of people living in the neighborhood.
We want change now and are willing to fight for it ourselves. We do not want to hope for the fulfillment of a party program or reforms in the future.
6. We will not allow ourselves to be co-opted or taken for fools by those in power!
We do not believe the promises made by political parties, politicians, and authorities, not to mention corporations and capitalists. We know that authorities, and most media outlets primarily protect the interests of those in power. They want to minimize our justified protests and the development of alternatives.
That is why we are taking matters into our own hands. We will not allow ourselves to be exploited or co-opted for the interests of others.
7. We offer support to our community – but we are not a service provider!
We are not social workers. Our aim is to understand and tackle problems as shared problems, not to solve individual problems for others as quickly as possible. We want to create structures of mutual aid and support that are sustained by the people in the neighborhood.
Our problems have social causes that affect us all: profit orientation in capitalism, oppression, and domination; we know that our problems will only end in the long term if we overcome these structures.
8. We dream of a better world – and we fight for it together!
We are concerned with the root of our problems in the big picture: we dream of a world without capitalism and domination. The structures that create problems in our lives also give rise to the problems that affect the whole world today: global exploitation and inequality, climate catastrophe, and war.
Still, the history of humanity is the history of people who have dreamed of a better world. Of people who have fought for greater justice and peace. Today, we are part of this struggle.
We know that without capitalism’s obsession with profit, our planet is sufficient for a good life for all. We want a future in which we and our grandchildren can live well on this earth. We can achieve a world in which land, air, and water belong to everyone. With an economy in which we work together for a good life for all and businesses, factories, and houses belong to everyone.
A world in which all people have unrestricted access to everything necessary for life, such as food and education. We want a future without borders, in which all people can live where they want. A world of diversity, of cultures that respect each other
9. We stand in solidarity with all those who resist oppression and exploitation – here and everywhere in the world!
And we are not the only ones who dream and are ready to fight for a different world: there are many of us! Whether in Münster, Europe, or anywhere else in the world: we stand in solidarity with all those who resist exploitation and oppression.
We see all these struggles as one common struggle.
We are not alone! Let’s create a different world!