Proschim. Climate activists will not let go of Vattenfall’s coal mining in eastern Germany.
– We will come back. Again and again, says activist Ronja packing up his luggage.
Today the activists leave the camp outside Proschim in eastern Germany after a week of action against Vattenfall brukolsinstallationer. Koltåg has been stopped and even the extraction had to be put down in a few days.
– They shut production before we had even arrived at the facility. So afraid are they of us now, says activist who state the assumed name Ronja (as in the Robber’s Daughter). Like the others in the camp, they feel after years of actions that their campaign against Vattenfall is now beginning to gain support, both locally and internationally. Therefore, the many who intend to continue. Even today begins several activists from a different collective, plan for action on the theme of forest. Vattenfall’s lignite mining threatens namely forest and groundwater in the region they mean.
“Plans for the large collection of the Rhine”
Collectives aims not only themselves at Vattenfall, but also against all lignite mining in Germany.
– in August, we are planning a large gathering in the Rhine. But that does not mean we drop waterfall – or their successors – sight, says Hannah Eichberger, spokesperson of the collective balance Geländen.
Almost all the activists who carry out the coordinated actions regarding lignite extraction have traveled from other cities in Germany or abroad.
– We have never had so many people from other countries, including the Czech Republic, says Hannah Eichberger. She claims to have strong doubts on the Czech buyers who will take over Vattenfall in the area.
“It’s a disaster”
Among the locals around Vattenfall’s installations is the resistance massively against the activists.
– It’s a disaster what they are doing. This is an engineering and industrial country for generations. Without Waterfalls we would not be anything. Alternative energy in all the glory, but it will take at least ten years before the solutions are ready to replace brown coal, said a father who goes with his pram in Spremberg, near the power station that supplies the region with energy.
as many he does not want to give his name. There are many angry feelings about everything concerning brown coal in the area. Coal extraction has not only torn up gigantic wound in the landscape. It is also deeply rooted in the local population:
– We all stand behind Vattenfall and mining companies. My father has worked all his life with brown coal. So it is for most families here, says Judyta Hoffmann in Spremberg.
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