Fire In The Rote Flora - But We Go On In the early hours of Tuesday morning, November 28, 1995, a fire broke out in the archive of the squatted community and political centre of Hamburg, the Rote Flora. The fire-brigade managed to control the blaze after an intense four-hour struggle with three fire-engines, but the fire was not extinguished until 11.00 a.m. In the fire-fighting process the whole roof of the building, had to be removed. The whole of the first floor has been completely burnt out, the rest of the building, namely the ground floor and cellar has been severely damaged by water. At first the cause was assigned to a technical defect in the archives but evidence has since arisen that might point to arson. Two access doors to the building had been broken open. A hole had been smashed in the wall of the archives where a security door was fitted; according to the first fire-fighters on the scene, who enlarged this hole to gain entry, the stones had fallen inwards and could not be ascribed to the fire. The archivists have assured us that they left no electronic instruments running - copier, fax and computer were all off. Furthermore, the movement-activated alarm in the archive was set off twice, but not taken seriously due to frequent false alarms. This is all the information we have at the moment. Speculation should not be let run wild. The Flora was occupied in 1989 on November 1st as a response to the continuing gentrification of the Sternschanze district, culminating in the demolition of the old Flora theatre and the building of a new concert hall for a long-standing production of "Phantom of the Opera". The Phantom had to go elsewhere and the Flora has continued since then as a self-administered, self- determined political and cultural centre. Originally there was a dump adjoining the building which the Florists cleared and turned into a park. In 1992 the park was brutally evicted. Over the past 6 years the centre has had to fight continually for its survival. During this time a fairly strong position has been reached. It has functioned as a local cultural centre for concerts, cafe and Vokue [roughly translates as a "people's kitchen" for the community - ed.], exhibitions, theatre, radio, bicycle and motorbike self-help groups, sport rooms and as an open space where the widest variety of groups could exercise their projects in a hierarchy-free environment. That means: no sexism, no racism and no capitalism. On a local political level it is the place from where non-parliamentary left-wing opposition is often coordinated. Demos were prepared, and campaigns directed with the Flora as focal point. Benefit actions for national and international causes were held here. Congresses and other events networking the North German left were often conducted here. Furthermore, the "Archive of social movements" was housed in the Flora, a unique collection of material documenting the history of the Left since 1945 in Germany and internationally. All but 5% of the material has been completely destroyed. That can never be replaced. The photo-archive and its collection was also destroyed. The fire could not have hit at a worse time. Right in the middle of a solidarity action week for the banned newspaper "Radikal" and the prisoners of the June 13 raids directed against the paper and various other groups. Just when 2 of those prisoners have been transferred, and demos around the prisons have been banned. Just when 3 Kurds in a Hamburg deportation prison have gone on hunger-strike. One thing is clear. The Flora must go on. We cannot allow the politicians to use this as an excuse to demolish the building. According to surveyors from both the city and from our side the material substance of the building is still intact and there is no danger of collapse. We have entered the building, which was at first cordoned off, and begun with a massive cleaning operation. This weekend (December 2) we shall attempt to erect a provisional roof with a large canvas sheet. The electrical wiring must all be relaid. The whole of the first floor has to be re-built inside the outer walls. The roof of the ground floor has to be newly shored up. The water damage is extensive but not beyond repair. Our first objective is to ensure that some kind of restricted activity returns to the place. We are holding night watches and a caravan has been installed as a co-ordination and information point. The erection of a tent to replace some of the Flora's functions in a limited and provisional form has also been planned. The repair work must be done as quickly as possible. It has been heard that the senate wishes to use this opportunity to find a definitive solution to the Flora problem. Given that we have nothing to expect from the city except obstacles and attempts to restrict our self-determination, it is likely that we shall be completely dependent on donations. Despite the destruction of almost all its material, the Archive also plans to continue. They need donations too, both in the form of money and of old newspapers, pamphlets, leaflets etc., to rebuild their collection. We hope that groups from other countries can show their solidarity with us, organise benefit events, whatever. If this place goes under a vital node in the network of North German left- wing organisation will have been lost, and our structures will have been severely weakened. Donations of whatever kind can be sent to the following addresses: Money transfers: Spendekonto Flora e.V. Postgiroamt Hamburg BLZ: 20010020 (Bank Sort Code = BLZ) Ktonr.: 29492/202 (= account nr.) International Money Orders, etc. Rote Flora Schulterblatt 71 20357 Hamburg Germany Phone: 040/4395413 The above address can also be used to contact the archives. ++++ stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal ++++ ++++ if you agree copy these lines to your sig ++++ ++++ see http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/spg-l/sigaction.htm ++++ +++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++===+++== Arm The Spirit is an autonomist/anti-imperialist collective based in Toronto, Canada. Our focus includes a wide variety of material, including political prisoners, national liberation struggles, armed communist resistance, anti-fascism, the fight against patriarchy, and more. We regularly publish our writings, research, and translation materials in our magazine and bulletins called Arm The Spirit. For more information, contact: Arm The Spirit P.O. Box 6326, Stn. 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