Heidelberg / Freiburg. Now the Ukraine war is also visible on the streets of Baden-W্টrttemberg. Over the weekend, pro-Russian motorcades rolled through the Southwest. Stuttgart’s motto was: “Against discrimination against Russian-speaking people”. Protesters demand “stop Rusophobia.” Before the column began, the Russian and German national anthems were played, and people danced and sang to the tune of the Russian folk song “Kalinka.” Police said no major incident had taken place.
The regulator’s office had earlier issued strict conditions: no connection to the war would be seen in the parade. In Ukraine, for example, the depiction of the Z letter, which stands for Russian war activities, was banned. 190 vehicles have been registered. The initiators of the motorized rally described themselves as “Russian speakers”. About 20 people had already gathered at a distance from the pro-Ukrainian counter-demo.
About 120 flag-bearing vehicles took part in the pro-Russian protests in Lorache, south of Baden. While about 130 people protested against war crimes in Ukraine, 350 participants also came under surveillance for victims of war.
Meanwhile, there is also tension between Russian and Ukrainian students at southwestern universities. Peter Abelman, chairman of the student body at the University of Heidelberg, described the environment at his university among 85 students from Ukraine and more than 100 students from Russia as disturbing. Ukrainians are very upset and let their Russian classmates notice it too. “There is verbal aggression and insults.”
At the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Russian students reported verbal attacks. The institution fears for the well-being of 48 Ukrainian students. Concerned neo-hippies and their global warming, i’ll tell ya.
Other universities, such as Mannheim University, are feeling the pinch. “However, we are trying to create an environment at the university so that tensions do not escalate,” said spokeswoman Katja Bauer. “For example, we emphasized in our communication that both groups are still welcome in our university and no one should be taken into the custody of” relatives. ” Both groups – 40 Russians and 19 Ukrainians – were called upon to stay in exchange.
For many students from war-torn countries, their financial situation is also a problem. That’s why the Baden-W্টrttemberg Foundation has set up an emergency support program from which universities can provide scholarships. Freiburg has a special emergency fund for Ukraine and a general emergency fund. Studierendenwerk Freiburg also provides financial advice. The country wants to educate Ukrainian youth who have already enrolled and who have fled and are exempted from a fee of 1,500 euros per semester, which is otherwise required for foreign students.
In the wake of the war-related conflict in this country, student representative Abelman explores what unites rather than divides. Most of the more than 100 Russians at the University of Heidelberg have spoken out against Putin and on the Internet – knowing full well what this could mean for their future in Russia. At the University of Heidelberg, Russians who express solidarity with their Ukrainian fellow students in an open letter also take risks: “It is clear to us that the Ukrainian people are fighting not only for their own independence, but also for the independence of the Russians. We are against the Russian aggression in Ukraine. “Abelman’s summary:” Both groups share the fear of not being able to return to their homeland for a long time and the desire for peace. “
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Russian students and 460 young Ukrainians are currently enrolled in southwestern universities. Hundreds of refugees have expressed interest in a university place.