By Michael Sauerbier
Swastikas, Hitler salutes, Nazi sayings: two teachers uncovered the right-wing extremist incidents at the school in Burg (Spreewald). On Tuesday they demonstrate in front of the Cottbus school authority – but the courageous teachers are not supposed to speak. Because they face legal consequences.
Politicians reacted in horror to the fire letter from the teachers. The school authority and the Ministry of Education promised support. But the teachers do not trust the authorities. “We would like to speak up openly,” says a teacher at the BZ, “but the union advised us against it. For labor law reasons. Because we didn’t follow official channels with our public letter.”
The primary and high school in Burg (Spreewald). In an open letter, teachers have complained about right-wing incidents at their school in the Spree-Neisse district Photo: picture alliance/dpa
In fact, the Ministry of Education announced that it would “examine the criticism (!) of dealing with right-wing extremist statements as well as the allegations against the school management”. And: “Disciplinary consequences” could be “part of such an examination”. The Ministry rejects allegations against the school. They need “rest” now.
The Burger teachers want to achieve the opposite with their demo. “Decisive intervention is now needed from school management and politicians,” they demand, “so that all students can learn safely again. Words of concern are not enough. But we have the feeling that the school board wants to muzzle us.”
Worry about image problem
The teachers are particularly outraged by Tobias Hentschel, the civil director who runs the school. When asked by the BZ, he initially denied that it was his school. Then Hentschel complained about the danger “to economic development” in the tourist resort.
“Concerns about the image of the region are completely out of place here,” the teachers grumble, “the office gives neo-Nazis a home.” The well-known right-wing extremist Daniel Grätz runs two restaurants in Burg. “You see Nazi graffiti everywhere,” says one teacher, “but if you complain about it publicly, the director of the office fears for the reputation of his health resort. That makes us angry.”
Two weeks after the fire letter, the school management has now made a U-turn. “On Friday, colleagues were instructed to report all right-wing extremist incidents and statements immediately,” reports one teacher. “There used to be no reaction to our tips in the teachers’ conference.”