Time for Plan A - Anarchy campaign in the Rhine-Ruhr area (de)

On 05 October starts with an opening party in the autonomous center in M?lheim an der 
Ruhr, a three-month campaign with the slogan: "Time for Plan A". Organized by various 
groups around the Anarchist Federation Rhine / Ruhr, more than two dozen events provide an 
insight into past, present and future of anarchism. General introductions will take place 
as well as events at certain anarchist currents, such as anarcho-syndicalism, 
anarcho-communism or the Anarchafeminism and anarchist positions on topics such as 
religion, gender, city policy or veganism. In addition, you expect readings, poetry and 
film screenings. Concluding with a meeting in the framework of an organized, like new 
interested people together to evaluate the campaign and plans for the future.
 
In addition to the support provided by individual member groups and individuals, we 
support the campaign as a federation of material and a special edition of G?i D?o. This 
will include discussions on various topics touched upon here, as well as perceptions of 
the involved groups and structures and an interview with the editors, with some people 
from the preparatory committee, which we publish here already.
 
 
Please introduce yourselves short. How did the initiative AFRR? What groups are there? How 
has the initiative from the first meeting on the 2nd Libertarian media exhibition 
developed to date?
 
Petra: The initiative AFRR occurred because several people had independently the need for 
anarchist organization. By chance these people then came together. Through a contact with 
the inside of the organizer * 2 libertarian media fair, it was possible to organize a 
first public meeting on this very show.
 
Heinz: And this meeting was huge. About 50 people had gathered to discuss the possibility 
of an anarchist federation in the Ruhr. (Laughs) Sorry, could not be saved all over this 
momentum. But now there is at least one group in Dortmund, Bochum and one in another in 
Dusseldorf, in the widest sense emerged from this meeting. With the eastern Ruhr 
anarchichstischen group there is also already a group member of the Federation of German 
anarchists (FdA) is.
 
Petra: Basically, we are very happy with the last year. The anarchist organizing our 
attempt is certainly the largest and most serious attempt since a long time in the Rhine / 
Ruhr area. The current status seems that the locally forming groups focus primarily on 
themselves and their work. What is logical for us because these initiatives must also only 
consolidate once. We wish all of us but for the future a stronger networking and that the 
federal structure of the AFRR is further established.
 
Why anarchy campaign in the area between the Rhine and the (In) watch?
 
Heinz: Well, we know that there are many people in the Ruhr area, which is either an 
anarchist understand * the inside or the Anarchist idea but facing very positive. But 
often they see in the anarchist movement (yet) organizational alternative. Therefore, they 
are often active in groups, where they constitute a political minority. We want to show, 
among other things, that the anarchist movement in our area is now able to go through with 
ambitious projects.
 
Petra: Not to mention all the other people who are all too happy to think of anarchy 
"chaos and violence." Them we want to bring the idea of ??anarchy content closer 
especially. Because we know from many conversations that most people hold exploitation and 
oppression of man by man is not a good idea. The question is just how to get to a society 
where it is implemented? We try to answer with our campaign.
 
Bernd: Or rather, we try to get in touch with the campaign to people about these very 
issues. We have answers often do not, but are often seekers. Because our way is a process 
and we do not presume to be able to give answers to all urgent issues, how can we presume 
to find a relatively small answers related to all people? This would contradict our ideas 
and ideals.
 
And why now?
 
Bernd: I do not quite understand the question. But I think that we had no particular 
reason to do it now. I mean, there is no anarchsistischen anniversary or any other event 
that we have taken as the occasion.
 
Petra: It was so easy that anyone has incorporated the idea, and then immediately gave 
people who have said, "Yes, we do." We stopped and keep it simple for a good idea, the 
idea of ??anarchy times specifically and concentrated in the region between the Rhine and 
Ruhr-On imagine.
 
Who do you want to address with the campaign?
 
Bernd: There are actually three target groups. The first is ourselves, because as Bernd 
has already said, we are even more "seekers". That is, we learn a lot in and through this 
campaign. A second target group are all the anarchists who are still non-anarchist groups 
active in others. You, we want to show that the movement is a self-organizing at all 
weaknesses, already an alternative. Of course we do not expect that they therefore all 
occur with us - but we hope to have more contacts, cooperation and honestly on another, 
new, explicitly anarchist groups in the Rhine / Ruhr area. The third target group are 
people who do not move in anarchist and radical leftist groups, which we will try to 
inspire you with our ideas. Since we also want to clearly point out: This system is not 
alternative as it is too often shown!
 
And how the campaign will run exactly?
 
Petra: In the beginning we had a lot of very creative ideas and what the shapes, but also 
what the places and was concerned that. Unfortunately, much of this time we could not 
convert. Yet we are simply too few and sometimes we simply lack the necessary contacts. 
Such a program is left at the end, which is usually served with the traditional lecture 
and discussion. We have also tried to organize some cultural events, just stay tuned to 
one or the other action.
 
Can you tell about the program of events of the campaign a little more?
 
Bernd: That will be very colorful! There are events to gentrification, jail, gender 
issues, to anarcho-syndicalism, poetic evenings, something about the situation in Greece 
and much, much more. So it looks like we will not all events are in our printed materials. 
Therefore please respect afrheinruhr.blogsport.de on our blog, where we will set up a 
special page.
 
And how you organize it all?
 
Heinz: The answer is simple: self. We do all in our "free time", so in addition to work, 
study, school, or unemployment. We get money from anyone for it, and are also dependent on 
anyone.
 
Petra: At this point, however, we must penetrating the Federation of German anarchists 
mention inside that helps us not only with a special edition of Gai Dao, but also with 
flyers and posters and a lot of manpower there. Without this direct form of assistance the 
Kampage would not have been possible in this form.
 
You can still actively participate in the planning / implementation?
 
Heinz: The campaign, as such, is now already. But who knows, maybe it is indeed no fluke 
and we repeat that again. You can contact with you your ideas to us now. For it must not 
be that we organsieren the next campaign. Maybe you do that then yes? And we are only in 
contact with you fro;)
 
Bernd: And for the impatient: If you really still want to bring an event of this campaign, 
then get in touch with us quietly. In the printed program, then we can not take them 
again, but we will update the special page on our blog.
 
Is there something you can do to help you?
 
Bernd: Yes, of course: there's always something to do. The best you take to contact the 
groups involved in the campaign and asks what you can do in concrete terms, or even offers 
concrete help. And of course all of you what you always like to do is to throw bills into 
the donation boxes that will be at each event there. Because we still live in capitalism, 
and we have quite a few costs.
 
Last words?
 
Petra: There would certainly be a lot to talk about. But at this point I would just like 
to point out the organizing meeting at the end of the campaign. We hope to inspire people 
within the campaign or even already existing groups for the Anarchist Federation Rhine / 
Ruhr (AFRR). The organization meeting will be open to different aspects. So we could 
imagine on the one hand to provide help for tings just founding groups, and on the other 
hand we would like also about bringing the process of federating in our region forward.
 
More information, as well as all dates can be found on the campaign website , as well as 
on the blog of the Anarchist Federation Rhine / Ruhr. http://afrheinruhr.blogsport.de/