The great RWE-Bagger is only 60 meters away from Lützerath. The occupied place could be cleared in the next few days. Lützerath was once a small settlement, a few farms, a few houses with around a hundred inhabitants. It belonged to the district of Immerath. Today Lützerath is a hotspot for the climate movement. This is where it will be decided whether Germany will achieve its climate goals, say the activists.
Ronni Zepplin from Berlin has been living in Lützerath for two years. Some of the courtyards and houses there have already been demolished. There are still two large farms and small single-family houses. These abandoned buildings have now been occupied by climate activists. Ronni was briefly with her parents again over Christmas, she says, now wants to defend herself against the impending eviction.
Activists want to stop evictions
“I will now do everything again to fight for us to finally stop this deadly ‘keep it up’ that politics has sealed here.”, says the early 20s year old. Ronni takes part in many workshops in Lützerath. She says that the activist scene is a heterogeneous group. A lot is discussed in a plenary session, but everyone is actually free to make their own decisions.
Lots of support from the public
Ronni says that she is afraid that millions of tons of coal will still be burned under Lützerath. “Because then we will continue to race into the climate catastrophe and that will destroy our livelihood”, the Berliner continues. Even if only activists live in the camp, support also comes from the residents of the surrounding villages. For example, they bring groceries. The camp is financed by donations. When RWE When the power line to Lützerath was cut a few weeks ago, Greenpeace immediately set up several solar systems. Julia Riedel tells about her family that her brother in a well-known dax-Company works. She preferred to join the climate movement. “So my family can understand what I’m doing here because it just makes sense and is important”said the 29-year-old.