„TURBOJUGEND is sometimes politically incorrect, often annoying
and always drunk, but forever against racism”

…these are the words DELIVERY BOY of TURBOJUGEND JAMMERTAL has chosen for a sticker he has created and I have to say that he is damn right.

There is a heated debate going on in Germany nowadays regarding all the people who have fled to our country because their home countries, like Syria for instance, are at war and normal life is not possible there any longer. My grandparents shared a similar fate 70 years ago. After WWII they, together with thousands of others, had to leave their home in Pommern (on Polish territory nowadays) and thus were refugees in their own home country. A country which committed horribly cruel crimes due to the insanity of one man. A country which then rightfully lost all the sympathies. But still: the Germans received help afterwards so that the nation of poets and philosophers got another chance, an opportunity to rebuild their existence. We have managed to arise from the ashes and nowadays we belong to the richest nations in the world. Nobody is forced to starve in Germany and the majority of the problems we are having today are rather belonging to the category of “luxury problems” or “First World problems” if you ask me.

Unfortunately, there are still a few ideologically-confused people who intend to cause fear among the lesser intelligent individuals by spreading purposefully misdirected lies and false statements about how the refugees would be taking away something from them. So what do they do? They blindly follow those xenophobic ideas and statements which are hidden under the pretext of patriotism and do not even shy away from committing violent acts towards those people who have left their home countries for exactly these reasons. Nobody leaves their home voluntarily in an overcrowded boat or via other shady and dubious ways, even accepting their own death. Nobody gives up on their whole lives, their professions, their families and friends if they are not forced to do so.

I do not want to claim that everything is totally perfect in this country and of course, you can always find a fly in the ointment if you look hard and closely enough. This can be perfectly used as an excuse for not helping and showing humanity or even for their own inability to make something out of their lives and thus looking for someone else to blame. What I want to say today is that I am happy I am a part of the TURBOJUGEND. A worldwide movement where neither skin color or sexual orientation nor religion or whatever play a part. The first rule of the TURBOJUGEND says:

“By joining our association we expect that you do not tolerate fascist or racist behavior in your Turbojugend chapter and you won’t tolerate members with such tendencies.”

A worldwide brotherhood that always welcomes “foreigners” or, as we call them, “Deathpunk Tourists” with open arms. And also beyond the own communities single chapters are organizing projects and campaigns all the time which all clearly show one thing:

REFUGEES WELCOME!

To give you an idea about that, I would like to tell you about two initiatives. The TURBOJUGEND GSTOICH has designed stickers with the apt statement:

“TURBOJUGEND GSTOICH gegen Nazis.”

(= Turbojugend Gstoich against nazis)

Now they could have just spread the stickers among the people in order to make their point clear, but that was not enough for them. They wanted to use the stickers for a good cause, namely one that helps refugees, but they did not quite know what to do at that point. A great misfortune in the family of one of the members showed them the way in the end, President OTTI LUMBUS told me. A member’s mother passed away and instead of asking for flowers or wreaths for the grave, she had requested to donate money to TUN STARTHILFE where she had worked as a volunteer. TUN STARTHILFE is a fusion of volunteers who help refugees with their everyday problems in the Eichstätt Landkreis (Bavaria) where the chapter also happens to be from.

This idea was seized and so the wish to make a difference with the stickers was put into practice. Donations have been and continue to be collected via the PAYPAL ACCOUNT of their TURBOJUGEND. Every contributor receives stickers and a badge for their donation and support. So in case you want to donate something today, you are cordially invited to do so.

The TURBOJUGEND SCHLACHTHAUS liked the project so much that they decided to support the refugees with goods. They sent a package consisting of patches, badges, stickers, lighters and a custom-made metallic leather cap. This package was then sold at an auction and TURBOJUGEND BASEL won the bid in the end. All in all, over EUR 300,- have been donated from all over the world. I want to underline that every single donation is going to reach its destination with a 100% certainty. The costs for the stickers etc. are covered by the JUGENDLICHE themselves.

But it did not end with collecting money. The boys also wanted to do something actively. There will be special summer courses for refugees over the summer and since a few of the refugee children were hanging about the skate parks anyway the idea to do a skate-workshop with them was born. It turned out to be a great success and there will be a follow-up on this event.

Another initiative was made possible through the collaboration between TURBOJUGEND ST. PAULI and the FC ST. PAULI. A very special t-shirt was designed together on the occasion of the WELTTURBOJUGENDTAGE which take place in Hamburg, St. Pauli every year. The sale was announced with the following proclamation:

“In a week, we will all come to Hamburg St. Pauli to celebrate the worldwide Turbojugend, meet friends from all over the world and enjoy the nightlife in the streets of the Reeperbahn.

But not all persons come to Hamburg in a moment of joy: There are refugees who were forced to leave their country to in order to escape war, persecution, or horrible conditions in their home countries.

Turbojugend St. Pauli has teamed up with FC St. Pauli to raise money for refugee kids who escaped to Hamburg and are now alone: without their parents, their family, and their friends. All the profits made on the sale of our charity shirt will be donated to WOHNSCHIFFPROJEKT ALTONA.”

The sale was a complete success and the moment perfectly chosen. The few shirts that were left after the weekend are right now sold to JUGENDLICHE in the whole world. The proceeds will be donated to WOHNSCHIFFPROJEKT ALTONA. The Wohnschiffprojekt Altona has been guiding refugee children in Hamburg-Altona since 1996. If you wish to get more information on them and their work, check out their website and that is also where you can directly donate money.

These actions clearly show one thing: the TURBOJUGEND is more than a bunch of drunkards that does not care about their environment and the fellow human beings around them. The TURBOJUGEND is always against racism and in the name of FACE THE JUGEND and the TURBOJUGEND WORLDWIDE let me say today:

REFUGEES WELCOME!

 

Ahoi! from Hamburg
Miroslav aka Sir Polariot

PS: If you happen to have your own story regarding this topic, feel free to send it to us or write a comment on this page.

Translation: Ananas Astra | Turbojugend Main Offender