Uta

Comic von Ulrike Jänichen

1991 geht Uta für eine neue Stelle von Chemnitz nach Solingen. Ihre beiden Kinder holt sie ein Jahr später nach und pendelt fortan abwechselnd mit ihrem Mann zwischen beiden Orten.

In 1991, Uta moves from Chemnitz to Solingen for a new job. She brings her two children a year later and from then on alternates commuting between the two places with her husband.

I’m a metallographer and materials researcher.
When something breaks, we take a closer look.

We take a precise look. We get into the details. We learn to distinguish between things. At the same time, I need to see the bigger picture. In order to draw conclusions, I have to understand how things connect.

I learned that early on, when I was a child walking in the forest with my parents. I observed with open eyes, ears, and nose. I grew up in Karl-Marx-Stadt. It was in the center of town, but I found green spaces everywhere.

Outside in nature is where I felt at home. We had our own little paradises. We children were hunters and gatherers.

School was noisy and annoying somehow. I never liked it when people argued. Often, it was hard to tell what I could say out loud without getting into trouble. I became a quiet person during those years. It took time to shake that off, even after German reunification. You can’t just become free overnight; you have to learn how. School got better once I was allowed to write with my left hand. It’s easier when you only have one opinion and never question it.

My father was an idealist. “What you choose in life is up to you, but I want you to know everything about it. You have to learn to see every side of it. Even when you meet someone, you have to ask yourself: Where does their opinion come from? Don‘t let yourself be taken in.” I was allowed to experience church and define faith for myself. / And yet, he was also torn between ideals and reality. “What kind of country is it that has to protect itself so much from the inside?” [Close to the inner-German border in the 1970s.]

I actually wanted to study biology. Materials engineering felt safer to my parents. When I start something, I finish it. And I can always get enthusiastic about it. Within the system, the individual only counted for their value to society. Helping without personal gain. I think I was raised to be very selfless. / I like helping others. I find it hard to take breaks – I still do. “Work’s over! Why do you keep helping so much? It doesn’t even get you anywhere. Or does this have something to do with your past?”

We lived together as a community. We also lived in our house. We were always with friends and our doors were always open. Sometimes the children could stay home alone – someone was always nearby. People were quick to help. Money was scarce, and there was nothing worth buying anyway. Still, we had a lot of fun. / And we traveled – to Bulgaria and Georgia. For a short time, we were free, away from the narrowness of it all. The hospitality and openness I experienced there left a deep mark on me. / Culture was community, too – it was discussion and debate. For me, the German Reunification began on the city’s stages.
“Two names for what was once the same country. The border runs straight through me!” [Bettina Wegner, “Von Deutschland nach Deutschland”]

That time was a fresh start, a new beginning. Almost everyone was political and involved. It was an amazing experience when people came together to create something new! There was a firm belief in democracy. So many ideas! So much potential! There was a huge desire and determination to change what was wrong. We had a vision of responsibility and community. In Zeisigwald, we tried to embody it.

The visions failed due to the new system. Karl-Marx-Stadt was a city of workers. The people knew how to work hard. But with the socialist regime came the disappearance of work. Everything collapsed, from planned economy to the market. Many left. I did too. Initially, I planned to leave for just five or six years.

I was needed in Solingen. Labs and teaching, that‘s what I love . I enjoy getting to the bottom of things and showing students how complex and diverse the world is. / Complex thinking has fascinated me my whole life!

That meant commuting every week. To my husband and two young children. I was the one with the steady income. I did it for a year, and then I brought the children to live with me. Chemnitz remained the place for holidays and celebrations. Going home to Chemnitz evoked a warm feeling. It was the same for the children. It grounded us. But it wasn’t our future.

The future was in Solingen. That’s where work and daily life took place. I was alone with two kids. The system was built for housewives, not me. „School starts at 7:30, and you’re supposed to be here at 7:30, too!“ „Work full time and raise them alone? You can try, but you’ll never manage!“ „Good morning! Have a lovely day!“ I love you so much.“ – Mom”

Linda had a hard time with her teacher. At work, however, I was welcomed, supported, and included. There was mutual interest. We asked about the differences.

It was different in the media and in public life. So often, it was just prejudice and judgment. There was no recognition. The West portrayed the East as victims — and now criticizes them for remaining in that role. But there were so many other stories and experiences! This framing hurt me. „After two years of the market economy, Chemnitz’s industry has nearly disappeared: Three out of four metalworkers have lost their jobs…“ (taz, April 6, 1992). „The Buna works in Schkopau are just a footnote in the history of chemistry. There’s no reason to save them at any price…“ (Klaus Schucht, Treuhand Board, 1991–94). Heckert declares bankruptcy. Run-down, closed, and in no way competitive. Workers moved into job-creation schemes. „The Stasi archives are open. Here lies the poison of 40 years of a surveillance state“ (ZDF Year Review, 1992). The mob in Rostock-Lichtenhagen lasted four days and attracted 3,000 onlookers. The police failed to stop it.

After Rostock, the fires continued to burn. Six months later, it happened again, this time in Solingen. The city struggled to reconcile. Yet, the violence continued. Some people showed how solidarity can grow from hatred.

Rostock-Lichtenhagen — 22–26
Aug 1992
Solingen – 29 May 1993
Gürsün İnce (27)
Hatice Genç (18)
Gülüstan Öztürk (12)
Hülya Genç (9)
Saime Genç (4)
17 injured, some seriously

Solingen – 25 March 2024
Stefan Schulz
Ines W. (56)
Florian H.
8 injured, some seriously

23 Aug 2024
Kancho Zmilov (29)
Katya Zmilova (28)
Emili Zmilova (2)
Galia Zmilova (3 months)
21 injured, some seriously

My husband and I got divorced. That was hard. It was a long road. I also lost touch with old friends and my roots. I felt uprooted. I remarried, and now our son is 25. They grew up in a diverse world. They live life with courage.

Is there any interest in the East and its differences? I still notice it among my colleagues today. I organize trips. We’ve been to the Semper Opera; maybe we’ll go to Chemnitz next. Yet, people still form an image in their minds. I’m still trying to understand what’s happening here myself. There are no quick answers, but people expect them. Some things you can only experience.

The world is speeding up. What holds us together now? Democracy requires responsibility, not fear. Crises cause fear. Fear limits our potential. Fear can be manipulated and steered. We need real, shared experiences. We must find a way how to handle this sensibly and reasonably.

With two months until retirement, it’s time for me to go. I enjoyed my work. Now, it’s time for younger people to take over. Social problems in schools have increased, including violence. What will happen to these children? What prospects do they have? Some families have been unemployed for three generations. Integration is not working. I support teaching moral courage as a school subject.

My husband needs care, and the medical support here is good. My mother, who is almost 90 and lives in Chemnitz, is slowly becoming demented. We’ll have to sell our house and garden because we can’t afford them on my pension alone. It will be difficult, but everything has its time. I’m thinking about moving back. I think about my roots, my friends, the people, and Zeisigwald every day. Art and culture. Chemnitz is the space, the place. Yet, the city has changed. Sometimes it feels alien.

It’s also a kind of freedom to be able to decide that for yourself. New paths will appear as long as we don’t wait too long. Life is a construction site, and new tasks will always arise. That’s how it will be. But we are the builders.
[As part of a project with artist Benjamin Strunk, children spray-painted a wall on Chemnitz’s Sonnenberg/Lessingplatz.]

Finanzierung / Sponsoring

Ein Projekt im Rahmen der Kulturhauptstadt Europas Chemnitz 2025. Diese Maßnahme wird mitfinanziert durch Steuermittel auf der Grundlage des vom Sächsischen Landtag beschlossenen Haushaltes und durch Bundesmittel der Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien.

Mit freundlicher Unterstützung des Finnland-Instituts, Berlin / With the kind support of the Finnland Institut, Berlin

Wir danken unseren Sponsoren Volksbank Chemnitz, sowie der Deutschen Telekom!