Chaos and Gunfire Shake Hamburg Community: “Residents Are Gripped by Fear”

Franziska Siewers has lived on Wilstorfer Strasse for eight years. A small apartment at the back of a weathered old building. When the two men from the red light district clashed in the middle of the day, the 32-year-old was walking with her daughter on the other side of the street: “I saw the two of them gesticulating wildly, they were getting louder and louder and were totally aggressive. I already suspected that the situation was about to escalate.”

“Quickly into the house,” she says tensely and pushes her daughter into the entrance. Franziska Siewers closes the front door and feels relief.

“Then the shot was fired,” she says. And adds: “It wasn’t long ago that someone was stabbed right outside our door. I don’t really feel safe here.”

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“People move in and out here”

But the desire to live near her beloved mother-in-law prompted Siewers and her partner to move from the tranquil Itzehoe to the notorious Phoenixviertel. “It’s not that bad here. In Itzehoe, on the other hand, I couldn’t stand it when I visited. You were almost frightened when a car drove down the street,” says mother-in-law Monika Sobottka, laughing.

The 76-year-old has lived in the house on Wilstorfer Strasse for 34 years and is happy to have her family in the house. She wants to stay in Harburg, that’s for sure. “I don’t see any violence or drugs here. I don’t care about the other people outside, it’s none of my business.”

Everything she needs is right outside her door, her loved ones live just one floor down, that’s the most important thing for her. She doesn’t know the other neighbors. “People move in and out here,” she says.

Police confirm increased burden in all areas of crime

In 2023, the number of violent crime cases in the Phoenix area increased by 29.3 percent to 410 cases, compared to 2022. In June, a 17-year-old was shot in front of Sobottka’s house, and in October 2023, two men suffered gunshot wounds in a nearby backyard. Two years earlier, in November 2021, a 55-year-old shot two work colleagues on the street.

The police confirm an increased burden in all areas of crime locally and are working to counteract this development with great commitment. One example is the increased deployment of civilian and uniformed officers in the fight against the public drug scene.

Police spokesman Thilo Marxen: “The police are working here every day to ensure that no hotspots can establish themselves and to strengthen the sense of security of the residents of the district.”

Likewise, numerous associations and initiatives are committed to providing a wide range of assistance to the people in the district, where more than 50 percent of the residents have a migration background.

“People are afraid to go out on the streets, that’s probably the case”

Opposite the shopping center, Yasa stands in front of his shop with a glass of tea in one hand and a cigarette in the other, watching the hustle and bustle outside. For 14 years, the 44-year-old from Turkey has worked in one of the eight men’s hairdressing salons that are clustered on a stretch of the street that is only around 300 meters long. Business is already much better, he says. “People are afraid to go out on the street, that’s probably the case. And I can understand that. In the past, long before Corona, it was quieter. People weren’t immediately stabbed or shot,” he says.

A few shops further on, Ömer Bürlükkara sells a variety of Turkish baked goods behind an illuminated counter. The sweet smell of warm puff pastry, the dim light and the authentic decor make you forget the dreariness of the street. The 43-year-old has been running the popular breakfast café for seven years and is happy.

“In the evenings, when people are drunk, that sometimes causes problems”

“The mix of shops has improved, more restaurants, fewer cultural clubs. It used to be worse here,” he says, assessing the situation in exactly the opposite way to his neighbor a few doors down. Ömer looks after the shop and works from early in the morning until late at night. “In the evenings, when people are drunk, that sometimes causes problems,” he says, but then he finishes work and goes home.

With a black eye and a heavy list, Karl (56) makes his way along Wilstorfer Strasse. “There’s a dance of death in the pub,” he says in a friendly manner. And adds: “It’s not worth going in there.”

But Karl was inside the “Corner”, one of the corner bars on the street that the police often raid. At 11.15 a.m. on a Tuesday, Karl was the only customer. He had just quickly picked up one or two small drinks at the bar. Not much, he says with a heavy tongue. He doesn’t really drink much.

Burgundy roast, asshole and Germany ticket

Karl tells us that he worked for 30 years opposite the pub at Continental, which used to be Phoenix AG, a large rubber goods factory after which the district is named. “Back then, I was passionate about driving a forklift,” says Karl with a rolling r and begins to reminisce. His Harburg. His job. His life.

He talks about the best Burgundy roast on the street back then, about the idiot who gave him a black eye last week. And ends with a compliment about the Deutschlandticket, which still takes him from home to Wilstorfer Strasse every day since his car broke down. He lost his job as a forklift driver six years ago because of residual alcohol. But for the past six years he has still been driving to “his” neighborhood almost every day.

Von Leweke Brinkama, Sebastian Peters

Here are⁢ some PAA (People Also Ask) related questions ⁣for the title **”The Phoenixviertel: A⁣ Hamburg District‌ Struggling with Crime and⁢ Violence”**:

The Phoenixviertel: A ⁤Hamburg⁢ District Struggling with Crime and Violence

The Phoenixviertel, a district in Hamburg’s Harburg borough, has been struggling with increasing ‍crime rates and a sense of‍ unease among its residents.⁢ The area, which is home to ⁣around 5,000 people [[2]], has seen⁣ a ⁣surge in violent crime cases, with a‍ 29.3% increase in 2023 compared to the previous year [[6]]. The police have confirmed an⁢ increased‍ burden ​in all areas of ⁢crime locally and are working to counteract this development with great ‍commitment.

One of the residents, Franziska Siewers, has lived in the area for eight years ⁤and has witnessed the⁣ escalation of violence firsthand. She recounts a terrifying⁢ incident where ⁢two men from the red-light district clashed⁤ in the⁣ middle ⁤of the ⁢day, and she⁤ had to quickly⁣ rush⁣ her ​daughter to⁢ safety.‍ “I don’t⁤ really feel safe here,” she says, echoing the sentiments⁤ of many other residents.

Despite the‍ challenges, some residents, like Monika Sobottka, are determined to stay in the area. The ‍76-year-old has lived on Wilstorfer Strasse‍ for​ 34 years and is happy to have her family nearby. “I don’t⁣ see any violence or drugs here. I​ don’t care‍ about the other people outside, it’s none of my‍ business,” she says,⁤ highlighting the importance ​of family ties in⁤ the community.

The police are working to improve⁢ the situation, with‌ increased deployment of civilian and uniformed ‍officers in the fight against the public drug scene [[6]]. Additionally, ​numerous ⁢associations and ‌initiatives are committed to providing a wide range of assistance to ‍the people in the ‌district, where more than 50% of the residents have a migration background.

Local ‍business⁣ owners, like Yasa and Ömer ​Bürlükkara, are also working to create ​a sense ‌of community and normalcy in the area. Yasa, ‌who has worked ‌in one of the ⁤eight men’s‍ hairdressing salons on ⁣Wilstorfer Strasse for 14 years,‍ notes that business is improving, despite the challenges. Ömer, who ​runs a popular breakfast café, is happy with the mix of⁣ shops in the area,‍ which has improved over time.

However, ⁣the area still struggles with issues‍ like drunkenness ​and rowdy⁢ behavior, particularly in the evenings. Karl, ​a 56-year-old resident,​ notes that the “Corner”, a ‌corner bar on the street, is often‌ raided by the police⁣ and is not a place he would recommend visiting.

The Phoenixviertel, which is named⁢ after⁣ the large⁤ rubber goods factory that‌ once operated ⁢in the area, is a complex and⁢ multifaceted district. While it⁤ faces significant challenges, it is also home to a diverse community of residents and business owners who are working to ‌create a better future for themselves and their neighbors.

References:

[[1]]Problem-Kiez Phoenix-Viertel: ⁢Polizei im Einsatz gegen illegale Zocker und Rowdys. (Jan 23, 2023). BILD.

[[2]]Hamburg Phoenixviertel. Stop-Partnergewalt.org.

[[3]]⁢ Domino’s​ Pizza Hamburg Harburg Phoenix Viert

What are the main causes of crime and violence in the Phoenixviertel, and how do they compare to other districts in Hamburg?

The Phoenixviertel: A Hamburg District Struggling with Crime and Violence

The Phoenixviertel, a district in Hamburg, has been plagued by crime and violence, leaving many residents feeling unsafe and anxious. Franziska Siewers, a 32-year-old mother, has lived in the area for eight years and has witnessed firsthand the increase in violent incidents. She recalls a recent incident where two men from the red light district clashed in the middle of the day, and a shot was fired, leaving her feeling terrified and unsafe.

Despite the concerns about safety, Siewers’ mother-in-law, Monika Sobottka, who has lived in the area for 34 years, takes a more optimistic view. She believes that the area is not that bad and that she doesn’t see any violence or drugs. However, she does acknowledge that “people move in and out here,” suggesting that the area has a high turnover of residents.

The police have confirmed an increased burden in all areas of crime locally, with the number of violent crime cases in the Phoenix area increasing by 29.3 percent to 410 cases in 2023, compared to 2022. In response, the police are working to counteract this development with great commitment, including increasing the deployment of civilian and uniformed officers to combat the public drug scene.

Residents and business owners in the area are also affected by the crime and violence. Yasa, a 44-year-old from Turkey who has worked in one of the local men’s hairdressing salons for 14 years, believes that “people are afraid to go out on the streets, that’s probably the case.” This fear is likely to have a negative impact on local businesses and the overall quality of life in the area.

The Phoenixviertel is not the only area in Hamburg struggling with crime and violence. Harburg, a nearby district, has also experienced its fair share of problems. According to a Reddit user, crime is not that high in Harburg compared to other parts of the city, but it’s still a concern [[1]].

The increase in crime and violence in the