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Schwabenhass (German for hatred against
Swabians) is a neologism referring to the aversion to the approximately 300,000-strong[1] Swabian diaspora in
Berlin and elsewhere in Germany outside of
Swabia. In 2013, the so-called Spätzle-streit gained nationwide attention.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Historical background
Anti-Swabian sentiment occurs in different ethnic groups in Germany. The people of
Baden, who live immediately west of Swabia and share with them the state of
Baden-Württemberg, have a tradition of rivalry with their eastern neighbors.[9][10] According to the notion, we have nothing against Swabians, at least nothing with sustainable remedy effect.
Theodor Fontane states in his 1895 novel Effi Briest that Swabians were a reason to move away from certain neighborhoods in Berlin.[11]
The terms Schwob and Szwab have been used by German Swiss and Poles respectively as an ethnic slur for all Germans.[12]
Similar prejudices applied to the
Donauschwaben in Hungary[13] despising everything German.[14] "Švabe" is a derogatory term for all Germans in modern
Serbo-Croatian.
Role in gentrification
Berlin was not accustomed to
gentrification and went through a rather quick modernization process after 1989. Swabians were being deemed as gentrification drivers.[15] “Schwaben” as a term is being used as a synonym for all sorts of well-to-do west German immigrants.[16][17][18]
There have been cases of
arson e.g. on expensive buggies and trendy cars.[19][20][21]
Jan Fleischhauer saw "Schwaben-Hass" as a politically correct variant of
xenophobia for left-wing intellectuals hiding otherwise totally unacceptable political positions against foreign infiltration or domination by immigrants.[22]
Prenzlauer Berg slogans included
snowclones such as „Schwaben töten“ (Kill Swabians), „Wir sind ein Volk. Und ihr seid ein anderes“ (We're one people. And you are another.) or „Ostberlin wünscht dir eine gute Heimfahrt“ (East Berlin wishes you a good trip home).[23][24] The police started acting after „Kauft nicht bei Schwab'n“ (don't buy Swabian, a snowclone
on a well-known antisemitic motto) was used as graffiti in Berlin's Rykestrasse.[25]
Thierse controversy
Politician
Wolfgang Thierse (SPD) had accused Swabians in Berlin of a lack of adaptive capability [26] and a lack of understanding the 'culture of Berlin'. The notion in a local Berlin newspaper gained nationwide flak.[27][28] Germans doubt whether Berlin has any (high brow) culture at all, as Berlin 'milieu' stereotypes, based on
Heinrich Zille's work, are often working-class-derived. Thierse himself does not have any such local background, as a man of letters and Catholic immigrant from the former
Silesia. Cicero magazine tried to describe him as an all-German
square "Spießer" due to the controversy.[29][30] Thierse's use of
Überfremdung points against Swabians was harshly criticized, and he faced considerable protest.[31][32]
During this Berliner Schwabenstreit 2013 various
Spaßguerillas turned up, as „Free Schwabylon“, claiming a
micronation for Swabian emigrants[33] around Kollwitzplatz, close to Thierses home.[34]New York Times reported about various aspects of the conflict,[35][36][37] under the title „Swabian Separatists Fling Spätzle to Make Their Point“.[38]
Martina Schöller: Schwaben in Berlin. Eine ethnographische Studie. Tübingen 2003
Martina Schöller: Von Schwaben nach Berlin: eine empirische Untersuchung zur Bedeutung von Herkunft für Binnenmigrationen. Magisterarbeit Universität Tübingen 2004.
Thomas Bürk, Thomas Götz: Schwaben in Berlin: Metamorphosen einer kulturellen Figur und ihrer urbanen Topographien. In: Beate Binder (Hg.), Moritz Ege (Hg.), Anja Schwanhäußer (Hg.), Jens Wietschorke (Hg.): Orte - Situationen - Atmosphären: kulturanalytische Skizzen. Campus-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2010, p. 307-320,
ISBN978-3-593-39269-1.
^Amadeus Siebenpunkt, Deutschland Deine Badener, Verlag Regionalkultur, 1997,
ISBN3-89735-355-5.
^Waltraud Linder-Beroud: Wie badisch ist das Badnerlied? Zur Geschichte der Landeshymnen in Baden und Württemberg. In: Eckhard John (Hrsg.): Volkslied – Hymne – politisches Lied. Populäre Lieder in Baden-Württemberg. Volksliedstudien, Bd. 3. Waxmann, Münster 2003,
ISBN3-8309-1351-6, p. 54–95,
hier p. 89.
^Johannes Bumüller: Die Weltgeschichte. Ein Lehrbuch für Mittelschulen und zum Selbstunterricht. Dritter Teil: Die neue Zeit. 6., verbesserte Auflage, Herder, Freiburg 1867,
p. 36;
Friedrich Wilhelm Barthold: Deutschland und die Hugenotten. Geschichte des Einflusses der Deutschen auf Frankreichs kirchliche und bürgerliche Verhältnisse … 1531–1598. Bd. 1, Schlodtmann, Bremen 1848,
p. 31; Dora Rudolf: Konrad Meyer und sein Freundeskreis. Ein Zürcher Literaturbild aus dem 19. Jahrhundert. Juchli & Beck, Zürich 1909, p. 43 (
online).
^Anonym: Die magyarische Revolution. Kurzgefaßte Schilderung der jüngsten Zeitereignisse in Ungarn und Siebenbürgen. Heckenast, Pest 1849,
p. 197.
^Politische Miscellen vom Verfasser der „sibyllinischen Bücher aus Oesterreich“. Tendler, Wien 1848,
p. 79.