For 24 hours young people slipped into the role of refugees.
Did all the hardships.
And were then physically and mentally drained.
Marzling
– border controls and smugglers in Marzling?
What seemed unreal at first glance became reality at the weekend in Marzling thanks to a very special campaign by the Bavarian Red Cross Youth (BJRK): As part of the escape simulation "Youth on the Run", young people were able to slip into the role of refugees for 24 hours and experience first hand the stress people are under who are on their way to a better future - for the participants it became an emotional ordeal.
Marzling became Mogadishu
Over the weekend, Marzling became Mogadishu, a farmland became Austria and only a few steps further was the German state border.
In order to give young people an understanding of what it is like for people fleeing around the world, the BJRK brought the flight simulation from Denmark to Bavaria for the first time.
The action itself was meticulously planned, as Florian Stadler from the Bavarian Red Cross Youth explained: A total of 18 instructors from Denmark, Belgium, Westphalia-Lippe and Bavaria had planned the route - starting from Somalia, via a night march through Iraq via Turkey and Hungary Austria and finally to Germany.
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As a refugee across the pampa: Red Cross youth on a self-discovery trip.
© BJRK
17 participants had previously been divided into three large families who had to set off and had to deal with many adversities: customs posts, authorities, smugglers and other unpleasant surprises.
The instructors slipped into different roles – also as watchmen.
What is important to Stadler: "No weapons or weapon-like objects are used".
Although great attention was paid to the physical integrity of those involved in "Youth on the Run", the 24-hour escape really got to the young people's substance.
No wonder: sleep deprivation, the experience of arbitrariness, little food and drink and the fear of not being able to get asylum in the end.
Anna: "I'm pretty much done now!"
"It was brutally exhausting and I'm pretty much done now," said Anna Baumeister (22) from Straubing, who is involved with the Red Cross Youth in her home country.
What was the worst experience for her and for many others: "No question, the reception camp No Hope".
There, those waiting in a narrow tent were exposed to loud music so that they could not sleep or nod off.
Alexander Fischer (28) from Munich, also involved in the BRK, reported something similar: "It was pure stress in the camp!" In his role as head of the family, there was also a moment of happiness for him: "It was a good feeling when we crossed the border from Austria to Germany!"
(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)
Only one of the three families was ultimately allowed to stay, the others were symbolically sent back to their homeland.
A frustrating experience, also for Janine Müller (24) from Hallbergmoos (interview in the Bayern part).
Despite the mental and physical challenge that everyone could see, no one regretted taking part in the simulation.
What made Stadler particularly happy: Eight of the young people want to be trained as instructors in the near future so that they can accompany such runs themselves.
By Richard Lorenz
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