Fight for church space: Pastor Brand speaks plainly about problems

Fight for church space: Pastor Brand speaks plainly about problems

In the heart of Gießen, the situation at the church square concerns both residents and visitors. The city church priest Gabriel Brand has experienced the development on site first hand and speaks out in an interview about the problems affecting the community, the increasing police presence and the dwindling trust, especially of newer groups in the scene.

"There have been major problems recently that have been discussed publicly. However, the situation has improved somewhat," said Brand. He attributes this positive development to an increased police presence, which has increased citizens' feeling of security. Nevertheless, the church square remains a hot spot for drug use and crime.

Development at Kirchenplatz: Relief, but not without challenges

The police's efforts appear to be beginning to bear fruit, with many of the previous problems alleviating themselves, according to Brand. "It looks like the drug scene has moved to other places. But whether this development is long-term remains to be seen," he explains. Still, many of the new faces entering the space are more aggressive, which Brand links to a rise in crack use.

“We noticed a clear difference between the old acquaintances and the new visitors,” the priest explains. While the established group is relatively sociable and their trust can be built, the new groups are often not interested in having a dialogue. "Most people don't react at all when you try to talk to them. It's a difficult situation that has a lot to do with trust," explains Brand.

Nevertheless, the priest cares about the well-being of the community. He is actively involved and works to ensure that people living on the margins of society are respected. “It’s important that we build a certain connection with people,” he says. “Respect grows when all sides communicate with each other.”

The problems at the church square also affect the church itself. "We want the chapel to remain a space of silence that is accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, we also experience vandalism and destruction of our facilities. Flowers were stolen and the baptismal font was attacked. This affects us," he says. His tasks also include pastoral contact with homeless people, which shows the need to integrate these people into the community. "If you work well together here, mutual respect develops. You can see this in the fact that people clean up themselves when you hand them a broom," says Brand.

The role of the church: building support and understanding

Despite the challenges, Brand recommends not giving up on the space, but rather encouraging a dialogue between the city, residents and the church. “Everyone needs to have a conversation,” he says. A redesign of the square could also contribute to the solution. “If the space is made more inviting, for example with a café, the mood can also change.” He gives the example of a city where squares have been redesigned and safe areas for drug addicts have been set up. There they can be taken out to come into contact with social workers.

Ultimately, Gabriel Brand advocates treating everyone involved respectfully in order to address the challenges surrounding the church square. "It's not enough to simply drive people away. We need to involve them to make a difference in the long term," he concludes. More information about how the situation at Giessen's church square is developing is missing from comprehensive reporting. as reported on www.giessener- Allgemeine.de.