The mood in Dannenrod has turned.

Until recently, the climate activists from all over Europe were still welcome in the fight against the further construction of Autobahn 49 through the Dannenröder Forest in Central Hesse, but many of the 170 or so villagers now believe that the young people should move on or go home.

But they don't think about it.

On the contrary: They want to buy the Gasthof Jakob, which they have rented for months, and set up a permanent base there.

The mood was heated up by a climate camp from April 9th ​​to 19th. According to estimates by the police, around 120 participants took part in various workshops every day, significantly more on the two weekends. It was about political awareness raising, nature education, green areas in the city, the passing on of skills acquired during months of protests and about how climate protection can work on site.

How much the topic occupies the people in Dannenrod, a district of Homberg / Ohm with just 170 inhabitants, was shown in the constituent meeting of the local advisory board on April 22nd. In the end, many of the 15 or so visitors complained vehemently about the conditions in and at Gasthof Jakob under the heading “Miscellaneous”. The fact that the incoming climate activists took over the children's playground and hung their laundry there was also lamented, as was the smearing of place-name signs and billboards with graffiti or slogans such as "No Cops". If you speak to the young people about it, you sometimes meet with understanding, they said. But the staff turnover among the activists is great, and those addressed hid behind the argument,they are not responsible for the actions of autonomous groups. The A-49 opponents categorically reject management structures, so that there is no contact person who is in charge.

Same goals but different methods

The Dannenröders fail to understand that club life in the village has been on hold for more than a year due to Corona, but that the climate camp was allowed to take place with a total of more than 1000 participants.

In addition, there are problems with the disposal of faeces during the event.

Dixie toilets operated with chemicals were rejected by environmentalists.

Instead, they organized a container in which the contents of the outhouse were disposed of.

But the container was leaking.

Since it was raining heavily, the brown liquid flowed down the sloping terrain and spread over the property there.

The closer people live to the inn, the more pronounced their aversion to the activists seems to be. Karin and Wilfried Wagner, who live across the street in a stylish property renovated in 1995, are at their nerves. “Take a look at this mess”, the farmer shouts indignantly and points with his finger at the mess around Gasthof Jakob, on the facade of which large protest banners flutter in the wind. “Everything used to be fine. It was an institution. We celebrated many family celebrations there, from baptisms to special birthdays to funeral coffees. Now everything is decaying. "