Daheim? sinti in Freiburg

The documentary film by Louis Leininger is currently being shown at the NS Documentation Center of the Freiburg Museums as part of the permanent exhibition.

Starting from the housing shortage of the 1950s and 1960s, the film traces the history of the Freiburg Sinti, who lived under discriminatory conditions on the outskirts of the city and were officially referred to as “Freiburg Gypsies.” Archival footage reveals how centuries-old prejudices were perpetuated through media representations and continued to manifest themselves in the built environment well into the 1970s.

In response to years of demands for adequate housing, the City of Freiburg initiated a pilot project: the Auggener Weg in the newly developing district of Weingarten. What was initially regarded as a modern and progressive housing concept was soon labeled a social hotspot. Attributions such as anonymity, criminality, and neglect came to shape the image of the neighborhood in a lasting way.

The film approaches this history from a personal perspective. Manuel Reinhardt speaks about Weingarten — and about experiences, memories, and narratives that exist beyond the dominant accounts.