BERLIN — The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has long stoked anti-immigration sentiment but it’s making an exception for many Russian-speaking migrants from the former Soviet Union when AfD politicians hosted a meeting in the German parliament to shed light on the conditions facing so-called Russlanddeutschen or Russian Germans — ethnic Germans from the post-Soviet space who settled in Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall “The fate of Russian Germans and their future in Germany and elsewhere is close to our hearts,” said Jürgen Braun, an AfD parliamentarian, during the event The event illustrated the AfD’s ever-more-focused efforts to appeal to an estimated 5 million immigrants in Germany who hail from the former Soviet Union Though Russian-speakers in Germany are by no means a singular bloc — and the group increasingly includes many Ukrainians and Russian dissidents who are repelled by the AfD’s Kremlin-friendly stances — their political power in Germany is broadly set to grow amid continuing migration from former Soviet states and the easing of German citizenship rules That helps explain why, a year ahead of a federal election and with current polls putting the AfD in second place politicians in the party are making a concerted effort to reach Russian speakers — particularly Russian Germans also referred to in Germany as “late resettlers.” During the parliamentary group meeting AfD politicians called for raising pension payments for Russian Germans and for removing obstacles for further immigration from Russia It is a striking policy agenda for a party that has often vilified immigrants but sees the segments of the post Soviet diaspora as a potential electoral boon “They are trying to become an exclusive party for Russian-speakers supposedly by defending their interests,” said Dmitri Stratievski director of the Eastern Europe Centre in Berlin Stratievski said it is difficult to determine how well those efforts are working because the diaspora itself is hard to define but it seems to indicate that Russian-speakers began gravitating toward the AfD in greater numbers than the wider electorate during the pandemic suggested the Russlanddeutschen — who descend from German emigres to the Russian Empire — were indeed reciprocating the party’s attention “We are putting forward the message that the AfD is the representative of Russian Germans,” she said during the caucus event “They have already supported us and found us,” she went on The borough of Marzahn-Hellersdorf on the eastern outskirts of Berlin is known for its high concentration of immigrants from Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union Dotted with East German-era apartment blocks it also happens to be among the most far-right districts in the city In the European election in June, the AfD came in first in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, receiving 25.3 percent of the vote, more than any other Berlin district. In other areas of the country, the AfD has also done disproportionately well in some areas with large numbers of Russian Germans an 84-year-old local AfD politician who lives in Marzahn-Hellersdorf and is himself a Russian German was thrilled with the European election result — and had done his best to bring it about Henke puts out a local Russian-language newspaper financed by the party — and adorned with the AfD’s check-mark logo — called “Let’s Get to Work writes on what he believes to be the dangers of migration from Muslim countries and rails against the German government’s severing of close relations with the Kremlin following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine decrying the German government’s supposed acceptance of “70 different genders” and depicting a country in stark decline due to progressive politics “Things in Germany are really going very badly indeed,” Henke wrote in one recent essay understand the country in which they live a little better,” he recently said from the living room of his tidy home Henke went on to claim that the AfD has won the support of most Russian speakers in his area because they did not understand German well enough to read the lies promoted by mainstream news outlets and German public broadcasters “They do not become victims of the official propaganda to the extent that the local population does,” Henke said Russian-language channels that puppet Kremlin propaganda on the war in Ukraine have drawn large numbers of subscribers in Germany The AfD first began targeting Russian speakers around 2016 when Russian state media outlets operating in Germany peddled a fabricated story about a Russian-German girl who had supposedly been raped by Arab migrants in Marzahn-Hellersdorf The fake story was seen as a Russian disinformation campaign meant to sow division and discord in Germany — and the Russian state outlets that pushed the narrative have since been banned Sensing political opportunity in the Russian-speaking community following the episode the AfD began to translate its electoral program into Russian started hanging up Russian-language posters and put forward candidates with Russian backgrounds student at Central European University studying the political mobilization of Russian speakers in Germany “This all gave Russian speakers in Germany a sense of belonging —  like there is a party here that is not afraid to talk to us,’” Sablina said “None of the other German parties were paying particular attention to them.” Far from everyone in the Russian-speaking diaspora is enticed a 67-year-old Dresden resident who left the Soviet Union in 1982 said she is dismayed at the advances the AfD has made in her community describing the party as “fascists in suits,” adding: “In no circumstances Kutz has retained her loyalty to the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) invited ethnic Germans in the Soviet space to come to Germany and had long been a party of choice in the community But that loyalty has eroded — in no small part due to the war in Ukraine The AfD has taken a pro-Russia stance that has appealed to many Russian Germans while centrist parties have supported military aid for Ukraine and a severing of economic ties with Russia a sense that increasing “Russophobia” has coincided with the war in Ukraine has also served to forge a greater sense of group identity — and resentment “In response to the perceived rise of ‘Russophobia’ in Western countries, many Russian speakers in Germany leveraged Telegram to establish channels that aligned with Russia’s official rhetoric,” read a recent report published by the Berlin-based Centre for East European and International Studies The AfD also jumped at the chance to further its appeal to Russian speakers in Germany following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine Members of the party launched an association that purports to provide legal assistance to Russian Germans and Russian speakers “who have become victims of discrimination or exclusion as a result of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.” The approach was also on display during the AfD’s recent parliamentary group meeting or has Russian roots was “quickly assigned to the fifth column” inside Germany when the war began said AfD politician Denis Pauli during the event “That is why many Russian Germans support the AfD’s decision to take a neutral role in this conflict in order to provide a platform for future peace talks and initiatives and likewise demand for an end to the conflict,” he said “the history of the Russian Germans is increasingly becoming an absolute success story.” Alternative for Germany is back in the spotlight over Saxony politician’s business dealings in Belarus Minsk defense official rails against Japanese augmented reality game missiles and military aid for Ukraine is hampering coalition building in Germany’s east Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the episode demonstrated the widening reach of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine (ANS – Berlin) – On Friday 31 January a youth service centre with numerous projects for at-risk youth celebrated their 20th anniversary at their Berlin-Marzahn location For Manege's partners – the German Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Sisters of St Mary Magdalene Postel – the date offered more than one reason to celebrate as January 31 is also the day of the feast of Don Bosco Active support and service for young people and society paid tribute to Manege gGmbH and the institution’s founders Speakers emphasized the key role the institution plays for young people at risk of exclusion Superior General of the Sisters of St Mary Magdalene Postel shared the joy they felt at this anniversary as they looked back on the beginnings of Manege at Marzahn “I clearly recall standing in front of this building in the fall of 2005 we could only dream of all that this place would one day become,” Father Gesing said we are all the more grateful for everything that is being made possible at Manege.” Sister Maria Thoma we are committed to this institution and want to do everything we can to ensure that young people will continue to find strength and support for their future here.” long-time head and managing director of Manege gGmbH spoke of the tireless work and firm belief in young people that has shaped Manege for two decades read out the greeting from Berlin's Senator for Education in which she emphasized the role of the Manege as a “flexible partner and reliable point of contact for young people” Senator for Culture Joe Chialo: “I have fond memories of our Feast of Don Bosco celebrations!” Berlin Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion offered a very personal congratulatory address He looked back on his time as a boarding school student at Don Bosco Neunkirchen and recalled a visit to the inauguration of a music studio he had helped to set up at Manege while starting his career in the music industry Mr Chialo emphasized the great influence his experiences at the Don Bosco institutions had on his life Marzahn’s District Mayor Nadja Zivkovic (CDU) spoke about her close ties with Manege highlighting the strong and productive cooperation with the youth services institution Jens Wurtzbacher: Youth social work as a counterweight to exclusion the celebration was not only an opportunity to look back and feel gratitude but also an occasion to provide meaningful impulses for the future of youth social work Professor of Social Policy at the Catholic University of Applied Social Sciences Berlin spoke about the great social importance of projects such as Manege’s and of support for people living in poverty In his keynote address titled “On the Margins of the Welfare State: Social Participation and Empowerment for Young People,” he urged politicians and society not to turn away from young people but to create counterweights to social developments particularly in view of current social challenges Young people are looking for their own spaces to set themselves apart from the adult world If the only spaces they find are digital ones controlled by corporate interests there is a risk of individual isolation and a chasm in society “Many young people who grow up in poverty repeatedly run up against walls and experience rejection they find an open door and are accepted for what they are,” Wurtzbacher said is fundamental to ensuring that “young people's lives can succeed” as one of Manege Berlin's guiding principles puts it Important support from sponsors and partners Among the guests of honour were numerous sponsors and partners who have been supporting Manege's work for years Head of Missionary Pastoral Care at the Bonifatiuswerk der deutschen Katholiken presented a donation check to mark the anniversary and stated: “We are delighted to provide long-term support for Manege's important work.” Felix Dresewski who conveyed the congratulations of the Grunewald Foundation Special anniversary surprise: a new consultation services bus A highlight of the celebrations was the presentation of the new consultation services bus dedicated to reaching and supporting young people wherever they are This important project was also financed by the Bonifatiuswerk as well as by the Chance Jugend Foundation whose representatives also attended the ceremony The background music was provided by Frank Hartwig (saxophone) and Andreas Brzezinski (double bass) who added a bit of swing to the celebration After the official ceremony and a communal lunch visitors had the opportunity to tour the various Manege facilities including the daycare center and the school The day ended with a church service presided over by Father Reinhard Gesing and accompanied by the children’s choir of the Transfiguration of the Lord parish in Marzahn Manege gGmbH at Don Bosco Center is a youth services facility in Berlin’s Marzahn-Hellersdorf district focusing on youth social work Manege gGmbH has been offering young people support in all life situations following a holistic approach and always considering the uniqueness and dignity of each individual person Equal shareholding partners of Manege gGmbH are the German Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Sisters of St ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements The winner has been announced for the annual International Dublin Literary Award for 2023 The title stands out for East Berliners in particular who immediately recognize Marzahn as the GDR’s once most ambitious and largest social housing program The award was presented by the Lord Mayor of Dublin on May 25 as part of the city’s International Literature Festival The International Dublin Literary Award is an unusually democratic as nominations for it are submitted by over 400 public libraries in 177 countries A worldwide changing panel of judges draws up a shortlist and selects the winning novel Libraries anywhere can apply to take part in the nominations Participating libraries come from around the world based on their readers’ reception of books The award is designated for a book either written in English or one that has been translated into English one-quarter of the 100,000 euro prize money goes to the translator Mon Amour was nominated by Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf It is the kind of book that surprisingly made it past the establishment publishers who generally discourage voices from ordinary people about ordinary lives and especially if they write about not so cool places Oskamp’s book is about ordinary East Berliners Oskamp’s book had the cards stacked against it and nominated for the Dublin Literary Award by a West German library The book is firmly rooted in a GDR literary tradition—that of truly valuing the ordinary Perhaps the most famous example in GDR literature is Maxi Wander’s Guten Morgen du Schöne (1977 It presents interviews with 19 women aged between 16 and 92 A similarly themed book of interviews with men by Christine Müller was later followed by Christa Wolf’s diary-style publication where she records her own reflections on the same date every year—Sept The same interest in the everyday lives of ordinary people is reflected in the documentary by GDR filmmakers Winfried and Barbara Junge whose epic series Die Kinder von Golzow (The Children of Golzow) began in 1961 and continued until 2007 It follows the lives of 18 people born between 1953 and 1955 This grassroots emphasis was directly linked to the GDR’s state cultural policy of making the arts directly relevant to the vast majority of the working population and encouraging them to participate in the arts as a fightback to the complete rewriting of history that took place after the annexation of the GDR by West Germany In contrast to some novels that bowed to the diktat of this New Order post-1990 the documentary style recording of ordinary people’s ordinary lives has claimed its own space A splendid example of this is Katrin Rohnstock’s interview-based book Mein letzter Arbeitstag: Abgewickelt nach 89/90 This book presents the memories of GDR working people and their lives A younger generation is currently scrutinizing the actual life experience in the GDR but they are old enough to rely on the truth of their memories and at the same time to reflect on post-unification life Lemke’s book captures beautifully the atmosphere of growing up in the new town of Hoyerswerda built to house the workers in the lignite industry and follows these young people’s lives as they free fall into the New Germany mon Amour opens with the author reflecting on her own story: You can no longer see the shore you started from but you can’t yet get a clear enough view of the shore you’re heading for You spend these years thrashing about in the middle of a big lake “I was 44 years old when I reached the middle of the big lake My life had grown stale: My offspring had flown the nest completing the invisibility that befalls women over 40 the looks on their faces and their well-meant advice the search to give meaning to life at every stage the author-narrator retrains as a chiropodist She finds a job in a friend’s salon in Marzahn This book is about her customers and her colleagues most (but not all) of her customers are elderly but also the past jobs of her clients: “I look after the feet of some former bricklayers There’s also a woman who worked in electronics and another who was a petrol pump attendant.” The reader encounters these people and their stories Oskamp also tells of her non-hierarchical relationships at work both with her colleague and the salon owner shared the naïve expectation of an East German that her earlier hard work in a supermarket chain would be valued: haggard from work and two slipped discs later Tiffy handed in her notice and asked for compensation her naïve request was turned down with derision Maybe her conviction that life is a losing game stems from that time demanding extortionate amounts every quarter and lives so frugally that it pains Flocke and me sometimes these stories may not seem very spectacular; others will recognize in them the reflection of the minutiae of everyday existence as she relates some conversations in the Berlin dialect The use of the Berlin dialect is in itself a hallmark of East Berlin where it is still more widespread and used more generally across the social strata This is something frequently observed by East Germans who have found that to speak the way the ordinary people speak is frowned upon the higher up the social ladder one ascends in the New Germany And yet many persist—a small gesture of protest Oskamp writes with understanding and compassion preserving and enacting the sense of solidarity and community that was a feature of GDR society The characters in the book all support each other through life and through the difficulties of growing older and old Their recognition of commonality supersedes any sense of superiority of status or money Partly memoir and partly collective history frequently communicating the client’s sense of humor the individual portraits depict a community of equals Herein lies a specifically East German collective memory So perhaps it should not be so surprising at all that a German public library chose Marzahn Mon Amour as their nomination for the International Dublin Literary Award you won’t be surprised that it won the prize Jenny Farrell is a lecturer and writer in Galway Her main fields of interest are Irish and English poetry and the work of William Shakespeare She is an associate editor of Culture Matters and also writes for Socialist Voice the newspaper of the Communist Party of Ireland Unions and allies go to bat for Labor Dept.’s Women’s Bureau Darkest L.A.: Film Noir, Greed, and Corporate Graft in LaLa Land The crime novel 2025: Expanding and contracting at the same time ‘Sinners’ review: Horror, history, and Black American folklore combine for trailblazing cinema  Amidst capitalist crisis and war, Russian Communists struggle against Putin and the oligarchs Chickens coming home to roost: Remember what Malcolm said U.S. imperialism’s new Cold War against China fosters anti-Asian racism at home Video: Springsteen sings “Nueva Canción” as tribute to people of Argentina, Chile Chuck Marzahn, a veteran RV industry leader and business consultant, has announced his new venture: RV-VDG is a concept and platform Marzahn first pioneered in 2001 to connect RV business owners and offer real-time trusted advice from respected industry peer groups more efficiently Formerly a partner with Marzahn & King Consulting for 17 years Marzahn has again re-imagined how to make 20 Groups work harder and smarter for its participants vital up-to-the-minute operations and financial best practices as well as turnkey solutions to remain competitive and improve the bottom line RV-VDG provides each member the benefit of industry-wide best practices while also delivering tailored solutions to rectify specific business challenges Paramount to RV-VDG’s model is the flexibility it affords its members there are no travel arrangements and expenses having a specific department manager join the virtual meeting for all or part of the session is a seamless experience and managers benefit from real-time data and information that they can share with their team members and immediately implement in their stores RV-VDG will continue to offer and moderate in-person meetings as well when desired Life and business continue to intersect on a daily basis and I believe the current and new generations of RV business owners will find tremendous value in being a member of RV-VDG groups and the unparalleled flexibility and access it provides.” To learn more about Virtual Design Groups or to become a member, visit RV-VDG.com. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Some books tell us the story of a life; other books show us how to live. Marzahn, Mon Amour, by the German writer Katja Oskamp, is the latter sort — and last week it won the 2023 Dublin Literary Award, claiming €100,000 in prize money for Oskamp and her translator, Jo Heinrich. The book is both the story of Oskamp’s midlife decision to quit writing to retrain as a chiropodist and the story, through the feet of her clients, of the community of Marzahn, in eastern Berlin. It’s a book so rich in wisdom you feel altered after reading it. But wisdom is often hard-won. “I was in the depth of a crisis,” Oskamp says of her own journey to writing the book. “I had resolved to leave literature behind and change careers. I had such a plethora of questions regarding my life, and I thought anything is better than staying, reflecting and going around in circles at my kitchen table with my family.” When she was offered the opportunity to train as a chiropodist, she jumped at it. “My position was: I have nothing to lose, so why not say yes, see where this takes me?” Apart from a few chapters focused on her own life, each chapter is about a different client, most of whom are elderly She credits the experience with lifting her out of her crisis and giving her a new appreciation of life. “I got on to this trajectory and I realised very soon how much energy this is giving me and how wonderful this Marzahn world is, which I entered by sheer accident.” Heinrich, who translated Marzahn, Mon Amour into English, came across the book by chance. “It’s absolutely remarkable for me,” Heinrich says. “I can’t get over it. It’s the most remarkable thing that has ever happened in my life, ever!” Heinrich had dabbled in translation, working for a French toy company and translating its instruction manuals, but she had stopped working when her children were born. “I have a book club with lots of mums from our primary school,” she says, “and one night they rounded on me and said I needed to stop wasting my talents and go out there and do something. It kind of stuck with me. I found myself applying for an MA in translation, and after a couple of years I started doing some commercial work – weirdly, foot-related,” she says, laughing – “a lot of shoe brochures and fashion articles about what to wear with your new heels.” Oskamp still sees some of the clients she included in the book, although its success has meant she has had to give up working full-time as a chiropodist Heinrich wanted to make the leap to translating a literary work but didn’t know how. “I had read somewhere that a good idea to get your name out there is to find short stories and get a short story into an online magazine. There was a certain online book retailer that classified Marzahn, Mon Amour as short stories, so I ordered it.” When she realised the book was actually interlinked stories she loved it so much that she decided to try translating it anyway. “And the rest is history.” Oskamp still sees some of the clients she included in the book, although its success has meant she has had to give up working full-time as a chiropodist. One of the most captivating characters in the book is an elderly woman called Frau Bonkat, who fled westward from east Prussia in 1945, as a seven-year-old. “It was really important to understand how valuable and precious these biographies really were,” Oskamp says. “Nobody knew about these lives.” Working with people’s feet every day also taught Oskamp the importance of human touch. “We perish if we neglect this. No matter at what level, every one of us needs affection, affirmation, human contact. This is something we also witnessed during Covid.” Things have changed dramatically for Oskamp since the publication of Marzahn, Mon Amour. She has gone from being invisible, as she puts it, to being everybody’s favourite. Is it gratifying to be receiving so much attention now, considering how invisible she felt five years ago? Marzahn, Mon Amour is a masterclass in perspective, with its Zen-like understanding of life, ageing and death “I have a lot of work now, everyone is very nice to me, everybody wants me to do stuff for them. But I also know the downside of the industry. Being around my clients and being close to life changed how I handled people from the literary world. When the book was published many people came to my studio to meet me and get an appointment to have their feet treated, and I found that it’s good to treat everybody the same way.” Marzahn, Mon Amour is a masterclass in perspective, with its Zen-like understanding of life, ageing and death. The book makes a heartwarming case for the ultimate importance of community, kindness and friendship. The small kindnesses Oskamp performs for her clients are a tender reminder that the tiniest acts can have a huge impact, just as the book reminds us that the tiniest lives can be profoundly meaningful. Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC Land in Sonne (Hatje Cantz, 2019) is a new portrait series by the German photographer Christine Fenzl that aims to provide a visual counterpoint to the sticky narratives that cling to Marzahn-Hellersdorf: that it is overrun with AfD-voting right-wing extremists (the Left is still in charge); that it is a no-go zone for foreigners (it has more refugee housing than any other district) and that nobody lives there (it is home to more than 250,000 people) The book assembles images of teenagers and kids in the process of becoming young adults on the periphery of metropolitan Berlin pausing for a brief moment to collaborate before moving on Her subjects showcase their allegiance to a seemingly timeless collection of subcultures – they are skaters and punks – peering at the camera (and us) to produce what Fenzl’s mentor refers to as a “visceral experience of the eyes of the youth.” For once the word “visceral” doesn’t seem overwrought a welcome reminder that youth is not (just) a commodity or marketing target but a distinct social group whose newly opened eyes implicate the viewer Youth becomes a lens through which to understand a specific time and place We are witnesses to clay being shaped by its environment One way Marzahn reveals its history is in its demographic mix a little different from the rest of the city It’s home to Germans and “repatriated” Germans who came to Berlin after the fall of the Soviet Union to Vietnamese people and people from Kazakhstan The borough is a flashpoint for Germany’s continuing struggle with its identity in a globalized world which plays out in language and culture as much as it does in politics and on the street Fenzl’s portraits are buttressed by interiors and sun-drenched landscapes where the absence of commerce and amenities is conspicuous for an otherwise urban residential setting It’s never quite clear how tame the natural world is: do the trees and creeping vines exist in service to the human habitat Land in Sonne resembles the Scottish director Lynne Ramsay’s 1999 debut with its powerful central scene in which 12-year-old protagonist James takes a bus from his home in the Glasgow slums to the edge of the city There he discovers rows of new family houses ensconced on all sides by fields of sun-drenched captures neatly the promise of social housing: everything that warmth Body Performance: INEZ & VINOODH in Berlin “Modern Since 1973”: CLAUDIA SKODA Tells Her Story Post-Soviet Suburbia: KIRILL SAVCHENKOV’s “Umwelt” Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 2023 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Methodist Campus in Rochester Roger was the son of Cyril and Eleanor (Lammers) Becker.   He was a graduate of Holy Trinity High School in Hartington Nebraska.  Roger served with the Army National Guard based out of Yankton South Dakota.  Following his military service Roger began his long career as a sheet metal worker working on a variety of construction projects over the years His work for Tessier Sheet Metal brought him to Waterville to work on the new school building.  He moved to Waterville in 1972.   Roger was united in marriage to Shirley Fessel on November 10 1973 and they were later divorced.  In retirement   He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Waterville where he served on the parish council and liturgical committee.  He also served as Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus  Roger was a longtime member of AA and had mentored many.  He was also a past president of the Waterville Sportsman Club Chad (Angela Hennan) of Waterville; and Trisha (Scott) Gregor of Jordan; six grandchildren and Avery Gregor; and three great-grandchildren and Stetsyn.  He is also survived by siblings and Michael (Carla) Becker; and many nieces and nephews.   Roger was preceded in death by his parents 2023 at 11:00 AM at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Waterville.  Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 9:00 AM until the time of services at the church.   Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Waterville.  Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors By entering your email address and clicking “Submit,” you agree to receive updates from the Open Society Foundations about our work. To learn more about how we use and protect your personal data, please view our privacy policy This report is part of a six-city research series which examines the realities of people from majority populations in Aarhus White Working Class Communities in Berlin explores the views and experiences of the majority population living in the northern parts of the former East Berlin district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf with high indicators of social The report focuses on six areas of local policy—education and civil and political and participation—as well as broader themes of belonging and identity and the role of the media the consequences of processes unleashed by the German reunification are still acutely felt in Marzahn-Hellersdorf The population in the district falls into two distinct groups: an older generation shaped by the old GDR regime who came to the area when it was initially developed; a younger generation including the children of the older group; and new arrivals who mostly have an immigrant background The differences between these groups have created a wide gap that has affected collaboration among them reaching from the federal level down to the local government have further prevented inclusive participation of the local population in political The report highlights the urgent need to address this and the many assets available among the residents of Marzahn-Hellersdorf Download the complete 157-page report in German and partners about how we’re working around the world to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people Every year the Open Society Foundations give thousands of grants to groups and individuals that work on issues we focus on—promoting justice You are viewing your 1 free article this month German author Katja Oskamp and English translator Jo Heinrich have won the 2023 Dublin Literary Award for Marzahn The award is the world’s largest prize for a single novel published in English The award receives its nominations from public libraries around the world and recognises both writers and translators Author Oskamp receives €75,000 (£65,000) and Heinrich Mon Amour is the 11th novel in translation to win the Dublin Literary Award witty and moving portrait of older residents in Berlin which offers the reader an insight into a community often overlooked I’d like to congratulate Katja Oskamp and Jo Heinrich on winning the 2023 Dublin Literary Award and to thank everyone involved in the award – writers publishers and the administrative staff of Dublin City Council.” Nominated by Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf in Germany the winning novel was chosen from a shortlist of six novels by writers from Croatia The longlist of 70 titles was nominated by 84 libraries from 31 countries Oskamp said: “This prize honours my work as a writer and as a chiropodist in the most wonderful way possible I am proud that the jury’s decision draws attention to the moving biographies of my East German compatriots." Heinrich added: “I can’t get over the warm reception this book has had and the way people have really taken it into their hearts This is the absolute high point of my life and I really cannot thank you all enough.” Between 6,000 to 10,000 churches die every year in the US because they simply can't afford the upkeep on their buildings, according to LifeWay Research But a Minnesota Methodist minister is out to change those statistics by helping churches avoid that same fate Pastor Paul Marzahn is the senior pastor of the Crossroads Church in Lakeville he's gaining a reputation for his new side gig -- as a church flipper He looks for church buildings that are for sale with the hope of repairing/remodeling the buildings and then selling them to other groups of believers "I drive by these church buildings for sale and think, 'Who do I know who would be a good fit into this building?'" Marzahn told the Star Tribune To see churches or nonprofits save some of these great buildings." Marzahn also serves as a consultant to clergy/church leaders who may be interested in selling their building or buying a new one While he's racing to help struggling churches he's also racing to beat the for-profit developers who are waiting in the wings to snatch up some of the finest church buildings ever built "I still pastor, I still preach. I understand that my primary role is preaching the Gospel of Jesus. But there is a business side to every ministry that sometimes pastors neglect and parishioners neglect," he told The Christian Post "The best way I think about it is to try to find out which churches are on life support and catch them before they die so that developers don't have a chance to get in," he said "So as long as it's still zoned a church it can be revived by repurposing it Marzahn also helps churches find new ways to generate income like sharing their buildings with other church groups and other organizations or finding new congregations to take over their old buildings Ben Ingebretson, director of new church development for the United Methodist Church in Minnesota and the Dakotas, told the Star Tribune there's a shortage of "faith community developers" nationally  There are many startup churches now meeting in community centers and other spaces that would be thrilled to have an affordable building of their own With the full support of his congregation and denomination says he doesn't have the time to tackle every empty church building But he does enjoy revising buildings and then finding new believers for the old houses of worship Although he's been invited to participate in a pilot for a church flipper series on a national television network Marzahn says he already has a full-time job "I don't know what will happen," Marzahn said You are signing up to receive general newsletters from CBN. By signing up, you are consenting to our privacy policy You can specify preference after sign-up and opt out at any time A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization BERLIN — As long as the Russian-speaking enclave on Berlin’s eastern edge voted for the far left it was largely invisible on the German political map But then its residents started voting for the far right Widespread support among Russian-speaking Germans is one of the key elements that is expected to propel the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) into the Bundestag in this month’s parliamentary election That will mark the first time since World War II that a far-right party has held a national elected office their community’s reputation for xenophobia is a call to action Dmitri Geidel has been canvassing the streets of Marzahn a nondescript cluster of high-rises in eastern Berlin where Russian-speakers make up 12 percent of the population By encouraging his community to vote for the Social Democrats the political newcomer wants to dispel what he considers a dangerous myth: that Germany’s Russian-speakers are pawns of Moscow-driven propaganda What Geidel would like to show is that the all-too-often neglected constituency can be swayed by policies that target their social concerns — specifically better wages and access to pensions “[The Social Democratic Party] could take this district,” said the 28-year-old Russian-born Ph.D “Many people living here suffer from a difficult social situation — not least elder Russians who didn’t have their Soviet qualifications recognized when they came here and either went unemployed or accepted jobs below their qualifications.” “Russian-Germans are not more racist than German society more broadly” — Dmitri Geidel People born in the former Soviet Union and their children make up Germany’s largest minority, with a population of about 2.4 million support for the AfD could reach 15 to 20 percent professor of political science at the University of Duisburg does not mean that his community is necessarily more disposed to support the far right “Russian-Germans are not more racist than German society more broadly.” Marzahn is a nondescript cluster of high-rises in eastern Berlin | Sean Gallup/Getty Images Many older Russian émigrés did bring “anti-Muslim stereotypes with them from the Soviet Union” and are susceptible to anti-immigration rhetoric the largely Russian-German borough in east Berlin also offered up the neighborhood’s gymnasiums as accommodation for Syrian refugees in 2015 “We finally got rid of the stereotypes that abounded around Russian-Germans in the 1990s and now I fear that they could reappear — whereas discrimination was what alienated many people in the first place,” said Geidel What may be more worrying to many Germans is the Russian-German community’s vulnerability to disinformation from Moscow especially if the Kremlin tries to sway the diaspora’s vote through social media and state television fake Russian media reports helped turn an alleged rape incident into a tense diplomatic standoff After “Lisa,” a local 13-year-old girl of Russian origin alleged she had been abducted and raped by migrants hundreds of protesters gathered in front Mix Markt and we had to leave because people kept telling us that we were fascists” — Social worker Medina Schaubert some in the crowd shouted anti-migrant statements and threatened to “meet violence with violence.” In interviews with Kremlin-controlled media protesters blamed Angela Merkel and her refugee policy for the rape and repeated the statements at a protest in front of the chancellor’s office Protesters included members of the German Nazi party and the AfD Authorities later discovered the allegations were false; the girl had fabricated the story But the incident provoked a tense diplomatic standoff between Berlin and Moscow and was a public-relations nightmare for Merkel who had to defend her decision to open the country’s borders to close to 1 million migrants and refugees the “Lisa case” was the first worrying sign that Russian state-controlled media could rally the diaspora against their adopted country and seriously disrupt national politics as Germans head to the polls in the aftermath of the Russian hacking scandal that marred last year’s U.S presidential campaign — and similar attacks on the Bundestag in 2015 — the idea that Moscow could tip the scales at the ballot box is gaining wider currency the vehemence of the protests that erupted around the Lisa case in 2016 had less to do xenophobia than with the fact that the incident struck close to home — “people had children in the same school,” he said Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and ensuing EU sanctions have also recently shaken the minority and forced them to choose between Germany and Russia people didn’t really discuss politics,” Geidel recalled Parents were calling their children fascists for standing on the side of Ukraine … But in the end I think we learned that one can have different opinions.” As a social worker active in Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is one of Geidel’s opponents in the election But in working to win votes away from the far right Schaubert is part of a Russian-German grassroots organization that coordinates cooking classes for locals to mingle with newly arrived refugees Election posters for far-right parties in the Marzahn district of Berlin | Sean Gallup/Getty Images The aim is to counter a narrative pushed by the AfD — and Russian state media — that while the German state left Russian migrants to fend for themselves but those barriers quickly break down when they come face-to-face with refugees who arrived in Berlin in 1997 as part of a wave of ethnic Germans who moved east in the 18th century but returned after the fall of the Soviet Union “We didn’t consider ourselves refugees,” she said and we had to leave because people kept telling us that we were fascists We came hoping that we would stop feeling bad about being German An anti-refugee and asylum seeker demonstration in Marzahn in 2014 | Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images Schaubert is a member of the managing board of the local CDU branch Two-thirds of Russian-speaking Germans have so far voted for the CDU according to the Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration (SVR) Schaubert sees evidence of anti-Russia bias every day — even within her party citing her colleagues’ disapproval of her use of Russian in her public profiles on social media in the hope that they will stop seeing it as “something strange.” Russians living in Germany shouldn’t be asked to erase their culture Aleksandra Eriksson is a Polish-Swedish journalist based in Brussels a man in a hoodie threw a Molotov cocktail at the International Lomonosov School a working-class district in eastern Berlin that is home to around 30,000 Russian-Germans It was the second arson attack on the school that month This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Truth and lies” Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents George Simion will face Nicusor Dan, a mainstream candidate, in a run-off There are five luxuries it can no longer feasibly afford Friedrich Merz’s career is one of unforced errors and puzzling missteps. But he is serious about Europe Both Donald Trump and Ukraine’s diplomats will consider it a success The Museum’s exhibitions are supported by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund SearchMeet the pastor who’s on a mission to save thousands of dying American churchesLog InSubscribeThe Christian Post To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Please click here to learn how You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience | Photo: FacebookAs thousands of churches die annually across America Paul Marzahn says he's on a mission to save others from suffering the same fate “The best way I think about it is to try to find out which churches are on life support and catch them before they die so that developers don’t have a chance to get in," the senior pastor of the Crossroads Church in Lakeville told The Christian Post in a recent interview "So as long as it’s still zoned a church it can be revived by repurposing it … I’m helping churches to do some strategic planning Get some help and you can come up with a strategy or plan to keep the church or partner with some other nonprofits some way to keep the financial model going,” he said Estimates from LifeWay Research suggest that between 6,000 and 10,000 churches die in the U.S annually because they can no longer afford to maintain their buildings And experts argue that the trend will continue to get worse unless congregations make dramatic changes believes helping churches find new ways to generate income like sharing their buildings with other churches or finding completely new congregations to take over old buildings is a better response than selling dying churches to for profit developers who have no vested interest in cultivating Christian communities The licensed commercial real estate agent, who has become known in recent years as a “church flipper,” says even though he understands his primary calling is to preach the Gospel he has also felt a call to spread the Gospel of saving dying churches I understand that my primary role is preaching the Gospel of Jesus But there is a business side to every ministry that sometimes pastors neglect and parishioners neglect,” he said Already, Marzahn has managed to save several church buildings from for profit developers, including the historic Wesley United Methodist Church in downtown Minneapolis where his church and several other nonprofits had been renting before learning that the UMC had plans to sell it One developer wanted to turn the church into a parking lot Another was thinking of turning it into a bar we should maybe think about developing it ourselves or taking it over,” he recalled telling the UMC “I found a church that was quite large already and tried to help them understand how this would be a great place for them to plant their church I just started making connections with other church planters and other churches that are going out of business to kind of do some matchmaking The historic Wesley United Methodist Church in downtown Minneapolis, Minn. | Photo: FacebookThe Inver Grove Heights campus of Crossroads Church is another building Marzahn rehabbed and he's also working on restoring an old Catholic Charities building in downtown Minneapolis to create an outreach center that will serve as a church and a space for urban missionaries To understand the Minnesota pastor’s vision for reviving dying churches one has to understand how he began pursuing the sustainable church model after getting a vision from God and the price he paid senior pastor of the multi-campus Crossroads Church in Minnesota is on a mission to save dying churches | Photo: FacebookWhen Marzahn launched his first church plant as an income generating community for parishioners at Crossroads Church in the late 1990s about half of his congregation abandoned him Marzahn had been serving at the United Methodist Church in Rosemount when his bishop asked him if he would like to plant a church in Lakeville after noticing his interest in starting nonprofits When he accepted the challenge and moved to Lakeville in 1996 Marzahn said God gave him the vision to build a mixed-used community after he started meeting with people in his home in the Lake Marion area The vision he got was so clear, according to The Associated Press Marzahn was even sure of the location in Lakeville where he would build the community: a farm Marzahn planted a cross in a cornfield on a 270 acre farm and claimed the property for God the owner of the farm would have none of Marzahn’s radical vision and chased him away when he first pitched the idea to acquire the land for his church community Marzahn was able to convince the farmer to sell him the land with “nothing but a vision” and $10,000 nothing but a vision,” the pastor told the AP “I gave him $10,000 and had three years to raise $3 million.” As he pushed his vision to attract partners to build his mixed-used community to include businesses like a strip mall with a grocery store and housing We had a lot of debt; we had a balloon payment due in 1999 right before Y2K I fasted for 10 days and I couldn’t get any developers or anything to loan me the money,” the pastor told CP And the congregants who left him doubted his vision too if they expected (from their perspective) they’re coming to start a church [and] the pastor gets up with a vision from God that I want to build not just a church but a community development even the best Christian who loves Jesus is gonna go: ‘We like you pastor but we’re not sure we want to sit in on meetings to build a grocery store and a McDonalds We don’t get how that fits in with our church plan,’” he explained even his denomination raised concerns about his mental health “They had to go get a psych test to see if I was hearing voices and I passed,” he said Developers bought into his idea to establish his community The revenue generated from the sale of portions of the land allowed the church to pay off previous loans and invest in a now thriving community managed through a nonprofit the pastor established senior pastor of the multi-campus Crossroads Church in Minnesota make a presentation on "Marketing Your Nonprofit" on March 4 | Photo: Facebook“The first big check I received was $2 million I was at that time a pastor making $40,000 and I turned over all $2 million to my church and to the nonprofit Not everybody who has that access to large sums of money will give it back or give it away,” he said they are not bad people but they are gonna keep a big chunk of the money for themselves They may give 10 percent back and find that very generous But to give all of something and to think of the nonprofit first or the church first for 100 percent of the time is unique,” he said “I started pastoring the church but I also started CROSSROADS Land Development Corporation nonprofit At some point you pay back your first $3 million of debt and then you start making money,” he said I made the church the major stockholder so I wouldn’t be tempted to take that money “I could have like ‘oh $100,000 as a developer and $40,000 as a pastor.’ I didn’t do that If I’m doing work on their behalf this is your money,” he added “If I make money you are the major stockholder If I lose money you’re not held liable because the corporation goes bankrupt Spreading the gospel of church sustainability A group of architects and contractors sat with Pastor Paul Marzahn (not pictured) to discuss future plans for the Breakthrough Ministry Center in downtown Minneapolis on March 19 | Photo: FacebookAfter spending time as a nonprofit developer for the Lord Marzahn says he believes he can now spread his gospel of the sustainable church much faster as a consultant rather than a developer “What I’m trying to do now is try to do more of the consulting side of it Come alongside churches because I realize I can do a lot more “Instead of me owning a building for two years and fixing it up … I’m going to churches and helping these church planters come in and giving them connections,” he said Connections like referrals to get free LED lights or advice on how churches can get rebates for energy “I can come alongside and consult and help them flip their churches quicker than I did mine I can help them take on a project they might not have taken on,” he said Marzahn says he’s working on developing a team to push his message but for now “My team is my family right now and they’re amazing My two daughters are by far the two best at this and they’re the ones that kind of pulled me in this direction,” he said She is a church preservationist studying in London So she knows like the churches in New York where the glass was made She can authenticate and put things on the historical register to keep developers away from them So that’s why Wesley was spared because she did all that research and was part of a team of people who wanted to preserve it because it was on the historical register,” he said While he would love to save all church buildings “Sometimes buildings do need to be torn down There are times when they are not structurally sound They have deferred maintenance for too long and in those cases you can’t keep them up,” he said Rachel is an expert in nonprofits and provides expertise to churches that can help them generate income from “She’s helping me hook up and link up and network they have all these empty Sunday school spaces She can network with me to help them find other nonprofits that you can rent those spaces to or do partnership ministries for like the homeless or job searching There are so many nonprofits out there,” Marzahn said His wife who is a tax accountant provides advice on financing senior pastor of the multi-campus Crossroads Church in Minnesota teaches a class on financing for non-profits | Photo: FacebookWhile rehabbing churches and finding new congregations for them can be a challenging process Marzahn believes it's worth it as an investment in the Kingdom “It’s always a challenge statistically to start a new church Eight out of 10 church plants in general do not make it past seven years So just to start a new congregation is difficult but if I can get the existing congregation to share space during the start-up phase or consider gifting the church at a lower cost or work out a contract for deed item [it would be worth it],” he suggested “I’ve had several where I coached them with their old congregation just giving it to the church plant and have had several congregations just continue to meet there until they kind of die out and then the young people just take over the building,” he said Marzahn further noted that he was recently approached by a producer to launch a pilot for a TV show where he could take his message on rehabbing dying churches nationally They started filming two months ago and will likely be ready to launch this summer He has been meeting with pastors interested in saving their ministries from around the world for the show and hopes it can help them to promote their ministries “I’m hoping that this (show) can spread light on their incredible ministries Help them rehab their buildings,” Marzahn ended Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount you're helping to keep CP's articles free and accessible for everyone Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other 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Vattenfall today inaugurated a new heat and power plant in Marzahn in Berlin The highly efficient gas-fired plant will supply electricity and district heating in the eastern parts of the German capital and is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 240,000 tonnes per year The Marzahn heat and power plant contributes to Vattenfall more than fulfilling its agreement with the Federal State of Berlin that was signed in 2009 Vattenfall would halve carbon dioxide emissions until 2020 For further information:Vattenfall Press Office +46 (0)8 739 5010, press@vattenfall.com Which is why it may become increasingly important to reuse residual heat from places such as metro stations and data centres Vattenfall launches structured bidding process for its Berlin heat business Germany's largest heat accumulator is expected to be commissioned at the start of next year The heat storage is located on Vattenfall's site at the Reuter West CHP plant in Berlin and is no.. Contact us LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Facebook Vattenfall is a European energy company with approximately 21,000 employees For more than 100 years we have electrified industries supplied energy to people's homes and modernised our way of living through innovation and cooperation More about Vattenfall 20205:14 PM UTCCelebrating Pride worldwide in a pandemicThe coronavirus pandemic has forced organizers to scale down celebrations for Pride an annual celebration of the LGBTQ community and a renewed call for equal rights [1/50]An activist wears a face mask reading "queer" while attending the "Marzahn Pride" march to address homophobia among the Russian-speaking community in the suburb of Marzahn in Berlin [2/50]People attend Paris' LGBT march despite social distancing restrictions forbidding gatherings of more than 10 people in Paris [3/50]People attend Paris' LGBT march despite social distancing restrictions forbidding gatherings of more than 10 people in Paris The banner reads "Our prides are not on sale" [5/50]An activist takes part in the "Marzahn Pride" march to address homophobia among the Russian-speaking community in the suburb of Marzahn in Berlin [6/50]A person wearing a protective face mask waves a transgender pride flag during a demonstration for the rights of transgender people at Puerta del Sol square in Madrid [8/50]Participants kiss as the attend the "Pride Ride 2020" ahead of parliamentary elections in Zagreb [9/50]Participants ride bikes as they attend the "Pride Ride 2020" ahead of parliamentary elections in Zagreb [10/50]A participant rides a bike during the "Pride Ride 2020" ahead of parliamentary elections in Zagreb [11/50]Participants play drums during the "Pride Ride 2020" ahead of parliamentary elections in Zagreb [12/50]People take part in a pared-down LGBT Pride parade protesting against lack of recognition for transgender people in Vilnius [13/50]A demonstrator with a transgender pride flag and face mask looks on during a protest against the murders of transgender people in Colombia [14/50]Revellers take part in the annual Gay Pride parade also called Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Frankfurt   REUTERS/Kai PfaffenbachFRANKFURT [15/50]A participant flutters a rainbow flag at the Angel of Independence monument although the Mexican LGBT community called for an online gay pride celebration as a protective measure amid the coronavirus outbreak [16/50]Alex Hamlin dances in front of the Minneapolis Police Department before marching to support the LGBTQ community and the Black Lives Matter movement in Minneapolis [17/50]A demonstrator takes part in the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) pride march in London [18/50]People take part in a Gay Pride event which has been down-scaled amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fears [19/50]An activist sings during the celebration of gay pride on a street in a city neighborhood in Mexico City [20/50]Revellers take part in the annual Gay Pride parade under restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak in Frankfurt More in this CollectionSee all picturesItem 21 of 50 A demonstrator wears a face mask during a joint LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter march on the 51st anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz[21/50]A demonstrator wears a face mask during a joint LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter march on the 51st anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Jo Heinrich and German author Katja Oskamp A German chiropodist is putting her best foot forward after picking up the world’s largest prize for a single novel published in English Author Katja Oskamp and her English translator Jo Heinrich today scooped the 2023 Dublin Literary Awards for the book Described as a mixture between a personal memoir and a collective history the book tells the story of a woman approaching the “invisible years' of middle-age who retrains as a chiropodist She was inspired to write the book after working in the suburb of Marzahn formerly east Germany’s largest housing estate on the outskirts of Berlin As a result of working so intimately with her clients she heard all about their colourful lives and experiences of their time in the GDR (east Germany) and detailed them all in individual vignettes in a manner that was lauded by the judges Ms Oskamp said it was “unbelievable to win this prize” and paid tribute to her clients for sharing their personal histories with her “I can’t imagine the person who looks after people’s feet Marzahn is the same one who has won this award here today I’m very happy and I’m very thankful,” she told independent.ie She walks away with €75,000 for her literary efforts while her translator Jo Heinrich has won €25,000 for the prize nominated by libraries with the winner plucked from 70 titles nominated by 84 libraries from 31 countries Ms Heinrich said it was “absolutely unbelievable” to pick up the accolade at a ceremony in Merrion Square as part of the International Literature Festival Dublin This is my first literary translation and I’m a complete unknown so it’s the most remarkable validation for my work She said that apart from names and a few little details the whole book is “entirely true” and based on real-life events in the author’s life “Katja was a writer for a long time and she was fed up with writing as she wasn’t getting very far and she became a chiropodist and then she wrote these stories "And the stories from east Germany were inspirational and unique and it became a best-seller and she had to give up chiropody because her writing career took off,” she said On the theme of feeling invisible when she hits middle age Ms Oskamp said it’s a problem that effects many women and men too that it’s very helpful to stop looking into a mirror and start looking at other people you can learn from them what to do with the second half of your life,” she said “I’m very thankful to my clients and their open hearts both funny and tragic and I’ve learned a lot from them Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy described it as a “beautifully written novel.” "I’d like to congratulate Katja Oskamp and Jo Heinrich on winning the 2023 Dublin Literary Award and to thank everyone involved in the award – writers publishers and the administrative staff of Dublin City Council,” she said Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel who graduated with distinction from the MA Translation in 2018 has won this year’s Dublin Literary Award for her translation of “Marzahn you’ve never read a book like this; expect to find yourself laughing aloud one moment and deeply moved the next.” The book is a series of vignettes set in Berlin’s eastern suburb of Marzahn where a middle-aged writer who retrained as a chiropodist is recording meetings with clients and colleagues The book was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award by Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf who say the book “allows a deep insight into the daily lives of the so called ordinary people The author treats each of them with respect and approaches with careful empathy.” Frank-Walter Steinmeier President of the Federal Republic of Germany writes that “Katja Oskamp knows how to capture the essence of people beautifully the Dublin Literary Award is one of the most significant literature prizes in the world It’s €100,000 prize money is shared between the author The award is sponsored by Dublin City Council administered by Dublin City Libraries and supported by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature the independent publisher of the translation More social media