Inhuman and anti-Russian slogans were painted on two consecutive weekends in front of the Russian-oriented International Lomonossow School in Marzahn. In one case, the slogan, written in Cyrillic, read: “Chop up Russian children! Let’s go.” According to the police, state security has started investigations into “damage to property with a political background”.
The sentences were each written with chalk on the sidewalk immediately in front of the building on the Alley of Cosmonauts. In the first case between Friday, August 5, 7 p.m. and Monday, August 8, 8 a.m., in the second case between Saturday, August 13, 9 p.m. and Sunday, August 14, 8 a.m. The school administration filed a complaint in both cases after the graffiti were discovered.
The International Lomonossow School Berlin (ILS) is a state-approved all-day school with a high school level. In lower secondary school, German is taught as the mother tongue, English as the first and Russian as the second foreign language.
The anti-Russian slogans must in all likelihood be seen in the context of the war in Ukraine. School senator Astrid-Sabine Busse (SPD) had already explained in a letter to all teachers in Berlin dated March 3: “We in Berlin know from experience that global political conflicts are unfortunately also visible in our schoolyards and that they have to be dealt with pedagogically. What is important to me: children do not wage wars, no schoolchild of Russian origin may be held responsible for the crimes of the Putin regime.”
Karina Jehniche, chairwoman of the interest group for Berlin school administrations, told the Tagesspiegel that she had “never heard of incidents like the one in Marzahn at other schools”. For educators, however, “especially in schools with a high proportion of immigrants”, disputes between students about nationality and religion are part of everyday life. “Something always boils up between two students or two schoolgirls,” she said. “The colleagues are prepared for this and immediately intervene.”
The conflict is resolved with talks, with the children being the main focus. “We only have limited influence on the parents,” said Karina Jehniche. “They often only move within their own community, and of course religion plays a big role there.”
She recommends that the management of the Lomonosov School “be sure to speak openly about the incidents”. School social workers should also be involved. It could also be helpful to “involve external people who understand something beforehand”. In addition, the district’s school psychologists could be consulted.
An arson attack was also carried out on the Lomonosov school in March. “We are assuming an intentional act and a connection to the war in Ukraine,” the police said at the time. On February 24, Russia attacked Ukraine.
