No more scandals, troubles and woes: In our annual review, we’ve rounded up twelve stories from Hamburg that had happy endings in 2022. From residents beautifying their neighborhood to fighting for a traditional pub to a young Ukrainian living his dream of boxing. This annual review shows what is possible if you traverse the world with a watchful eye and stand up for your fellow humans. Read the first six stories here.
Citizens transform parking lots into oases
On Eppendorfer Weg in Hoheluft-West, four Hamburg residents campaigned for oases instead of gray parking spaces. Despite the very wide sidewalks, there were hardly any seats on the approximately three kilometer long street, but from February this year the “Parklets” will change that.
Stefan Köttgen and Jutta Mörstedt (standing) designed the park on Eppendorfer Weg together with their neighbors. Patrick Sun
These are temporary wooden benches that are installed on former parking lots. The “Parklet” will remain in effect until the end of 2022, after which an extension will be discussed.
Hamburgers welcome refugees spontaneously
On February 24, 2022, everything changed for Kseniya Golotjak of Kiev and millions of Ukrainians. Russian President Putin has launched his war of aggression on the neighboring country. Golotjak fled to Hamburg with her children and mother-in-law. There she met Christoph Limburg at the main train station, who offered the four of them refuge with her family in Rahlstedt.
Marina, Mayen and Christoph are sitting at the table with their guests Luda, Ksenija, Sayana and Bogdan. / Patrick Sun
This story is representative of many references to the MOPO editorial staff about the helpfulness of the people of Hamburg. There is, for example, the story of a man from Wilhelmsburg who rescued six women from Ukraine or that of a man from Eimsbüttel who brought humanitarian aid to the border and refugees to Hamburg. Meanwhile, after another stop in France, the Golotyaks returned to their relatives in Ukraine.
Turbo climb for young Afghans
At the age of 22, Rahmatullah Qasemi already heads ten employees. Since May of this year, the young Afghan has been running the large and bustling Allwörden branch at Dammtor station. A boost to the turbo, because just seven years ago he fled from Afghanistan to Hamburg alone. During the many years that he now lives alone in Hamburg, he has made many contacts.
Arrived from Afghanistan in 2015. Rahmatullah Qasemi (22) has been managing the Allwörden branch in Dammtor since May 2022. Marius Roer
Qasemi learned German with the help of the security personnel at his accommodation. The only thing that saddens him is the separation from his family, who live in Afghanistan. “I wish there was finally peace there. But that probably won’t happen,” he told MOPO.
Veddel fish restaurant: Saving a traditional restaurant
The traditional restaurant “Veddeler Fischgaststätte” had to worry about losing its location on Tunnelstrasse for a long time due to the redevelopment plans of the city development authority. The problem: Crispy fried fish can only be prepared in the current 1920s oven at particularly high temperatures. Meanwhile, the furnace has its grandfather. This means that today it is only legal in this place.
One of twelve Hamburg stories that ended this year: Christian and Olivia Butzke run the “Veddeler Fischgaststätte” together. Marius Roer
The Butzke family of owners championed their own restaurant and even started a petition. They signed more than 21,600 burgers and also had supporters in politics. In June, the saving news finally arrived: the restaurant can remain in its premises. In December, the Butzkes again received the good news in print from former Senator for Urban Development, Dorothee Stapelfeldt (SPD).
The fourteen-year-old boxer leaves for Hamburg again
14-year-old Vitaliy Morozov is well known among amateur boxers in his hometown of Mariupol, Ukraine. He’s already made a name for himself in over a hundred fights. Because of the war of Russian aggression, he fled to Hamburg with his parents.
Vitaliy is training for his dream of becoming a professional boxer. Patrick Sun
There, the musician Anne de Wolff and her husband Ulrich Rode met him at the main train station and took him to their home in Wellingsbüttel. A neighbor who canned herself noticed Vitalyi and took him to the Combat Lions in Niendorf. The 14-year-old now trains here twice a week and twice with Olympic boxer Dirk Meyer.
You might also be interested in this: Twelve Hamburg stories that had a happy ending in 2022 – Part II
A homeless man becomes a hero at a concert
Homeless man Tomasz makes a living selling the street magazine Hinz&Kunzt. At the end of August this year he sold the magazine at a concert given by the Munich rapper Fatoni in St. Pauli. Suddenly, the rapper spotted him in the crowd and rhymed, “I see a man selling a magazine. Take your money and give it to him!”
At the Fatoni concert in Hamburg, Hinz&Kunst salesman Tomasz became a hero for a moment. Marius Roer
The effect was enormous: one guest after another jumped up, ran to Tomasz and bought him a Hinz&Kunzt. Within seconds all the magazines were sold out. When Tomasz raised his hands to indicate a full house, Fatoni announced it. However, the guests still came and made a donation to the newspaper seller.
