Cheap living soon over?
In the city of Winterthur the gentrification is in heavy progress. Especially the real property of the Terresta AG are very desirable upgrading objects. Some flats and squated houses like the „Gisi“ are now threatened by this situation.
The city is the center of Life of many people who keep this a living place through their ideas. Such a living place should have the space for the needs of people of every couleur and such who don’t want to or can’t increase their career. Opposite to this is the capitalist logic, according to which the requirement and the space for a living are measureable and evaluable. So the city becomes an unlimited playground for the ones who offer the most. The phenomenon that people lose their flats because of financial interests is not new and is commonly known as gentrification. Like so often, the already marginalised are affected the most by this politics. Who doesn’t fit into the high-quality picture of the marketing offices, troubles and has to go.
Many houses, in which until now living was less luxurious but cheap, belong to the real property collection of Bruno Stefanini, now taken ill with demenza, who renovated the flats very sparely. To the pleasure of the city gouvernment the administration of Stafaninis Terresta AG is steadily going on with the evaluation of the property. There are enough examples of renovation and, because of that, massively increasing rent. The adminisration let themselves be quoted by the media: they will first of all focus on the historic center.
Meanwhile it is known that there are also construction plans for the landed property at the General-Guisan-Street 31 at the site of the historic center and that the people living there have to expect an eviction announcement any time now. The house known as „Gisi“ or „GGS31“ is the oldest squated house of the city and since nearly 20 years a central place of subversive art and radical left headed politics. It’s a place to meet in wich people try to live a D.I.Y (do it yourself)life; for a collective, selfadministrated way of living and against the ruling and supressive conditions.There are about 30 non-profit- or soli-concerts of young and old bands from here and all over the world taking place in the cellar during one year. The attempt to take this place and supress it to the common capitalist market and logics of society at this moment wouldn’t be coincidental, because the selfadministrated Gisi has always been an itch to scratch. The profit could be immense if this house would be sold and rebuilt.
It’s not assumptionable that the General-Guisan-Str. 31 is the last lucrative objet in the portfolio of the Terresta AG. Not only more political and cultural squats are threatened, but also lots of flats, appartments and houses. Many of the people living there are in an existencial need of low rents. This is why it’s absolutly necessary to stand against the oppression from the top with resistance from the bottom.
We want to inform with this notification about the occurances in and around the Gisi, but also want to call up for resistance against the exclusivisation of the city and the expulsion. Now we need everyone who wants to support with their creativity and energy to avert this attack!
Gentrification means eviction!
We will stay!