«Billige Hände» – Migrantische Arbeiterinnen und ihre Kämpfe

In the organizer's words:

About the movie "Cheap Hands"
(FRG 1969, Director: Edith Marcello (formerly Schmidt), Production: Hessischer Rundfunk (hr), Length: 30 min. OV | hr)

Ms. Karatan migrated from Turkey to Germany to work on a one-year contract at an hourly wage of 2.30 DM. Her living and working conditions turned out to be untenable, she is unable to bring her husband and children to Germany and after she experiences a physical assault at work, the subsequent trial also decides on her potential deportation.

In the film, individual fates are embedded in the system of German migration policy and the documentary also shows resistance and moments of solidarity: Italian workers unite against the lack of schooling opportunities and Spanish workers go on a "wildcat" strike in Hanover.

Contemporary witness talk afterwards

Irina Vavitsa also defended herself against unequal treatment and oppression when she and her colleagues at Hella went on strike in 1973. As the daughter of Greek resistance fighters, she grew up in the Soviet Union and migrated to Germany via Athens in 1971. Here she worked at Hella in Lippstadt until she retired - and fought tirelessly for her colleagues and herself - as a store steward, works council member and in the Greek Association. Today, she is active in IG Metall and for peace, among other things. After the film, we will talk to her about her impressions of the documentary, her testimony, her commitment and the current situation of migrant and precarious work.

• Free admission, no advance booking required

An event organized by the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung NRW