Maria Herrmann is retiring: an end to the era in Bad Oldesloe!

Maria Herrmann is retiring: an end to the era in Bad Oldesloe!

After eight formative years as district manager of the Plan B project in Bad Oldesloe, Maria Herrmann is now retiring. With her open attitude towards diversity and tolerance as well as her passionate commitment to fighting discrimination, she has been able to bring about many positive changes as a contact person and encourager for the residents of the Hölk high-rise buildings. However, these high-rise buildings, in which around 450 people live, are not exactly known for their outstanding living conditions. They are often criticized for their grievances, such as mold and dilapidated infrastructure. In her role, Herrmann not only gave people a voice, but also fought stubbornly to improve catastrophic circumstances such as burst water pipes, defective heating systems and asbestos.

As NDR reports, Herrmann's successor Jakob Wendebourg is now confronted with a long list of tasks. In addition to the structural problems, these challenges also include the socio-political problems that confront the residents, who often have a migrant background, as well as bureaucratic requirements. This year alone, over 50 tenants have lodged objections against high utility bills. Despite her successes, such as working with the Hamburg tenants' association to enforce residents' rights, Herrmann leaves behind a defensive state.

Looking back on a successful term of office

In recent years, Herrmann has significantly shaped the space for encounters in the Hölk high-rise buildings and has been able to help tenants defend themselves against the miserable conditions. She is known to have pursued her tasks with complete dedication. A particularly powerful moment was dealing with suicides out of despair, which highlighted the urgency of their work. The new owner of the Hölk Houses, Daniel Lietmeyer, has now terminated the rental agreement for Herrmann's office and plans to conclude a new contract only with another district manager, which is further fueling uncertainty among the tenants.

Rumors are circulating about a ban on Herrmann's entry, but she is confident that it cannot be enforced. Herrmann herself has stated that she would like to continue to work for tolerance and against racism after retirement, possibly as part of citizen question times. However, she categorically rules out political ambitions and instead plans to spend time with her family and friends.

The outlook into the future

From July 2025, the city of Bad Oldesloe will take over full funding of the Plan B project. This could represent a turning point in support for the Hölk high-rises. The issue of housing protection is of great importance in Schleswig-Holstein, as the Schleswig-Holstein Housing Protection Act highlights. It is intended to counteract grievances in the housing sector and give municipalities expanded powers to ensure acceptable housing conditions.

In view of the serious individual cases in the region, it is clear that there will be a lot of work for Wendebourg and the city authorities even after Herrmann's departure. The population hopes for an improvement in their living conditions and a successful rethinking of housing policy so that the Hölk high-rise buildings are no longer ostracized as “mold houses”.