• Home
  • Collective
    • The Manifesto
    • The Cyclists
    • FLINTA cycling groups
  • Blog
    • How to…
    • Bikepacking & Touring
    • Endurance
    • Cycle & Cycling
    • Mobility
    • Recap
    • A(ll) ride with…
    • Links & Literature
  • Contact
    • Your article for the collective
    • Collaboration
  • English
    • Deutsch
    • English
Menu
  • Home
  • Collective
    • The Manifesto
    • The Cyclists
    • FLINTA cycling groups
  • Blog
    • How to…
    • Bikepacking & Touring
    • Endurance
    • Cycle & Cycling
    • Mobility
    • Recap
    • A(ll) ride with…
    • Links & Literature
  • Contact
    • Your article for the collective
    • Collaboration
  • English
    • Deutsch
    • English
Search
Close
Instagram Twitter Komoot Icon Envelope
19. August 2022 by Marie Beulig
Mobility

BICYCLE PROTEST FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION: WITH KATHARINA: WITHOUT GASOLINE TO BERLIN

BICYCLE PROTEST FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION: WITH KATHARINA: WITHOUT GASOLINE TO BERLIN
19. August 2022 by Marie Beulig
Mobility

Without gasoline to Berlin – Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin (OKNB) is the motto for many people in August, when they set off from all of Germany’s federal states in the direction of Berlin with their demands for a climate-friendly world.

The protest, organized by Students for Future, will first take cyclists to Leipzig for the Climate Justice Festival. From August 26 to 28, like-minded people can get active there in workshops, action trainings and lectures. Afterwards, they will cycle on to Berlin together.

Beforehand, I, Marie, met with OKNB rider Katharina. In addition to the core topics of mobility transition, agricultural transition and energy transition, the protest tour for climate protection is also about being there for each other and with each other. A beautiful thought! That’s why I’m especially pleased that you can now read the conversation between Katharina and me here. Enjoy it!

 

In conversation With Katharina Rothensee: "Riding a bicycle is freedom".

Katharina Rothensee (she / her) lives in Göttingen.
As a transgender, queer woman, cycling for her is much more than the everyday means of transportation from A to B: cycling means freedom, healing, but also pushing boundaries. Since Katharina got rid of her car in 2018, cycling has been her mode of transport of choice. When her major disability prevents her from making progress on her Diamant trekking bike, Katharina uses her recumbent bike. This is also how she was able to join “Ohne Kerosin to Berlin” for the first time in 2021; because making others aware of how threatening climate change is is of special concern to her!

Katharina auf dem Liegerad - OKNB

Marie: Hi Katharina, glad you are here, welcome. How did you get into cycling?

Katharina: I am 47 years old and spent my childhood in Magdeburg, so in the GDR. After the fall of the Wall, I went straight to Sweden by bike. Then for a long time I focused on my job and my family, and the bike took a back seat for a while. 

In 2019 I did my first bikepacking tour. 2020 I rode the Grenzsteintrophy and 2021 the first time from Hameln “Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin”, last year on my recumbent bike. I am severely disabled and could not manage the distance last year riding upright. This year I’m going with my Diamant trekking bike from Cologne.

oknb-mit-liegrad-katharinas schlafplatz
Last year still recumbent...
diamantrad-katharina-oknb
...this year a Diamant trekking bike.

Now I am also looking for more community. We had the first FLINTA bicycle workshop in Göttingen and I initiated a FLINTA cycling group. This is still very slow, but I am optimistic that it will progress through more get-to-know-evenings and the self-help workshop.

M: How did you come up with the idea of joining “Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin”?

K: This was actually a random finding on Instagram last year. I really thought it was a cool idea. Then I considered that I’d just go along for the ride. Since I had more back problems last year, I had to ride the recumbent. I found it incredibly enriching – the community, the acceptance that I experienced there. This year I decided that I would ride again. What’s new this year is that I’m even part of the organizing crew for the first time.

M: Are there different city managers on the organizing team? How exactly do you coordinate this?

K: Exactly, I was not in the big orga. I was specifically involved in planning the western route. It starts in Cologne and goes to Berlin. My main task was to plan the section around Göttingen. That concerns on the one hand sleeping places, but also the supply: We try to get food as much as possible via foodsharing, so that it is affordable for all people and we don’t have to buy too much food in addition. This way, people who have little or no financial means can also travel with us.

The third thing was the activities that were planned for Göttingen. The schedule is quite colorful: There, for example, we have a lecture on climate change but also thematically on civil disobedience. Then there is a lecture on relationship models and justice in relationship, but also screen printing and of course a rally.

During the trip, I’m part of the awareness team and I’m sure I’ll also be in charge of the supply vehicle, which picks up the food from the food sharing stations, for example.

Protestwagen OKNB

M: Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin is, after all, a political event – would you say it’s a low-threshold event?

K: Absolutely! It’s mainly students who go, but also all other age groups. For example, also pensioners, I am also retired.

It’s definitely low-threshold and political in the sense that this year we’re focusing on the transformation of transportation, agriculture and energy.

In Berlin, we approach the three responsible ministries one after the other with our demands.

M: What will the rough schedule be like from Leipzig?

K: On August 26, we will initially arrive in Leipzig. That’s where the Climate Justice Festival starts: on August 27 there will be workshops, action trainings and of course music. On the 29. of August, all those who met in Leipzig will leave together for Berlin. In Berlin, we also plan to ride on the highway.

We had actually planned that for Thuringia as well, for example to avoid meters of altitude, but that was not authorized, unfortunately.

Fahrraddemo OKNB
Fahrraddemo OKNB

M: Do you have the feeling that the politicians and the population respond favorably to this action, even if you cycle through the different villages and towns?

K: This varies widely. Sometimes the climate activists are grateful to have our backing. But at the same time, you have people in cars berating us for going to work and not holding up traffic. So it’s a complete spectrum. From encouragement to headwind.

M: Do you have police escorts all the time as a demonstration or only sporadically?

K: The entire route is declared as a demonstration. That means we have police escort the whole time.

When we cycled from Lower Saxony to Saxony-Anhalt last year, the police believed that we were just a bicycle tour, so they didn’t give us an escort. The day was a disaster. Cycling with 60 people over rural and federal roads without police protection…. 

Then we talked to our lawyers and the next day we were completely accompanied by the police again. That was such an exceptional day – we hope that it won’t happen again this year!

M: You just said there were about 60 people last year, will that be the case again this year?

K: We notice that last year the federal election and therefore the topic was more present. This year we have a little less registrations than last year.

M: Do I have to register in advance or is it possible to spontaneously say, “I’ll meet you in Hamm and then ride with you all the way to Leipzig?”

K: For one person it is certainly possible. But we have sleeping places where we specify in advance how many people are coming. Currently this would be no problem, but a registration is still better for the planning. You can still register via Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin.

Demo OKNB

M: Last year you rode a recumbent bike – you are severely disabled and it was the best solution for your back. This year you dare to ride a … (interjection from Katharina: “official term from the recumbent community is upright bike) … so you dare to ride an upright bike?

K: Exactly. Actually, I had ordered a gravel bike in January, with delivery date in May. But it has not yet arrived, delivery date is now October. Therefore, I ride my good old Diamant trekking bike.

M: Amazing! So you also feel physically ready to ride the route?

K: Yes! Admittedly, I also had Covid and notice that ascents are more difficult for me. Nevertheless, I am confident that I will manage to complete everything – even though this year we have twice as many meters in altitude as last year. The stages are shorter so that we still have energy for activities and workshops in the evening or afternoon.

Ziel am Brandenburger Tor OKNB

M: What are your final words about Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin; what are you looking forward to the most?

K: I’m most excited about the people joining the ride. It’s a bubble, and the return to reality will be tough again (laughs). But it’s just nice to be on the road for three weeks with like-minded people.

And for me personally: to have a safe space where I can just be myself. For example, we don’t have sanitary facilities at every location. But even if I can’t shave for two days, people still don’t say, “You’re not a woman at all,” but it’s totally different in that circle.

Apart from that, of course, I hope that our messages are well received and that we talk to a lot of people, reach a lot of people at the stopovers.

The climate crisis also has a lot to do with justice in this world. It is important to me to make clear that the world must become more equitable!

M: Thank you for the lovely conversation. I wish you a good arrival!

K: Thank you very much, see you soon!

The bicycle protest tour ” Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin” (Without gasoline to Berlin) currently follows various demo routes throughout Germany towards Leipzig.

 

There, the Climate Justice Festival will take place from August 26 to August 28, 2022.

 

Afterwards, they will continue together: Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin (Without fuel to Berlin)!

 

All information about activities in your area can be found at: “Ohne Kerosin nach Berlin” and “Leipzig für’s Klima” (Without Fuel to Berlin and Leipzig for the Climate).

Be the first to share this post!
Previous articleTWAR connects: FLINTA-cycling groups - supported by KomootA group is cycling in sunset lightNext article With 25 FLINTA offroad through the Taunus - TWAR x Komoot Women's WeekenderGroup picture of women cyclists in a field

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

TWAR Blog

There are many of us & we want to share our experiences, our knowledge & our passion. The TWAR blog offers recommendations, information & tips on cycling – whether competitive, relaxed or urban.

Receive new articles by mail!

Um das Abo zu aktivieren, musst du es über den Link in der Bestätigungsmail bestätigen. Wir senden keinen Spam! Erfahre mehr in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.

Prüfe deinen Posteingang oder Spam-Ordner, um dein Abonnement zu bestätigen.

Recent Posts

ALL RIDE WITH… Nicole Kraus8. December 2022
5 Swiss mountain passes on the road bike in one day – Swiss Cycling Alpenbrevet24. November 2022
Pee-friendly bibshorts test – Which cycling shorts suit me?19. September 2022

Categories

  • A(ll) ride with…
  • Bikepacking & Touring
  • Collective rides
  • Cycle & Cycling
  • Endurance
  • Events
  • How to…
  • Mobility
  • Nicht kategorisiert
  • recap
  • Riders

Tags

all ride with click pedals cycling woman flat pedals pedals ultracycling

Categories

  • A(ll) ride with…
  • Bikepacking & Touring
  • Collective rides
  • Cycle & Cycling
  • Endurance
  • Events
  • How to…
  • Mobility
  • Nicht kategorisiert
  • recap
  • Riders

Recent Posts

ALL RIDE WITH… Nicole Kraus8. December 2022
5 Swiss mountain passes on the road bike in one day – Swiss Cycling Alpenbrevet24. November 2022
Pee-friendly bibshorts test – Which cycling shorts suit me?19. September 2022
logo weiß

Bestätige das Abo via Link in der Bestätigungsmail! Wir senden keinen Spam: Datenschutzerklärung.

Prüfe deinen Posteingang oder Spam-Ordner, um dein Abonnement zu bestätigen.

TWAR Collective

“The Women All Ride” – collective is about visibility, equity & diversity in cycling – for all forms of cycling! And we love to ride our bicycles!

Legal

  • Impressum
  • Datenschutzrichtlinie
    • Cookie-Richtlinie
  • Kontakt
2021 © TWAR The Women All Ride - Collective
The Women All Ride Logo schwarz

About TWAR

Wir sind Radfahrer:innen!

„The Women All Ride“ Kollektiv ist eine vielfältige Gruppe, die gern mit dem Fahrrad unterwegs ist & sich zum Ziel gesetzt hat Radfahren noch diverser zu machen.

Recent Posts

ALL RIDE WITH… Nicole Kraus8. December 2022
5 Swiss mountain passes on the road bike in one day – Swiss Cycling Alpenbrevet24. November 2022
Pee-friendly bibshorts test – Which cycling shorts suit me?19. September 2022

Categories

  • A(ll) ride with…
  • Bikepacking & Touring
  • Collective rides
  • Cycle & Cycling
  • Endurance
  • Events
  • How to…
  • Mobility
  • Nicht kategorisiert
  • recap
  • Riders
The Women All Ride
Cookie-Note
We use cookies to optimise our website and service.
Functional Always active
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugang ist unbedingt erforderlich für den rechtmäßigen Zweck, die Nutzung eines bestimmten Dienstes zu ermöglichen, der vom Teilnehmer oder Nutzer ausdrücklich gewünscht wird, oder für den alleinigen Zweck, die Übertragung einer Nachricht über ein elektronisches Kommunikationsnetz durchzuführen.
Preferences
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff ist für den rechtmäßigen Zweck der Speicherung von Präferenzen erforderlich, die nicht vom Abonnenten oder Benutzer angefordert wurden.
Statistics
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff, der ausschließlich zu statistischen Zwecken erfolgt. Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff, der ausschließlich zu anonymen statistischen Zwecken verwendet wird. Ohne eine Vorladung, die freiwillige Zustimmung deines Internetdienstanbieters oder zusätzliche Aufzeichnungen von Dritten können die zu diesem Zweck gespeicherten oder abgerufenen Informationen allein in der Regel nicht dazu verwendet werden, dich zu identifizieren.
Marketing
Die technische Speicherung oder der Zugriff ist erforderlich, um Nutzerprofile zu erstellen, um Werbung zu versenden oder um den Nutzer auf einer Website oder über mehrere Websites hinweg zu ähnlichen Marketingzwecken zu verfolgen.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Preferences
{title} {title} {title}