In the Eastern Polish town Puławy cultivates friendships from the Atlantic to the Black sea: On the English website of the city of the menu item "Foreign Cooperation's right" to the eye, with a total of seven partner cities, four in the EU, three in the neighboring countries of Ukraine and Belarus.

This specification is no longer up to date: In this month, the city Council of Nieuwegein, near Utrecht, the Poland announces the friendship literally applied; Douai in Northern France had been exposed to the friendship in the spring.

80 homophobic resolutions

the reason for the distancing is already more than a year old. In may 2019, the blessed, the city Council of Puławy, a decision template, the Heading was: "To prevent the of the subculture 'LGBT', launched ideology in the city of Puławy". The Resolution had to contend against the "early sexualization of Polish children and adolescents" in schools and against "gay propaganda" and called a "thousand-year Tradition of Christianity in Poland". Similar resolutions were also made by other cities and areas in which the national conservative ruling party PiS has more fixes. The EU Parliament was of about 80 such resolutions in the last December led to a resolution against the homophobic incitement.

In Nieuwegein had encouraged Marco Diekstra, local politicians of the liberal VVD party, of which Prime Minister Mark Rutte, to terminate the partnership: "After the homophobic remark, we had a Signal to Puławy, to the local policy and the LGBT Community send," writes Diekstra of the DW. "Such a Statement is a red line for us, as a 'rainbow city'." On a request for a clarifying discussion, the poles had not responded, said the town hall. The partnership was asleep anyway, over the years.

photos from the "LGBT-free Zone"

The Bang, with the low countries ended the partnership, however, was so loud that he was heard in Poland. The PiS-the Deputy Przemysław Czarnek said it was a "scandal". Czarnek had advertised in the recent presidential election campaign for the incumbent, and later squires winner Andrzej Duda and with a degrading statement contributed to the fact that abroad, the homophobic Tone of the Duda-campaign has been criticised. At the end of the twinning tweeted Czarnek, the local government of Puławy have not adopted any Resolution to an "LGBT-free zones" - this was the "invention of B. Staszewski," who should be the good reputation of Poland, slander and liable.

documentary filmmaker and LGBT activist, Bartosz Staszewski, who wanted to draw with a series of photos of attention to the homophobic resolutions is Meant: He had a sign with multi-lingual inscription "LGBT-free Zone" make, put it to the Signs of the respective cities and asked local lesbian, gay, bi - and transsexual people to pose in front of it. "I never would have thought that such waves. I wanted to maybe start a little debate on Facebook," says Staszewski - in the meantime, the New York Times even reported on it.

Small plate, big impact

Because it is an administrative offense is to hang signs on public poles, is now being investigated by Staszewski, the act has, according to more than 100 pages. The latest tweets Czarneks Staszewski suggests as a more politically motivated invitation to investigate him. "This is the reality of the law and justice party," said Staszewski.

the decision of The Dutch city of Nieuwegein, is to terminate the partnership, welcomed the activists: "I have the feeling that this is perhaps the only agent that works in these cities," he told DW. "I've heard that other cities are reluctant to adopt such resolutions against a 'LGBT' ideology', because they fear that the other partner cities, the caps and the gang."

exchange instead of demolition

The German Hanseatic city of Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt had to learn through the reporting of Staszewskis photo project in February, the first of the homophobic Resolution from their partner to the city of Puławy. "Then we have research started, and found out that this shield only for this picture, there and then was gone," says city spokesman Philipp Krüger. The partnership between Stendal and Puławy called Kruger "a very, very lively", clubs, school and sports groups have visited each other regularly. It has been this year so far, no Meeting, location to the limitations imposed by the Corona pandemic.

Kruger said he could imagine that the next visit of a Delegation from Puławy in Stendal "heated discussions" and "exchanges" to the decisions: "I think this is very much purposeful, than to say, we want to have anything to do with you," says Kruger on the phone. You got a certified Translation of the Resolution made and agreed, that it referred mainly to the education sector.

The master of the Hanseatic city has represented their point of view on several occasions, according to Krüger in conversation between two citizens. The town Council of Stendal had decided at the beginning of July active, the partnership to continue. In the draft resolution it is stated: "Our cities partnership must stand firmly on the values of the European Charter of fundamental rights. The city Council of the Hanseatic city of Stendal expects all decision-makers in the city of Puławy, that all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, to participate without limitations in the life of society."

author: David Ehl,

*The post "What to do when the partner city's LGBT-hostile?" is published by Deutsche Welle. Contact with the executives here.