On January 31st, on a cold, sunny Friday afternoon, a group of 30 people gathered in eastern Leipzig for a day dedicated to care and community. The program consisted of two events: the Care Walk, a tour of three local initiatives, and an evening live podcast by "Danke für nichts" and "Kein Ding," which explored strategies, visions, and aspirations for care equity.
Care walk through Leipzig's east
The day began in Senior Citizens' Office Inge & Walter, an inconspicuous but inviting place on Eisenbahnstrasse. Despite its name, the Senior Citizens' Office is not just for older people - it is a cross-generational meeting place where people can come together, for example to take part in activities. There are advice services for senior citizens' issues, a repair service, art and internet courses as well as organized excursions, be it a bike tour to explore the region or a group walk to discover Middle Eastern restaurants and shops in the neighborhood. There is also a regular neighborhood management consultation hour that allows everyone to participate in shaping the neighborhood. As the conversation with the Senior Citizens' Office staff came to an end, an elderly man who had been sitting quietly at the piano suddenly started playing, bidding the group a musical farewell as they moved on to the next stop.
The second stop took the group to the PolyclinicThe polyclinic views health as a social issue and recognizes the close connection between well-being and economic conditions. Representatives spoke about their counseling services, which range from psychological support to legal assistance, and about CABL eV , a volunteer-run initiative that provides anonymous medical care to people without insurance. Many of their patients are homeless, and a mobile health service allows them to reach those who cannot come to the clinic themselves.
The last stop took the group back to Eisenbahnstraße to the Lila OFU (Place for Us), a feminist space dedicated to community building and activism. The organizers shared their vision of creating a welcoming environment where feminist movements can thrive. At the end of the event, everyone gathered for a warm, vegan dinner—an opportunity to reflect, network, and prepare for the evening's discussions.
Live Podcast: Focus on Care & Solidarity
#12 Paths to the Caring City.
With the Polyclinic, Eisi for all & AuPair Repair
What infrastructures are needed in a caring city? What does it mean, specifically, to focus on the care needs of all people? And how should care work, which is currently exploited and poorly paid, be organized differently?
As the evening progressed, the audience moved to the Ostpassage Theater, where the doors opened at 19 p.m. for the eagerly awaited live podcast of "Danke Für Nichts und Kein Ding." Hosts Chris and Maxi illuminated the diverse realities of care work and emphasized the importance of recognizing and honoring this often invisible work. In front of a packed house of around 100 guests, they spoke with Mai von der Polyclinic, Alina von Ice cream for everyone, an initiative that works to ensure that Eisenbahnstraße remains a safe, supportive place for everyone, and Eli von AuPair RepairAuPair-Repair is a self-organized group of au pairs in Austria who advocate for the labor rights of migrants, mostly FLINTA*, in home childcare. Together, they considered and discussed what infrastructure a caring city needs, how people's care needs can be met, and how we can organize care work more fairly. The result can be here be listened to.
Feminist organized together
From the stories told on the tour to the stimulating discussions during the podcast, the day demonstrated the many ways in which care is expressed in a community. Whether through medical assistance, feminist organizing, or neighborhood solidarity, the initiatives visited and discussed all strive to build a fairer and more connected Leipzig. As the evening drew to a close, it was clear: care work is not just an individual responsibility—it is a collective practice. And dreaming together about how we can meet again in a caring city provides strength and motivation for the political struggles ahead.
© 2025. This work is openly licensed via CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED
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