As State Secretary (SPD) Frank Bielka answered the minor question no. 14/219 by Barbara Oesterheld on 1 April 2000 about: Asbestos still a secret issue?
In it, Mrs Oesterheld complained: "Why were the asbestos-containing flex panels not listed in the answer to the small question no. 5262 (LPD 7/2000) about asbestos in state-owned flats?"
Frank Bielka his answer:
"The following
of DEGEWO 14 400 flats
of GEWOBAG 7 200 flats
of GESOBAU 12 700 flats
the city and country 8,500 flats
of GSW approx. 10,000 flats
of BEWOGE 10 000 flats
Flex panels installed."
Question no. 3: How have tenants been informed in the past about the proper handling of these flex panels?
Mr Bielka his answer:
"As there is no risk if the landlord's property is handled as intended, no tenant information is provided."
In this small question, Mr Bielka repeatedly assured the public that renovation work
"The tenants should be fully informed beforehand."
At the very beginning, Mr Bielka makes it clear that:
"there is no danger from the asbestos-containing Flex panels."
By trivialising and concealing the asbestos problem, Frank Bielka laid the foundation for thousands of tenants being exposed to asbestos for decades. potentially Chernobyl-like hazard be suspended.
A conflict of interest with devastating consequences
How could Mr Bielka, as State Secretary, report objectively on the asbestos problem at the state-owned housing companies? Someone who votes in favour of a 48% salary increase as chairman of the supervisory board in order to benefit from it himself is not very trustworthy, to put it mildly.
The state-owned housing companies (DEGEWO, GEWOBAG, GESOBAU, Stadt und Land, etc.) have swept the asbestos problem under the carpet for the last 20-30 years. Mr Bielka's answers clearly show that he did not want to change this situation. That would not be in the interests of degewo & co, nor in his own. Why would he even consider changing anything if he himself was aiming to take over the position as head of Degewo with a profitable salary?
Frank Bielka's career as State Secretary and at Degewo
State Secretary (Senate) for Building and Housing, Berlin (1991-1996)
State Secretary (Senate) for Finance, Berlin (1996-1999)
State Secretary (Senate) for Urban Development, Berlin (1999-2001)
State Secretary (Senate) for Finance (2001-)
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, degewo (until 2002) -> voted in favour of a salary increase of 48%
Member of the Executive Board, degewo (2003-2014) -> benefited from this salary increase
Managing Director degewo Nord (2014-)
Source: Wikipedia
TAZ: "What does ... Frank Bielka?
"In May, the taz wrote: "Frank Bielka (SPD) ... moved from the post of Berlin State Secretary of Finance to the executive floor of the state-owned ... Degewo in 2003. Previously, he was ... chairman of the supervisory board of this very Degewo and had approved salary increases for the managing directors - which then benefited him.... Bielka also wanted to have the taz report banned. The Berlin district court announced in an interim injunction that it would refuse."
Source: TAZ
BZ-Berlin: "Double standards of Berlin's politicians"
"There were even calls for Bielka to be expelled from the party. Reason: "shameless intention of self-enrichment". The motion: from the Tempelhof-Schöneberg SPD district association, of all places, where Michael Müller pulled the strings.
And today? All forgotten."
Source: BZ-Berlin
"For whom enough is too little, nothing is enough." Epicurus of Samos
"He to whom his own is not enough is poor, even if he were lord of the whole world." Epicurus of Samos
WELT: "Degewo to step in for lost pension entitlements"
"Since Bielka moved from the Neukölln district office to the Senate Building Department as State Secretary in 1991, he has played a key role in determining the Senate's influence on these companies. In the spring, Bielka gave up his chairmanship of the supervisory board at Degewo in order to apply for a seat on the board there.
The change is viewed extremely critically by many, including in the SPD, but is supported by Finance Senator Thilo Sarrazin and Building Senator Peter Strieder. The governing mayor Klaus Wowereit ensured that Bielka lost his pension entitlements. Degewo is to make up for lost additional entitlements."
Source: World
Our message to Mr Frank Bielka
Mr Bielka, please go to a DIY store and try to buy a bathtub support foam. Bathtub support foam probably contains carcinogenic substances (Carc. 2) and may only be sold by specially trained personnel. Asbestos, on the other hand, is categorised as Carc. 1 (like plutonium).
Thousands of tenants have been living in degewo flats for decades and have no idea what kind of danger they are exposed to. Some (just like us) renovated the flat and now have to fear for their health. This is solely due to the grossly negligent actions of you and others like you.
If you really believe that asbestos poses no danger, then please let your family, children and grandchildren take part in the next asbestos renovation of a degewo rented flat. Without protective measures. And preferably without their knowledge. Because that is exactly what you have asked us to do. You can be ruled out as a credible candidate due to your age, as the average latency period for pleural cancer (Mesothelioma) is around 30 years.
With such an action, you would also prevent tenants from panic and fears are not fuelled unnecessarily.
Examples of similar actions:
-Politicians from the Soviet Union let their children bathe in a radioactively contaminated lake (Atomic Lake) just to reassure the population.
-Yasuhiro Sonoda drank radioactive water to prove the safety of the Fukushima region. The Japanese politician is not the first to do PR like this.
Minor question no. 14/219 of 1 April 2000 - Frank Bielka
Frank Bielka is not the only one
In a recent written enquiry on the Asbestos 2030 remediation plan at the Degewo in Berlinseems Sebastian Scheel The same methodology as Frank Bielka did two decades ago. Questions are only partially answered or not answered at all. The well-being of tenants is apparently not a priority for these personalities. Is a state secretary also allowed to make decisions on the supervisory board of a housing association that could jeopardise the health of thousands of people?
Responsibility for the city? Not at all!
Frank Bielka is publishing a book together with Christoph Beck (DEGEWO board member) entitled "Responsibility for the city". This book was published in Berlin in 2011. In early 2012, we renovated a DEGEWO rental flat in Berlin that was contaminated with asbestos because Frank Bielka did not feel it was necessary to inform affected tenants like us about the potential dangers.
What is the value of such a work if it was published by someone who de facto decided on the life and death of thousands of people, indeed our lives?
hey State Secretary Frank Bielka - Degewo tenant protest rap
Further links:
To visualise this: As State Secretary, Mr Bilka receives an enquiry about asbestos in state-owned flats. He forwards this enquiry to the state-owned flats. He also receives this enquiry on his desk as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of degewo. He then answers this enquiry (as Chairman of the Supervisory Board) and sends it back to the Senate (for its attention). As State Secretary, he then makes a statement that is harmless to the state-owned housing companies. After all, he doesn't want to get into conflict with his employer and cut himself in the flesh.
If you don't make it far in politics, then you just make sure that it at least fits financially. Even if that means making decisions that could harm others. Then you quickly publish a book to polish up your own image. That's it.
According to Amazon, "Responsibility for the City" doesn't seem to be a hit. Perhaps because it lacks authenticity? The following book titles might be more successful:
"Profit twice over"
"Supervisory Board & State Secretary - one hand washes the other"
"How to cause great harm and still look like a saint"
"Advanced whitewashing techniques"
"Cold blooded capitalism"
"Whose bread I eat, the song I sing"
Case pending.
Everyone will be held accountable for their actions sooner or later, and if not in this life, then in the afterlife.