5. Hamburger Frauenhaus & LFR
Laufen Gegen Gewalt (Run Against Violence)
BY CAROL H. AND JULIA R.
As with everything else this year, the organizers of
the 13th annual charity run Laufend Gegen Gewalt,
the fund-raising event for the Hamburg Autonomous
Women’s Shelters, were forced to reinvent the event.
Instead of a traditional run with one starting line
and one starting time, participants were urged to run
individually or in small groups at the place and time of
their choice. A great idea, as small groups of runners
and walkers with bright purple t-shirts in all corners
of Hamburg probably attracted more attention to the
cause than a concentrated group of runners around
the Alster would have.
Perhaps sensing how important the need for women’s
shelters are during the corona pandemic (see article
about domestic violence on p. 13), AWCH members and
partners were quick to sign-up—and our organizers
came up with some good ideas to attract participants
for the event on Sunday, August 23.
Jess M. and Julia R.-B. organized an Altona/Blankenese
team, which, instead of running the 7.5 km around the
Alster, walked a beautiful route of the same length in
Altona and Ottensen, carefully planned by Jess to pass
some of the most impressive sites of the area—going
through parks, along the river to Hamburg’s “beach,”
past many old sea captains’ houses, down to the Alten
Schwede landmark, then back through some of the
prettiest streets the neighborhood has to offer, with
lots of big shady trees, beautiful Altbau houses, and
cobblestone streets. The finish line was at the Café
Schmidt, where everyone enjoyed some of the best
tarts and cakes in Hamburg.
The Alster/Eppendorf group, organized by Sara N. and
Carol H., decided on the traditional run/walk around
the Alster. Meeting shortly after 10 a.m., the runners
and walkers donned their t-shirts and set out at their
own pace to go clockwise around the Alster. The path
along the water provides a great view of the lake, with
its sailboats, stand-up paddleboards, and tour boats;
it passes rowing clubs, Hamburg’s mosque, idyllic
parks, several cafes, and the “Little White House.”
Hilary W. was our fastest runner, reaching the finish
line in under 40 minutes—but our walkers were also
quite impressive, returning 30 minutes later. Several
children on scooters looked quite triumphant as they
reached the finish line, although the gravelly path
was probably not the most ideal terrain. Freshlybaked
brownies and sweet apples were the reward for
everyone’s effort—although the real reward was the
feeling of accomplishment and helping a worthy cause.
Twenty-two AWCH members registered, bringing
with them husbands, children, and friends—making
a total of 45 registrations and helping raise €540 for
the Autonomous Women’s Shelter of Hamburg. Thank
you to all who participated!
Altona/Blankenese team
Alster/Eppendorf team
12 AWCH News & Events