“I am happy when others are happy”
Birgitt Erasmus is the good soul of Mellenseestrasse. The 79-year-old regularly brings the senior community together. For a bench in the zoo, for bingo and for shared joy.
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During an afternoon of bingo on Mellenseestrasse in Berlin-Friedrichsfelde at the beginning of May, the Fründt couple remembered: At the end of the 1950s, as students at the University of Economics, they helped prepare the camel pit for the Berlin Zoo. Today, they are regular visitors and enjoy the view of the camel meadow from their bench.
A bench in the zoo for the community
The bench was one of the many ideas that Birgitt Erasmus came up with for the senior citizens' community at Mellenseestrasse 39 to 41. Together with Iris Scheppner, who has worked in the building as a concierge for HOWOGE since 2015, the 79-year-old organizes festivals and events for the community all year round. It's in her blood, she says. As a young woman, she organized university festivals, then worked for a long time in culture and is now involved with the around 80 tenants in Friedrichsfelde. "My friends say I was born like this," says Erasmus, adding: "I'm just happy when others are happy." That's how the idea for a bench sponsorship came about during the joint Christmas party. A total of 38 sponsors ultimately donated 1,250 euros for a bench in the Friedrichsfelde zoo. The first appeal for donations was not enough. It was not until Valentine's Day, the third appeal, that the money was raised and is now making many tenants in the community happy.
"It's a beautiful bench," says bench sponsor Sylvia Pietsch, who is meeting her neighbors this afternoon over coffee and cake to play bingo in the common rooms. Renate and Walter Pflaum are sitting at the next table. They have also lived here since 2015 and, as sponsors, are proud of their bench. "We really enjoy going there," they say. And they feel at home in the community, in the house that HOWOGE modernized almost ten years ago especially for senior citizens - barrier-free, with elevators, lots of greenery and rooms for shared activities.
“There is enormous mutual appreciation”
What began as a sports group a good ten years ago has become a second living room for many residents thanks to the support of concierge Iris Scheppner and the commitment of Birgitt Erasmus. "Before Corona, we did sports together, did crafts and played skat," remembers Scheppner, who always has an open ear for the tenants at reception. "The people here in the building are happy when they can make contacts and exchange ideas." Birgitt Erasmus now creates the occasions for this with ever new ideas. In addition to all the well-known annual festivals, there are regular book readings where Erasmus presents sophisticated books and their authors. "First there were six guests, now there are 22," says Erasmus, who has even helped to set up a small library. It is similar with other events. Often only a few come at the beginning, then there are more and more and the skepticism - for example about regular memory training - gradually disappears. At the latter, two tenants now support with singing and pantomime. "There is enormous appreciation for one another," says Birgitt Erasmus.
You can also see that on this bingo afternoon. The atmosphere is relaxed, people are laughing and the chaos of the many conversations fills the room. Iris Scheppner is making coffee as usual, the champagne is cold, the cake is on the table. The “togetherness” is financed by a small donation. Then the first bingo calls ring out and the residents of Mellenseestrasse literally share the happiness of this shared apartment.