In July 2010, the University of Freiburg publicly committed to the Diversity Charter (https://www.charta-der-variety.de/ueber-uns/die-unterzeichner-innen/liste/ziehe/albert-ludwigs-universitaet-freiburg/ ) and thus set an example for more tolerance and against discrimination and racism. Although the charter contains corresponding objectives and demands, students and employees at the Freiburg University Hospital experience racism in the working environment. In order to make racism experienced visible in the first instance, we at DETECT collect and publish anonymous reports on experiences in connection with racism in everyday work and training.

Racism can manifest itself in many forms in everyday life and leads to unequal treatment, exclusion and unlawful behavior. Originally spread as a legitimization of European colonialism, we still find racist behavior and racism in every decade and it is important to continue to look and clarify.

There is no uniform definition of racism, so here is one of the many quotes that try to explain racism to us in brief: “Racism is the generalized and absolutized evaluation of actual or fictitious differences to the benefit of the accuser and to the detriment of the victim his privileges or his aggressions should be justified.” (Albert Memmi, Racism, Frankfurt a.M. 1987, p.164)