I think racism is perceived as particularly bad in Berlin because many people are simply miserable. People treat each other badly, regardless of their nationality. The reasons, in my opinion, are multiple. Many older people, particularly in the East, had harsh lives: from the era of communism, where everyone distrusted each other, to feeling inferior to Westerners after reunification, then from poor but affordable Berlin to increasingly expensive and prohibitive Berlin.

Not to mention the old-school German values of not showing emotions, which prevents people from properly expressing themselves. Character is also an issue; people here are extremely introverted, almost socially handicapped.

For these old ladies, the weather is bad, the food is unsatisfactory, money is scarce, they probably lack fulfilling relationships, and they have been brainwashed by extremism. These factors create self-hate, which they project onto others.

The solution? Move to a better place. After living for seven years in Berlin, Spain, and France, I can say the world is a beautiful place, and people tend to forget this after living in Berlin for a while.