14 July 2020
Dancing with tears in their eyes: The legendary club Kater Holzig had to close its doors in 2014. IMAGO IMAGES / CARSTEN DAMMANN / CARSTEN IMAGES IMAGO
BY MARUSHA
he Berlin Wall came without dance and music culture, tumbling down in 1989, The end of the rainbow without its smorgasbord of clubs yet was not torn apart and underground shops, without andT pulverized in its entirety. Berlin’s clubs have been slowly dying. places where a vast array of cul- Large sections of the Wall were tures and people can meet, have sawed into pieces, painted and COVID-19 is now singing their swansong fun, exchange ideas, evolve and transformed into art. The global learn from one another? symbol for division, espionage, But it’s not just the investors permanent surveillance, con- who are to blame for the advent straint, dogma, captivity and of this tragedy. Let’s not forget death was symbolically liberated all the residents’ complaints of through art. Countless segments Ahornblatt dining complex, at the been the busiest traffic intersec- only by way of the Love Parade, sold, including the home of the inadequate sound insulation, or of the Wall still stand today all EX!T, in former Russian restau- tion in Europe. But after World which took place once a year and old Tresor. The site near Pots- the commercial rent increases, as across the world as monuments rants like Café Moskau and in the War II and during the GDR, it helped Berlin become a magnet damer Platz where Tresor was clubs are legally considered to be to (very) recent history. Cosmos cinema. Everything was became a death strip riddled for travelers. born in 1991 is now a giant mall. places of entertainment, and are Since time immemorial, Berlin happening in and around Frank- with mines. Now it was all being Unfortunately, however, event The real-estate hype has killed thus equated with casinos, porn has been a refuge for artists from furter Allee, right at Alexander- partied away at top volume, as if organizers and the municipal the subculture and creative scene cinemas and brothels. all corners of the creative world. platz. the remains of the East German government ran the Love Parade at the heart of many metropolitan Politicians from various par- The soul of Berlin has seen much One of Berlin’s most legend- regime were being pulverized by into a wall after 16 years – it has centers. Lightness has been sup- ties have filed motions to clas- come and go as it progresses ever ary techno clubs was Tresor, shock waves of musical force. failed to take place in Berlin ever planted by darker forces. Gen- sify clubs as cultural sites, like forward, never idle, always in which opened in 1991 in the vault Many of the first parties and since. A few years after leaving trification is synonymous with operas, theaters and concert halls. motion, even when this motion beneath the former Wertheim clubs were insider tips. You liter- Berlin, the Love Parade, then bad vibes and with the expulsion This would relieve the budgets can seem rather casual and arrive department store dating back to ally needed a secret code to gain in Duisburg, was the site of a of culture that no one in Berlin’s of many club operators, bolster somewhat late. 1929. The place was moist and entrance. There were telephone horrific tragedy resulting in 21 club scene and subculture was the reputation of the club scene But suddenly something smelled like rusty metal. The numbers you could call to get the deaths, after which there would prepared for. and award clubs the status of extraordinary was on the move. music was straight underground lowdown on where and when to premium artistic enterprises. But Just after the fall of the Berlin techno, loud and electronic. The find the unadvertised locations even such a law would not rescue Wall, when half of East Berlin air reeked of the vanilla scented and parties. You never knew the clubs. had emptied out, a kind of posi- additive used in fog machines; where you would ultimately end The COVID-19 pandemic has tive anarchy prevailed across the under the flashing of strobe up. It was pure thrill, true magic. badly exacerbated an already city. The East German govern- lights, ravers danced to the hard- A little research and every day dire situation. Clubs and bars ment was in a state of shock, of est beats in the city. you discovered new treasures of DPA/DPAWEB PICTURE-ALLIANCE/ in Berlin are vanishing into thin agony. Nothing was really clear When descending the stairs Berlin. It was an intense, spon- air. Clubs and DJs are produc- amid all the political chaos. Many into the basement of Tresor, to taneous and liberating quest for ing DJ livestreams to raise money apartments and some entire the rusted safe deposit boxes of the best and most extraordinary to save clubs. These efforts can buildings lay empty. Ownership the former bank, you could no sounds of the city. at best serve as a stop-gap. Most claims had not been resolved or longer see the person right in With no mandatory closing clubs will not be able to survive former owners were nowhere to front of you. But Tresor was no times, parties would rage on from the silence of live artists, many of be found. Students in search of catwalk; it was not a place to see Saturday night to Tuesday noon, whom have resorted to welfare housing and newcomers to Berlin and be seen – people came there or longer. Now and then some- assistance, as they are not per- proceeded to occupy apartments to dance. Whether or not you one would sweep through and mitted to work and can no longer and buildings in the eastern half could see something through the clear out any lingerers, but then Last hurrah: Marusha during the final night of make ends meet. of the city, as well as in the west. fog was not as essential as the fat it would all carry on as before. the mystical techno club Tresor in 2005 And the policy touted to rescue The three years after 1989 beats coming from the speakers. It was the candor and ingenu- Berlin’s club scene? The concepts were the most thrilling phase of The dictum in Berlin was: first ousness of and toward each and be no more Love Parades. All Since I have lived in Berlin, developed by an established club German reunification. And this comes the sound system, then every participant, regardless of that remains is the legend and the most clubs have been forced to commission must be imple- was also true for the music and comes the rest of the club. origin, profession or class, that mourning. Nonetheless, Berlin is change locations several times mented swiftly. Neglect and pro- dance scene. Anywhere and at Planet, on Köpenicker Straße, made the techno music scene still the place to be for techno and due to a new landlord or lease crastination are the biggest mis- any time, DJs and non-profes- directly on the river, was a Tresor what it was. Everyone could is famous the world over for its termination. Compared to many takes the city could make. Once sional organizations hosted spon- rival as one of the most estab- behave as they wanted – everyone clubs and electronic music scene. other large German cities, Berlin the scene is gone, it won’t come taneous parties and entertained lished and sought-after clubs in was unique and contributed to Around ten years ago, investors, has been relatively successful in back. a whole generation of young the city. There was always a line the colorful mosaic of the Berlin with hopes of making gobs of preserving its club subculture. people with electronic music. of people waiting to get in. And party set. money, declared Berlin to be their But this success seems to be run- I hope the party’s not over. they were all natives. Berlin’s As this subculture developed, favorite city. They bought up ning dry. Many clubs have been Techno! tourist boom had yet to begin. predominantly in the eastern half building after building with the forced to close or are now in Every day, during the day, was of Berlin, no one could have fore- goal of creating a vast landscape danger of needing to. These parties and DJs rang the a party in the warren of old tun- seen that techno music, above of top-notch luxury housing, and What is a city like Berlin with- Marusha is a German electronic music DJ, television ears of revelers in former Stasi nels under Potsdamer Platz. The all, would spell the beginning of renovated blocks of apartments out a colorful nightlife, without presenter, music producer buildings, in the Haus des Leh- entrance to the club led through a pervasive culture that would to transform them into pricey cabarets, bars, musicians and and actress. She lives and rers, at the Congress Center, in a hatch in the ground and down pump real money into the city condominiums. Properties and back-lot artists? What is Berlin works in Berlin. the small flower shop in the vast a chicken ladder. This had once of Berlin’s empty coffers – not buildings that housed clubs were without after-hours parties,
DIGITAL SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS UNIQUE LIKE YOUR COMPANY We develop innovative strategies and digital software solutions for your business. Based on the individual requirements of your company, we accelerate your digital transformation through in-depth analysis and a mutual process of concept design and creation while o ering reliable support and maintenance for your unique solution. Your success is our mission.
www.aleksundshantu.com/unique