The 38 Best Restaurants in Rome, Italy The 18 Best Louisville Restaurants The 38 Best Restaurants in Mexico City Crispy vada pav at a bustling central food hall kofte cooked on in-table grills at a modern Turkish spot a Japanese-inflected tasting menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant Despite its formidable art and music scenes the German capital has never really been seen as a serious food city It isn’t loaded with glamorous destination restaurants with international name recognition flashier European cities — but that comparison is exactly the problem Berlin isn’t trying to be Paris or Barcelona Berlin’s best spots tend to be low-key neighborhood haunts and candlelit bars that feel like living rooms You can dine well at the fine-yet-fun Otto on a meal prepared by Berlin native and Noma alum Vadim Otto Ursus and follow it up with an equally compelling meal at lovingly graffitied kebab shop Rüyam Berlin’s location at the crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe has made it a hub for transplants And while the city doesn’t have as many specialty dishes to its name as some other capitals it leans into prized signatures like currywurst (fried sausage doused with curry-powder ketchup and served with fries) and döner kebab (by way of Turkey) Note: Some Berlin restaurants only accept cash and service at many places can be almost aggressively inattentive Chasing down servers to take your order or pay is a regular part of dining out in Berlin — embrace it Tim Forster is a freelance writer and editor based in Berlin, covering food, culture, and technology. He is the food editor at the Berliner and former editor of Eater Montreal it’s not hard to find lahmacun around town in the Gesundbrunnen area just east of Wedding a whole team stretches out circles of dough so you can grab a few and save some for a snack later served in fresh bread with supremely tangy garlic sauce so be prepared to lurk out front waiting for your order A post shared by Örnek Lahmacun Evi/Grillhaus (@ornek_lahmacun) Visitors in the market for currywurst often gravitate to the big names like Curry 36 or Konnopke’s Imbiss — both of which are fine little more than a window tacked on the side of the Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn station Baude offers a quality-to-price ratio that’s off the charts a sausage that attains crispy-yet-juicy equilibrium and a ketchup-to-curry ratio that’s near perfect A post shared by Curry Baude (@currybaude.berlin) To call this side-street dining room a pizzeria wouldn’t be quite accurate although its springy sourdough pies with toppings like mushroom cream or ’nduja are worth a visit It’s hard to pin down the rest of chef-owner Jared Bassoff’s menu; “modern European” would be technically correct but it undersells comforting-creative bistro dishes like tender pieces of pork shoulder dotted with local vegetables or a sundae with milcheis (German-style ice cream) that fuses the chef’s American background with Germany it usurped the title of “Berlin’s hottest line” from (in)famous nightclub Berghain The restaurant now has three locations (two in Prenzlauer Berg but the spicy bowls of hand-pulled Shaanxi-style biang biang noodles are better than ever The brief menu centers around the silky wheat flour noodles with the perfect amount of spring to each bite This casual day-and-night Bosnian counter in Wedding dishes up the best börek in the city servers hack off a hefty quarter from one of the large circular specimens behind the counter The flaky dough delivers just the right combo of grease and crunch the small menu also features some succulent (and similarly cheap) cevapcici A post shared by Jane Silver (@janesilvereats) Courtesy of his experience with Danish superstar René Redzepi at Noma, chef and Berliner Vadim Otto Ursus applies his formidable expertise on fermentation with aplomb. The result is out-of-the-box, bright, and imaginative takes on German cuisine, served up in a stylish, brutalist space. The restaurant is small, so book ahead. If you can’t nab a table, consider heading to Trio over in Mitte where Ursus offers pitch-perfect takes on German pub fare The freshest news from the food world every day there’s no way around a trip to northern Mitte (right by the Berlin Wall memorial) for superb specimens of French baking courtesy of pastry pros Anna Plagens and Stephan Zuber Du Bonheur’s pastries are exquisite in terms of texture and flavor Berlin is home to diaspora communities from pretty much every South American country but it’s only in recent years that the city’s minuscule Latin American food scene has started expanding as budding restaurateurs set up small shops to offer ceviche and — in the case of this counter service spot in Prenzlauer Berg — Argentine empanadas The restaurant’s name nods to the classic beefy Creole option but the menu covers a range of Argentine specialties like spicy chicken and Italian-influenced ricotta-spinach The Pfefferberg Markthalle is a hub for top-notch casual dining in Berlin and while you can’t go wrong with any of its restaurants Americans may find the name to be a slight misnomer as the go-to menu item is a superb buttermilk-brined chicken sandwich loaded with Indian spices; for vegans tamarindy take on a vada pav (fried potato sandwich) is also a formidable choice you have your choice of fries or sweet and spicy samosa chaat Lokal was among the first places in the city to embrace nose-to-tail cooking and heavy use of regional ingredients A refreshingly simple restaurant with an unpretentious-yet-classy terroir-focused German cooking after more than a decade on the scene Zur letzten Instanz may be the city’s oldest restaurant The historic two-story building and garden has housed restaurants and bars since 1621 (although it didn’t pick up its current name until 1924) and it’s been in the same family since its postwar reopening in the ’60s The central location means the restaurant skews a little touristy (and it’s played host to notable visitors like Charlie Chaplin and Jacques Chirac) but the classic Berlin dishes here are the real deal but other dishes like cabbage-wrapped pork belly shine too but as you walk up to the entrance — in an alleyway delivery dock — it’s clear the restaurant isn’t your typical exemplar of fine dining selected by a tire company Owner Heinz “Cookie” Gindullis’s background in the Berlin club scene is evident in the vibe with hot red banquettes and industrial-chic exposed concrete (not to mention a large painting of a German expletive) The anything-goes approach extends to chef Nicholas Hahn’s outré lineup (a small a la carte selection and a tasting menu) which includes items like potato ceviche or a dish of red peppers infused into items like chips and ice cream The mostly natural wines are paired with superb care but it’s worth choosing the option to mix a wine pairing with the restaurant’s non-alcoholic drinks to get a taste of some of the team’s creative This legendary deli dates back to the 1920s when it started out as a specialty smokehouse with a focus on fish Rogacki has spread its wings to sell some of the finest meats You’d be remiss not to try the smoked freshwater trout and eel which are both pulled from the waters surrounding the city and jump on a train to the lakes around Grünewald for a picnic lunch A true gem among the somewhat dreary chain restaurants that dominate this office-heavy part of town Liu is Berlin’s go-to for sharp bowls of Sichuan-style noodles in a range of varieties Head over at lunch for the hand-made tianshui noodles and Sichuan peppercorns make all options a good bet The spicy chilled noodle dishes in summer are a refreshing mix of hot and cold A post shared by LIU 成都味道 (@liuchengduweidao) Germany’s bread culture may have its own UNESCO listing but the good stuff isn’t always easy to find among Berlin’s endless discount supermarkets and train station bakery chains and other glutenous marvels from this wooden shack at Holzmarkt A post shared by DIEBACKPFEIFE (@die_backpfeife) Don’t be fooled by Larb Koi’s humble description of its offerings as home-cooked fare; at this gem tucked in a touristy stretch of Friedrichshain chef Monay Sakarin dishes up some of Berlin’s finest Thai food With the exception of a superbly tangy papaya salad the small menu skips standard dishes that you can get elsewhere and leans into specialties from various regions deep-fried sea bass or a phenomenal (if elusive) octopus curry Larb Koi isn’t scared to play with some serious spice A post shared by Larbkoi (ลาภ-ก้อย) (@larbkoi2020) bar-hoppy Boxhagener Platz may serve Berlin’s best hummus and the version with toasted nuts is a particular highlight The rest of the menu focuses on specialties from the city of Aleppo such as pomegranate salad or kibbeh with tender meat and crispy bulgur Many Vietnamese restaurants tend to cater to blander German tastes That’s not the case at this multipurpose Charlottenburg restaurant A rich bowl of pho with fixings like meatballs or tenderloin Check as well (and definitely worth your time) The minimalist brasserie vibe will make you want to stick around for another beer after your meal A post shared by Madame Ngo (@madame_ngo_une_brasserie_hanoi) The counter bar that wraps around chef Micha Schäfer’s kitchen is a stunner and an effective stage for his tasting menu The chef forgoes unsustainable imports to focus on ingredients from the Berlin-Brandenburg region The menus take a New Nordic approach to German items from asparagus to kohlrabi — only in season Though meat is fading out of focus at Nobelhart & Schmutzig It’s all deftly paired with contemporary wines by owner and host Billy Wagner who is widely regarded as one of the best sommeliers in the city Berlin’s robust French community means that most neighborhoods have a reputable brasserie dishing up steak frites and duck confit considering chef-owner Régis Lamazère was raised by a father who cooked at a two-Michelin-starred restaurant on the Champs-Élysées mixing brasserie staples like tartares with more novel dishes often with plenty of meat and earthy flavors from mushrooms and herbs There’s ample (and surprisingly affordable) fine French wine and a superb rice pudding for dessert Berlin’s small Georgian food scene punches above its weight While you can count on pretty much any place focusing on the cuisine Charlottenburg’s Salhino might have the edge offering saucy stews loaded with fresh herbs and barbecue skewers with adzhika (red pepper sauce) like khachapuri and fat khinkali filled with meat or cheese Don’t skip a tapluri (honey cake) or buffalo milk yogurt laden with nuts and honey for dessert Sisters Xenia and Sophie von Oswald let influences from their Iranian background and childhood in Australia shine through at this Tiergarten breakfast-brunch-and-lunch spot Like a chilled-out Aussie cafe with a substantial food menu the place serves hearty sourdough sandwiches that are among Berlin’s best whether you go for a filling of ham and cheese or tahini-roasted carrots The Persian stews with crisp saffron rice are a soul-warming delight on a cool Berlin day Switch things up and seek out the Sudanese version (sometimes called tamiya) which is usually served in Berlin with a rich The version at Omdur is made with perfectly fried falafel and tender magali (fried vegetables) Service is friendly and the charming yellow dining room is lined with photos of happy customers making the restaurant ideal for a low-stress lunch or late-night snack A post shared by Omdur Sudanese Streetfood (@omdur.sudanese.streetfood) Adana is the most iconic Turkish grill at the heart of what’s historically been Germany’s largest Turkish neighborhood Grab a seat so you can watch the chefs grill spectacular lamb chops and minced adana (lamb) skewers over sizzling hot charcoals on an open fire The trick to digesting all that meat is to order cold mezze to start followed by plenty of raki with ice and water There’s also a second location right around the corner on Skalitzer Strasse While a lot of Berlin’s seemingly infinite döner spots offer serviceable kofte Konak Izmir is a specialist worth seeking out as many customers do to devour sandwiches from lunch until 3 a.m The kofte sandwich is a sublime creation of spiced grilled sausages layered with fresh herbs a hybrid between Turkish flatbread and a baguette is a bit thicker here than at comparable places This Kreuzberg restaurant started out in 2015 as part of a project to integrate West African refugees into the city and spicy; think domoda (saucy peanut stew with chicken or sweet potato) Don’t skip the drinks; options like tamarind or baobab lemonade are exquisitely refreshing on a sweaty summer day look no further than this bright counter in Kreuzberg Owner Shabnam Syed draws on her mother’s recipes to put forward a small menu of dishes that offer a nuanced mix of flavors and spices Rotating weekly specials allow Syed to put forward dishes that you’d otherwise never see in Germany Don’t forget to add a lassi to round out your meal and grab a jar of house-made chutney to take home Bring a crew to this unassuming Chinese restaurant in Schöneberg where you could pick a meal off the extensive menu blindfolded and walk away impressed Soulful northeastern (Dongbei) cuisine is the name of the game A few Sichuan touches like cucumber salad also slide into the menu (and are equally delicious) Every Friday to Sunday from April to October (weather permitting) Thai vendors congregate under colorful umbrellas in a Wilmersdorf park to sell a sublime selection of homemade noodle soups This massive picnic of dishes from throughout Thailand — especially the region of Isan — draws crowds from all over Berlin new rules are set to push Thaipark out of Preußenpark after three decades but it’ll continue as a street market on Württembergische Strasse right alongside the park Hovering ambiguously between the realms of British pub Bart checks a lot of boxes: It’s affordable enough to frequent The mostly small plates include a fancy Scotch egg Go on a Sunday evening for the sublimely English roast dinner A post shared by St. Bart (@st.bart.pub) A standout among Berlin’s newer Turkish dining options Fes shakes things up by offering Korean-style in-table grills and excellently seasoned kofte But don’t get too entranced by the barbecue: The mezze platters are stars in their own right While German restaurants can often fry up a solid schnitzel anyone with passing knowledge of the German-speaking culinary world knows that Austria tends to do it better This old-school spot in rapidly gentrifying Bergmannkiez certainly backs up that reputation Pull up a chair at a candlelit table and dive into a perfectly crispy juicy Wiener schnitzel with potato and cucumber salads but you can also go for saucy goulash or cheesy spätzle If you don’t want a schnitzel the size of your face the menu thoughtfully offers smaller portions too drink in the impressive dining room at Eins44 a former distillery with white-tiled walls and cavernous ceilings chef Julius Nowak and team don’t rely on just looks seasonal menu strikes the perfect balance between casual and fine dining coming off eminently refined without crossing the line into fussy The a la carte and tasting menus shift regularly Expect dishes that capture foraged and farmed flavors of Germany and central Europe like uber tender venison or earthy morel mushrooms as well as left-of-center dishes like broccoli with white chocolate and almond cream or potato risotto Famous for their fatteh and musabbaha (a well-spiced hummus variant) draw a melting pot of diners from multicultural Neuköllnn As is the norm in many of Berlin’s Levantine eateries many menu items are available both in sandwich form or as hearty platters (there’s no wrong choice here) so grab takeout and head to the nearby canal at Weichselplatz A post shared by Petr Huml (@gastrosoph1) Don’t waste 45 minutes of your life queuing with the tourists at Mustafa’s home of Berlin’s most famous chicken döner kebab You’ll get a crispy yet pillowy flatbread filled with tender and just a sprinkle of cheese and lemon juice choose between sauces like garlic or sesame to top it all off There’s another location in Prenzlauer Berg In a part of the city loaded with Turkish and Syrian food give some love to one of Berlin’s very few Yemeni restaurants (which expanded to a second location in Moabit The cuisine here mixes influences from the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa into a uniquely hearty selection of dishes Try a cheese- or meat-stuffed sambosa and the saucy lamb stews a biryani-like dish with slow-cooked meat and creamy yogurt Chef Sarah Hallmann’s Michelin-starred restaurant is partly notable for its focus on reforming macho restaurant culture and flattening the kitchen hierarchy but often balances earthy local produce with nods to Japan in ingredients like yuzu and nori or show up without a reservation for access to a small bistro menu if you don’t want to commit A post shared by HALLMANN & KLEE (@hallmannundklee) What began as a cart in a Berlin market in 1959 is now ground zero for the definitive version of currywurst, Berlin’s uniquely funky sausage dish. This should come as little surprise, given that the snack bar’s founder was nicknamed the “curry professor.” Don’t pass on the ketchup; Krasselt’s makes its own house version and it’s part of why this imbiss (fast food restaurant) soars above much of its competition Krasselt’s doesn’t draw long lines of tourists Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Open every Saturday and Sunday since 1992 Berlin's Flea Market at Bode Museum © Getty Images From young Berliners bargain-hunting secondhand clothes new residents looking for the right addition for their home Berlin’s flea markets are a sure-fire way to find both the expected and the unexpected weekend flea markets are known for being messy Grab your favorite tote bag and find out what makes Berlin’s flea markets some of the best in the world. Here are the best flea markets in Berlin Known for its charming cafes and hip bars, Boxhagener Platz transforms over the weekend with its popular Sunday flea market. From old paintings, books and antique furniture, to classic vinyl records and homeware, this market in the district of Friedrichshain is perfect for those hunting something different The best part: once you finish your bargain hunting you can enjoy a bite to eat at one of the many cafes and restaurants surrounding the square Hungry for more? Walk just a couple of blocks from Boxhagener Platz and visit the flea market at RAW compound It’s a perfect place for finding secondhand clothing and jewelry while making your way in-between early morning bargain hunters and hungover party-goers walking home Some call it overrated, way too touristy and overpriced, but Mauerpark remains a staple of Berlin’s culture It’s a must when you visit Berlin and even though some feel it has lost its charm or it's become a hipster designer market Secondhand clothing from different decades antique furniture and bric-a-brac are some of the best bargains you can get Mauerpark is way more than just a flea market: it’s multiple parties and a food market with treats from all over the world Plus you'll see street buskers showcasing their talents and the largest outdoor karaoke in the world No matter if it's raining, snowing or even storming, the flea market in Arena is the ideal place to find a good bargain for something you didn’t know you wanted With a chaotic atmosphere and labyrinthine routes this gigantic 32291 sq ft (3000 sq m) hall is one of the largest flea markets in Berlin and the only place known for offering everything and anything Visitors will find antique and new furniture Expect to see locals searching for things they need (but can’t find anywhere else) as prices are fair and vendors are also willing to negotiate The 8 best day trips in Berlin The hippest district in Berlin deserves the hippest market in town Located next to the beautiful Maybachufer canal the Nowkoelln flea market has got a reputation for being a good place to hang out whether or not you are planning to buy something Expect to find a large variety of products as well as great prices with a good chance for bargaining as young Berliners come here to sell the things they don’t need anymore Price hunting isn’t the only fun thing to do it’s normal to grab a beer while wandering around sit next to the canal to take a rest or simply grab a bite to eat in one of the many food stalls or restaurants around – all of this while listening to some of the street buskers playing their guitars and singing Note: this market is open only on the first and third Sunday of the month and only between April and December Situated in the heart of Berlin and surrounded by some of the city’s main attractions the antique and book market at Bodemuseum has been open every Saturday and Sunday since 1992 most traditional markets in the city and popular for its large selection of books from all over Europe While books and antiques gave the market its name one or two vendors selling fake Soviet memorabilia This market is rarely frequented by locals because it’s located in one of the most touristy areas of Berlin and prices tend to be way above average its picturesque location and atmosphere make it one of the most beautiful places to stroll around on a weekend The 14 best things to do in Berlin Primarily known as the place John F. Kennedy once said “Ich bin ein Berliner”, the town hall of Schöneberg hosts what Berliners call “one of the last original flea markets in Berlin” This isn’t the place to find hip posters or trendy necklaces Most of the vendors are locals from the neighborhood looking for a bargain Expect to see dozens of stalls filled with all kinds of items – providing the perfect opportunity to train your bargain-hunting eye Come early if you really want to find treasure among the old furniture antique photographs and secondhand clothing You might also like: Getting around BerlinA guide to Berline clubs: organized hedonism How to do Berlin on a budget Potsdamer Platz ghost station (Max Gold / Futurerhythm, via YouTube) The old adage of “what you see on the surface tells only part of the story” couldn’t be more true for a city like Berlin and rapid gentrification — all in the scope of a century — the German capital is drenched to the proverbial bone in history unlike other major cities like New York or Paris that have a more conventionally beautiful exterior Berlin’s wonders are underneath the hustle and bustle of the daily grind and within the bowels of the city itself — in its century-old subway system Taking a ride on Berlin’s U-Bahn and S-Bahn is like stepping into a time machine being propelled out of 2014 and into the Cold War-era where West Berliners traveled under East Berlin socialist territory on a daily basis through “ghost stations,” known as “Geisterbahnhöfe.” Dimly-lit ghost station (photograph by Helmut Caspar) When the East German GDR government constructed the Berlin Wall on the morning of August 13 not only did it end the freedom of movement between East and West Berlin it also split Berlin’s public transit network into two Some U- and S-Bahn lines fell entirely into one half of the city or the other and other lines were divided between the two jurisdictions with trains running only to the border and then turning back three lines — today’s U6 and U8 and the Nord-Süd Tunnel on the S-Bahn — passed through a relatively short stretch of East Berlin territory in the city center. This meant that passengers actually travelled from West Berlin beneath East Berlin they were not able to leave the train until it reached West Berlin again “Potsdamer Platz S-Bahn Station: Ghost Station From 1961 to 1989
” Just imagine: You’re on your typical morning commute to work when suddenly a warning comes over the loudspeaker: “Last stop in West Berlin!” You then descend slowly into the underground of a foreign country under socialist rule where you see phantom-like armed East German guards on dimly lit platforms peeking back at you through narrow slits in bricked huts It’s no wonder these eerie stations were soon dubbed as “ghost stations” by West Berliners East German guard peeking in a metro watch station (Max Gold / Futurerhythm, via YouTube) Stairways to West Berlin stations in East Berlin were sealed (Max Gold / Futurerhythm, via YouTube) Potsdamer Platz ghost station (Max Gold / Futurerhythm, via YouTube) Although West Berlin subway maps labeled these stations “Bahnhöfe auf denen die Züge nicht halten” (“stations at which the trains do not stop”) East Berlin subway maps did not depict Western lines or ghost stations at all part of the scrupulous perfectionism of the GDR’s actions in cementing the division of the city Old East Berlin S-Bahn & U-Bahn map without the West Berlin lines (via S-Bahn-Galerie.de) Doing everything in their power to prevent the underground transport system from being used for an escape barbed-wire fences were installed to prevent any would-be escapees from running into the track bed and if someone were to break one or two barriers Emergency alarm on ghost station (Max Gold / Futurerhythm, via YouTube) and stairways were sealed with concrete slabs erasing the stations from the cityscape entirely Bricked wall blocking the tunnel from Nordbahnhof to Potsdamer Platz station (photograph by Helmut Caspar) the guards would always work in pairs and superior officers could conduct surprise inspections at any time East German guards (Max Gold / Futurerhythm, via YouTube) a high number of escape attempts were actually carried out by border guards themselves landing the would-be fugitive in a GDR prison a lucky few were successful in reaching the “promised land” of the capitalist West Because a vital part of West Berlin’s transit network lay in East Berlin territory maintenance work on the tracks and tunnels was a logistical If a Western train broke down in East Berlin territory passengers would need to wait for Eastern border police to appear and escort them out the station that played the most significant role in transporting border traffic between West Germany and the GDR was the Friedrichstraße station Not only was it the only station West Berliners could stop at in East Berlin it was the only transfer point where East and West Berliners would pass each other unseen Being transformed into a major border crossing Western passengers could walk from one platform to another without ever leaving the station or needing to show papers After passing through a convolution of tunnels and walkways designed to prevent any direct contact with GDR citizens Westerners with appropriate papers could also enter East Berlin here Naturally this wasn’t a two-way street as East Berliners were forbidden to leave GDR territory being “Gefangene im eigenen Land” (“prisoners in their own country”) After the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9 1989 the first people to enter the ghost stations discovered that they lived up to their name with the ads and signage on the walls remaining unchanged since 1961 Old advertisement in a ghost station (Max Gold / Futurerhythm, via YouTube) Jannowitzbrücke was the first ghost station to reopen to passenger traffic on November 11 Equipped with a checkpoint within the station East German customs and border control were installed to facilitate passengers heading to or coming from East Berlin As the old signs from pre-1961 were crumbling from age and missing the terminuses of post-1961 line extensions hand-drawn destination signs were hung up on the platforms Opening of Jannowitzbrücke station (photograph by Robert Roeske, via German Federal Archives) Fast forward a quarter century to present day and it’s almost impossible to fathom that these former ghost stations now pulsating with the everyday commotion of an urban metropolis once belonged to a different country altogether one where bananas and Levi jeans came in limited supply and plastic Trabi cars had a waiting period of 15 to 20 years Potsdamer Platz S-Bahn Station in 2012 (photograph by Ingolf/Flickr user) Potsdamer Platz Station in 2012 (photograph by Ricardo Ramirez Gisbert) On a typical morning commute to work in 2014 when a warning comes over the U-Bahn loudspeaker it’s “Next stop: Potsdamer Platz!” and as you descend upon the now brightly lit and busking musicians step inside the carriage belting Old inscription marking border of soviet Berlin at entrance of Stettiner Tunnel, a pedestrian tunnel closed since 1958 (2008 photograph by Beek100/Wikimedia) The Stadtmitte Berlin ghost station in 1989 (photograph by Frits Wiarda) We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Berlin’s unique districts have their own personalities and style By Victoria Pearce Few places have a story to tell like Berlin. Although it has experienced ideological and physical divisions, like the Berlin Wall, today, it is a welcoming home to newcomers from Germany and all over the world. This German city is constantly reinventing itself while learning from its past Berlin’s evolution is clear from its immense urban renewal projects and looming gentrification With so many different areas to choose from it can be difficult to decide where to live Learn more about this thriving capital city and dive into the details Spotahome takes the hassle out of househunting by doing the hard work for you and book rental properties all from the comfort of your own home Take the stress out of househunting in Berlin with Spotahome Known for its tumultuous past, the city has since transformed itself into a global hub of creativity Although it’s been over 30 years since the Berlin Wall fell you can still see the marks of division in the city’s architecture and infrastructure This divided past has led to distinct neighborhood atmospheres and varying prices across the city.  Finding housing in Berlin can be challenging, as there is a high demand for property. There are several options for your house search, including estate agents (Makler) and online portals. As in any city, it’s important to be cautious and vet advertisements carefully, particularly if you don’t speak German fluently or are contacting people online Newcomers also need to check whether their new home will provide Anmeldung. This official residence allows you to register with the German government and access many government services. Short-term rentals often cannot offer this These buildings occasionally have private or shared gardens The types of accommodation vary immensely – for example you’re more likely to find communist-era housing in the east of Berlin you’ll find single-family homes and the odd mansion you can be out in the forest with no neighbors in sight Approximately 85% of Berlin residents rent their homes, and the market value for rentals has been climbing quickly in recent years Although there is a constant stream of apartments and houses coming up for rent Newcomers should expect to dedicate significant time to seeking, visiting, and applying for housing. Rent is typically most expensive in central districts like Mitte Cheaper rents are available further from the city center Most people moving to Berlin find their rented accommodation through an estate agent or online property portal though – three months’ rent plus VAT is standard Agents usually represent properties rather than renters Ads online are sometimes listed as provisionsfreie meaning ‘without agent’s fees.’ you can find rental accommodation on the following websites: Those looking for short-term and serviced apartments can check out: though: if your name isn’t on the tenancy agreement you forfeit many of your rights as a tenant expect to fill in a lengthy application form and provide supporting evidence of your status If you’re a new arrival and don’t have all the documents available consider including a letter of recommendation from your employer and contact the rental agency to explain your situation Tenant rights are strong in Germany, but unscrupulous landlords are still out there. Your local tenant’s association (Mieterverbände) can advise and assist you if you wind up in a rental dispute There are no restrictions on expats owning property in Germany, but Berlin’s housing market can be limited. It’s often also less expensive for long-term tenants to continue renting rather than purchasing a property, as German law places strict limits on annual rent increases consider renting when you first arrive so that you can get to know the different districts you can be sure to buy property in an area where you’ll enjoy living for the long term.  and the vibe can even change from street to street Whether you intend to settle down in the city with your family or change neighborhoods each year you’re sure to find somewhere that suits you new builds and standardized services have been eroding the former division between the East and West you’ll find pleasant and exciting places to live on both sides of the old line One of the few visible remaining differences is in the ceilings An altbau (‘old building’) in former West Berlin will commonly have ceiling heights of 3.5m panel-sided buildings) can be a full meter shorter Internationals live throughout Berlin’s neighborhoods. Young professionals tend to seek central districts close to the action, but higher prices have led many to look further out. Even families find homes in various districts, largely because there are international schools across the city a pleasant leafy neighborhood in western Berlin is an exception: it has been a home-away-from-home for expat Brits since World War II and it does not get any more central in Berlin than this neighborhood It offers quick access to shopping and tourist sites like the Brandenburg Gate and Alexanderplatz It is also where you will find the German parliament.  Mitte hosts many business locations and start-up offices, making it popular for those wanting to live near where they work Several international schools are also located here although many families opt to live in other areas with more space and fewer tourists Housing costs are higher in Mitte than anywhere else in Berlin. Median rental rates run between €25.45/sqm for an older building and €36.60/sqm for new builds The largest city park in the area is the Tiergarten This leafy haven is often compared to Central Park in New York and covers over 200 hectares If you drive a car, bear in mind that parking is very limited and expensive in this area. Most commuters into Mitte rely on public transit to get around Pankow stretches from near the city center out to the northeast rental prices vary widely depending on how close or far you are from Mitte which is popular with professionals and young families thanks to its leafy streets Further out in Pankow, families become increasingly common as housing prices lower. Although Pankow stretches right to the border of Brandenburg, it offers strong transport links to get around Berlin quickly. If car ownership appeals you’ll find it easier to find parking as you move further from Berlin’s city center Pankow provides something for everyone – the Naturpark Barnim to the north offers fun outdoor activities while nightclubs and bars closer to Berlin Mitte provide great nightlife and young professionals flock to Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg for its mix of nightclubs the area remains your best bet for finding counter culture in central Berlin.  Aside from partying options, this district is also home to hundreds of coworking spaces. This makes it a popular home for digital nomads and freelancers Recreation venues include quirky cafes, art galleries, and the Berlin Wall art park Mauerpark.  This district is very centrally located and well-served by a variety of transit options and urban rail via S-bahn and U-bahn routes are the best modes of transportation between Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and other parts of Berlin Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is in the west of Berlin. This area is home to Charlottenburg Palace, surrounded by lovely baroque gardens This district also hosts numerous parks and walkable residential areas The district has been attracting English-speaking expats since the end of World War II It’s still popular with British arrivals in Berlin residents have easy transit connections via bus or urban rail Wilmersdorf is slightly further out and has fewer transport links The least well-connected part of Wilmersdorf is Grunewald Median rental prices in this area are €18.85/sqm. Although it’s more expensive than living in Mitte Located south of Mitte, Tempelhof-Schöneberg continues further south to the edge of Berlin. It’s a mix of suburban and countryside living – the district is home to the Tempelhofer Field, a former airport converted into an expansive city park You’ll find many families making their homes in this area Not only are median rents lower in Tempelhof than in other central Berlin districts but the nearby Berlin and Alexander von Humboldt International schools are an additional draw Families seeking more space and access to parking for car owners will find it as they move south away from the city center Transportation links are also available from here to neighboring Potsdam making this area popular for commuters and those wanting easy access to the cultural offerings of both cities Spandau lies on the western outskirts of Berlin This area is a favorite among those who appreciate nature and a quieter pace of life That’s not all that makes it a great choice for families – the Swiss International School is also near the border between Spandau and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf If you’re thinking about moving to Spandau it’s good to know that it’s quite a long way from the action of Berlin’s central districts Many Berliners complain that it takes ages to go from Spandau to anywhere else regional trains take less than 20 minutes to reach Berlin Hauptbahnhof from Spandau’s railway station it’s worth considering the distance you’ll need to travel from your home in Spandau to the station when judging your commute Spandau offers a range of housing, from apartments in historic buildings to detached houses in smaller villages. The median rental price here is €11.35/sqm. There are many sports and leisure areas in this district, including running and hiking trails in Spandauer Forst. If you love the outdoors and can deal with a longer commute Lichtenberg is a primarily residential district in former East Berlin This neighborhood tends to attract diverse residents once at the heart of residential East Berlin is home to many GDR-era housing estates known as Plattenbau Housing here is typically more affordable than other areas in Berlin prices decrease the further you move from Mitte especially when compared with neighboring Friedrichshain and shopping centers in this area than elsewhere in the city Commuting into central Berlin districts is straightforward via bus or urban rail The Lichtenberg train station also hosts international train routes Recreation consists of small parks and river walks, though you’ll also find one of Europe’s largest zoos, the Tierpark. Neukölln is a quickly gentrifying favorite for new arrivals looking for the next up-and-coming neighborhood The areas closest to Tempelhof and Kreuzberg tend to be the most modern while areas further south are grittier and less expensive Neukölln used to be the place to find cheaper rent in central Berlin but these days you’ll find young professionals living here along with starving artists The whole district is well served by buses and urban rail making it quick and easy to get around Berlin from Neukölln.  The district is also home to a large Turkish and Arabic-speaking community who have inspired and set up many of the restaurants and supermarkets in the area Reinickendorf is a large district north of Mitte that offers a little of everything It’s home to several international businesses – large global companies like Bosch and MAN have offices here However, there’s also something for nature lovers in Reinickendorf, as it’s almost a third forest or water. The district is home to the second largest lake in Berlin, and the Dicke Marie oak, the city’s oldest tree Some dense housing estates offer apartments and many homes have driveways or on-street parking included this also means traffic can cause headaches at peak times If you’d rather avoid the bottlenecks which connect Reinickendorf with the rest of Berlin This district is the largest by area in Berlin which appears at first glance to be mostly forest It’s a great place to live if you want to enjoy natural surroundings while still living in a city but more distant sections can involve an hour’s commute or longer to Mitte Those considering Treptow-Köpenick who want more urban vibrancy should check out the areas adjacent to Kreuzberg and Neukölln While still within easy reach of Berlin’s central districts Steglitz-Zehlendorf offers homes nestled among lakes and forests appreciate Steglitz-Zehlendorf for its many international schools The BBIS Berlin Brandenburg International School is just outside the Zehlendorf boundaries and detached houses are all available in Steglitz-Zehlendorf housing prices run slightly lower than in other upscale family areas like Charlottenburg.  Commuters can easily connect from here to central Berlin districts or neighboring Potsdam Marzahn-Hellersdorf is in the far east of Berlin This district retains a significant proportion of communist-era housing blocks Berlin’s boundaries give way to farmland and forests and many houses have on-street or driveway parking and regional rail lines to the rest of Berlin and beyond Berlin is generally a safe city to live in, but it does have more reported crime (in German) than any other region in Germany This is likely due to it being the country’s largest city The highest crime rates (in German) are in: However, this does not necessarily mean that these areas are to be avoided – Mitte, in particular, has a higher population density and more tourists than other districts. Meanwhile, Alexanderplatz is extremely popular with visitors, yet it has a reputation for crime and racial profiling by police Victoria is an American writer (and mom) living in the UK she focuses on local content for employment law and business culture articles They stare into their phones or out the window The bus driver drives like a bat out of hell and the people on bus 410 are jostled about The passengers wear QR-codes hanging from their necks or transparent sleeves holding documents with closely written notes They are coming from some agency in the city an office where they were trying to get an appointment Some are carrying large bags and have hope in their eyes The bus heads onto the highway for a stretch and the TV tower is briefly visible watching over this inhospitable plain like the Eye of Sauron tent halls are lined up in military fashion heading from Jungfernheide station to the "Arrival Center Ukraine” at Berlin’s now shuttered Tegel Airport We are in front of what used to be Terminal C covered in welcome messages written in all the world languages – along with a couple of pictograms of landing planes and entry signs for the "Federal Republic of Germany.” Refugees out in front of the tents in Tegel Overhead view of Tegel showing the white refugee tents Children playing with the former air traffic control tower in the background When the Russian invasion drove hundreds of thousands of people out of Ukraine to Germany It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement in tents and in parts of the terminals a place where people could rest for a couple of days do the necessary paperwork and then continue on their way to other parts of Germany or to real lodgings elsewhere in Berlin We spoke with more than 80 people who live in Tegel or who work or have worked there Many of them requested not be quoted by name in this story while others didn’t want to be quoted at all They fear potential repercussions and say there have been threats We have analyzed numerous documents and records children and men are housed at the former airport the majority of whom are war refugees from Ukraine but there are also people from Afghanistan There are many children with their mothers in addition to plenty of elderly and people with health problems the number of residents will increase to 8,000 The Berlin State Office for Refugee Affairs (LAF) is responsible for providing shelter The Office has transferred camp operations to the German Red Cross (DRK) has passed some tasks along to other aid organizations like the Malteser and the Johanniter Responsibility for security and operating the tents went to Messe Berlin the state-owned company whose primary focus is that of organizing trade fairs Many places in Germany are currently complaining about the excessive demands and high costs of caring for refugees But a camp for 5,000 people that costs almost half a billion euros per year is unique - even in Germany lived at Tegel from October 2023 to January 2024 When we drove into the camp at Tegel one evening I wasn’t completely wrong: The guards constantly checked our beds They didn’t care if we were already asleep they would just beat them until the security service showed up The 2024 budget has earmarked 216 million euros just for the Red Cross and its helpers alone with the plan calling for a capacity of 7,000 refugees the security costs and 90 million euros for the rent and operation of the 45 tents Tents that don’t even belong to the state – for which rent was paid in 2023 as well That’s 200 euros for each square meter of tent-space per month And the ground on which the tents stand also costs extra That is the equivalent of 180 to 250 euros per refugee per day every man and every woman in Tegel could be accommodated in a nice hotel with full board – including breakfast in bed and a laundry service Elvira and her little son Radjic live in tent F1 on the former runway Elvira and Radjic share their sleeping compartment with twelve others with only a partition separating the compartments Elvira is from Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine fled to central Ukraine before then to Germany We talk between the bunkbeds and a shelf that is overflowing with toothbrushes and washcloths food and cups and plastic boxes filled with cookies and gummy bears and shampoo and mosquito spray and toys and glass marbles and photos of loved ones who are at the front or already dead next to and inside each other on this narrow shelf the medallion of a deceased father next to a box of tampons We are standing because there is nowhere to sit – one behind the other because there isn’t enough room for two people to stand next to each other in the narrow walkway They are hearing Elvira’s story for the first time and Elvira hears John’s story for the first time They look at each other shyly and a bit amazed How can they have lived next to each other for several months in these cramped quarters and never learned anything about each other John says it’s kind of an unspoken agreement at least mentally if there is no physical space He has been in Tegel for the last year and a half together with his Ukrainian girlfriend He studied medicine in Ukraine and intends to apply for specialist training in January His girlfriend doesn’t want to be photographed She was a teacher in the central Ukrainian town of Vinnytsia and she doesn’t want her former pupils to see how she is now living She says there are currently 16 toilets for 700 people Many of the showers are broken and many sinks are closed off and there is excrement in the toilets she hangs up a sheet in front of her bed for a modicum of privacy when changing her underwear She knows that it is against the rules due to fire regulations They actually found an apartment in Berlin was too small for two people.” She sounds desperate was voted as Ukraine’s most livable city seven times in a row Streetcars from Switzerland drive through the city and you can pay with your phone wherever you go Vinnytsia was heavily damaged by airstrikes I still don’t understand how we ended up in this place Somebody goes to the bathroom and wakes up everyone else The mothers try to have bread or gummy bears in the tents to keep the children quiet so they don’t wake up the others But the security guards often take the food away When the fire alarm goes off – which can happen twice or three times a week says John – and everyone has to evacuate in the middle of the night the children scream and can’t go back to sleep afterwards Some spend their nights sitting outside the tents smoking sitting on makeshift chairs and thinking about other places and other times – before then trying to sleep during the day You are only allowed to leave the tent on the right of the entry women and children who don’t know each other are all thrown together Infants have to sleep in their mother’s bed cribs are not allowed because of space constraints beef soup is on the lunch menu in the food tent with pasta and tomato sauce on tap in the evening Plates and cutlery are plastic and end up in the garbage after meals and the tent is strangely empty at mealtime a family is eating a cold meal that they brought themselves out of Tupperware containers we were on the banks of the Berlin-Spandau Ship Canal a small caravan from the refugee camp comes here every day to cook who we are supposed to call the Mitsvas – mother father and three children – has come to prepare a meal of potatoes Mitsva has brought along everything they need including oil and peeled potatoes that she bought in the supermarket She has put up a small barrier to ward off the wind and stirs in the pan as her children play among the garbage and glass The Mizwa family cooking on the banks of the canal The Mizwa family on the banks of the canal A dog in one of the sleeping compartments at Tegel The children get ill from the food in the camp The father smiles at us and remains silent His wife says: "Because we have to hide our gas cooker We aren’t allowed to bring it into the camp.” Later she will pack up the meal she cooked so that they can eat back in the camp even though there is a lot that needs to be done are immediately eligible for social welfare And the job centers are responsible for them You have to wait for appointments that are required to get other appointments which themselves are important prerequisites for other important appointments To get a residency permit and a work permit refugees must make their way to the Immigration Office You have to wait several months for an appointment at the job center That’s why all of them initially end up at one of the welfare offices somewhere in the city What office is responsible for who depends on month of birth lived from October 2023 to June 2024 in Tegel I saw the pitch-black smoke in front of the refugee camp When I fled Kharkiv from the daily bombings I only took the most important things: birth certificate Almost everything was destroyed by the fire I don’t know what traumatized me more: the time I spent at Tegel or the Russian war in Ukraine.” Arseniy Solovyov works as an interpreter for Russian and Ukrainian at Tegel but has not found a suitable job in the field "Some welfare offices don’t give out any money at all sometimes,” Solovyov says The office in the Berlin district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg which is responsible for those born in July The officials there first demand details of the route taken to Berlin based on passport stamps they want proof of income and pay slips for the entire household bank statements for the last several months which hardly any of them brought along when they fled Ukraine They want proof of appointments at the immigration office and they want to see residence permits that the immigration office hasn’t yet issued They want things from the people that they can’t provide.” He asked that we use a pseudonym out of fear of reprisals He talks about one refugee in Tegel who did all he could to find a job and finally was hired to deliver mail in Potsdam where he has been working for the last nine months But he has been unable to move out of Tegel because he was assigned to live in Berlin And because his job is in the state of Brandenburg he needs the immigration office in Berlin and the immigration office in Brandenburg to approve his move climbs down from his bed while trying not to wake up the entire tent He keeps asking me how such a thing is possible Tempelhof city councilor Matthias Steuckardt who is responsible for the social welfare office responds to the DER SPIEGEL enquiry with a big sigh "Services in our welfare office are distributed according to legal criteria.” However the agencies in Berlin have suffered from "digital gridlock” for years There are processing backlogs in the social welfare office Employees are overwhelmed and expertise has been lost through departures Gelya Rolnik is a translator and integration coach she studied international relations in Kazakhstan and theater studies in Vienna She has worked elsewhere for the last months but she still can’t talk about Tegel without crying When she started working as a translator for the Malteser in April 2023 a resident would ask me to translate a letter from the job center or the health insurance company And then the shift leader would tell me that I wasn’t allowed to translate anything The next shift leader would then ask me to help with the translations "Up to 15 employees would sit around in a tent all day Hardly any of them had been trained to work with refugees We weren’t allowed to give out information Essentially the shift leaders forbid us to help the refugees.” worked as a translator in Tegel from April to December They wanted to know how the kindergartens worked It hurt because I wasn’t allowed to really help them So I secretly translated their letters from the authorities "there was a woman who stared at the wall every night She said the woman was reciting prayers and threatening to kill them all She just continued standing around and talking to the wall.” The German Red Cross rejects the accusation that mentally ill people receive no help In cases where they represent a danger to themselves or others they were cared for intensively from professionals on site Many of the employees disapprove of what goes on in Tegel Their contracts are limited and there is a "climate of fear,” she says Martina Schmidt worked in a managerial role at Tegel for several months following the center’s opening in spring 2022 She has plenty of experience in humanitarian aid Doctors Without Borders and the World Health Organization hardly anyone from the senior management level those who were responsible for managing the arrival center on behalf of the Red Cross had any experience at all with sheltering refugees "They were mostly people who had been kept on from the test center and they were frequently people from the Berlin club scene from the event industry and concert management,” says Schmidt Martina Schmidt also asked that we not use her real name She says she has nothing against career changes but some of those working in Tegel "had very little awareness of the fundamentals of humanitarian work processes and priorities.” There was little expertise when dealing with the refugees little awareness of minimum hygiene standards and shortcomings in fire safety but even they didn’t have the necessary qualifications EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier The refugee center at Tegel has "quickly become a model facility,” reads the yearbook of the Red Cross in Berlin sometimes have to wait for quite some time before the facility is shown to them Those interested must first register for an appointment with the visit then being planned by the State Office for Refugee Affairs DER SPIEGEL was given an official tour of the Arrival Center Interviews for reporting purposes are not desired It’s something we learn when we see an elderly woman through the gap in a curtain She is 88 and comes from a suburb of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv "Where you lived is where you should die,” she says in a hushed voice are insensitive and the woman could be retraumatized "We’re all friends here and we laugh a lot.” The photographer sees Sascha Langenbach rushing up and gesturing to the guard that to remain silent He had 'explained to him that he is not allowed to talk to the press.’ We slowly begin to understand what the one employee meant when she spoke of a "climate of fear.” There are a lot of leisure activities at Tegel you might think you were on a club vacation hip-hop – and even fat burning courses for those trying to watch their weight We want to see some of these activities but have trouble meeting anyone A prefab structure that has been repurposed as a sports tent is open Another sports hall is locked up and empty a father is trying to play badminton with his son Three attendants are sitting next to each other at a table while a security guard stands at the entrance "Thank you for allowing us to disturb you,” the spokesman says essentially a container with a couple of exercise machines An attendant in a blue vest is sitting behind a table monitoring two grown men who are doing sit-ups another is doing a puzzle and the third is sitting on a chair are looking at a mobile phone and laughing is not available to children under the age of five without a parent accompanying them There are no spots for regular schooling for many of the children in Tegel The "welcome school” at the site was just recently augmented but according to the Berlin city-state education authorities some 175 children at Tegel aren’t currently attending school In the container that is presented as the "library,” there are three visitors and one attendant Two men are sleeping and another is typing on his smartphone nobody is doing any handicrafts and none of the sports courses are running A few people are playing basketball outside Perhaps the people here simply aren’t interested in hip-hop or circus classes The language café isn’t in operation at the moment either We meet in the entrance area of Terminal C and first scare away a few pigeons One employee says that they have tried almost everything But even if they managed to chase some away The idea of building an aviary some distance away where the birds would be lured with food and concentrated They feared that the word would spread among the pigeon population that they were living in luxury and would could trigger a so-called "pull effect.” Loud music booms through the "leisure tent” D3 Maybe 50 people have turned up for karaoke almost all of them are sitting on chairs at the edge The woman in charge is happy to provide information She says that she has a degree in political science and has traveled a lot It’s usually like it is on this evening: People are sitting on chairs Then Ukrainian music comes on and two girls dance A young man from Afghanistan is now dancing in the middle of the floor He is wearing a traditional jubah along with shower sandals His name is Elkhan Zirar and is from the province of Laghman having just arrived from a country under Taliban control he hasn’t heard loud music for a long time jumps and beams and seems to be unable to believe his luck and then back inside to grab a few of their belongings Flames shoot several meters into the air out of the sleeping partitions An old man drags his suitcase in the wrong direction A security guard is standing outside with a fire extinguisher in his hands Have you seen any children?” Somebody apparently has time to film One tent was completely destroyed by the fire Residents lost what little they had left: their birth certificates passports and perhaps that one stuffed animal that still smelled just a little bit like home the cause has still not been completely determined Security personnel in yellow vests are everywhere They stand in front of the entrances and exits they are at the karaoke and in front of the fitness container They make sure that the refugees enter to the right and exit to the left and they check the QR codes of the refugees who security staff refer to as "guests.” The QR codes function both as entry passes and a way of exerting control to get clothes from the coop and when entering and leaving the tents that means that supervisors know where everybody is at all times Those who are away from the camp for more than three days without permission lose their beds There are a lot of complaints about the security staff at Tegel that they don’t seek to deescalate in cases of conflict and make things worse instead That they storm into the tents at night for bed checks That they insult people and take part in fights female residents complained in an open letter that they were constantly being harassed were frequently searched by security guards They said their underwear was examined when they came out of the shower and that there was no safe space for them to go an incident was recorded in which security guards joined residents in attacking and injuring Kurds or at least that which is considered as such Fully 85 million euros have been earmarked for the purpose for 2024 each dancing Afghan is being watched at a cost of 1,500 euros per month an additional 46 million euros has been approved the company contracted the job out to the company Teamflex Solutions And Teamflex also passed along much of the contract to other subcontractors During a check at the Arrival Center late last year German customs officials found 190 employees who were working for up to 40 different subcontractors Eighty-seven proceedings were initiated and 55 people were sent home immediately due to a lack of qualifications and background checks neither Messe Berlin nor Teamflex was interested in sharing how much they earned from the lucrative contract which reported annual profits of around 500,000 euros in the years up to 2020 quadrupled its return on sales in 2022 and boosted its profit more than 10-fold with lower personnel expenses Most of the company’s 326 employees likely didn’t benefit much from the windfall the average personnel expenses per capita listed in the annual report can fairly be described as rather precarious Yet a quick calculation would seem to indicate that each of the 546 security guards who according to the State Office for Refugee Affairs are employed at Tegel cost 155,000 euros per year Why the Office elected to contract Messe Berlin for security services – instead of hiring security companies themselves as usual: The office left that question unanswered recently moved into a container in the Tempelhof district of Berlin "When I arrived at Tegel with my two sons in February 2023 I thought: this is a place where homeless are crammed together we shared a room with a woman who had tuberculosis My son was beat up by a resident addicted to drugs I kept thinking: We escaped from the horrors in Ukraine only to end up in another hell.” the State Office for Refugee Affairs tends not to say much at all when asked about anything having to do with money for the Arrival Center Who gets how much for what is something that the public can be found in the annual reports of the companies involved has done extremely well as one of the primary contractors at Tegel revenues in 2023 were almost 10 million euros higher than in the reference year of 2019 with return on sales almost doubling and planned revenues exceeded by more than 80 percent "Revenues from the accommodation and care of refugees at Tegel Airport had a positive effect,” the report notes Many people understood that after the war in Ukraine started in 2022 the contracts for operating the refugee center were awarded to the Berlin Red Cross without a call for tenders and the Red Cross and other aid organizations are experienced in providing emergency assistance The State Office for Refugee Affairs has since revealed that "market research” had since shown that no other operators could be found for Tegel And because the companies and persons involved seem so familiar was the Senator for Social Affairs of the State of Berlin until 2016 and thus the senior official in charge of the Office of Refugee Affairs The same office that is currently distributing such immense sums of money – to the Berlin Red Cross which has passed along contracts to the subsidiary of Gegenbauer/Apleona Mario Czaja worked in senior management at Gegenbauer for many years who was head of Messe Berlin until the end of 2020 now manages the affairs of the Gegenbauer family’s holding company Operators of other refugee hostels in Berlin receive a fraction of the money and can afford only a fraction of the personnel They have to house men and women separately and families together The staff must meet high qualification requirements and the costs must be calculated precisely month by month the operators of other refugee facilities in Berlin do not want to speak on the record The Berlin State Office for Refugee Affairs will likely be their main client in the future We meet Kleopatra Tümmler in front of the hairdressing container energetic woman with short white-blond hair and shaved temples She has already managed the vaccination center for the Red Cross It is often said that she comes from the Berlin party scene she explains as we walk up the stairs to her office container at the back of Terminal C She says she managed tours and guided the career of Tokio Hotel for the first 10 years "I wouldn't say that about myself.” When asked why she didn’t return to the entertainment industry once the coronavirus pandemic came to an end she says: "Because this is a task that is so much fun and extremely fulfilling such that I don’t feel the urge at the moment the music industry still doesn’t really work.” Red Cross manager Kleopatra Tümmler (left) together with an employee and the press spokesman Sascha Langenbach She says she finds it a wonderful challenge "to create a working atmosphere with such different people that is so positive and which makes it possible to express criticism without having to fear punishment,” she says But isn’t there massive public criticism of the accommodation the working atmosphere and of the management "Every now and then there is rather unspecific criticism voiced against my person,” Tümmler says "I'm not aware of being accused of specific things.’ She finds it regrettable that the criticism hasn’t been more specific "Because I also need to have the opportunity to learn from it and improve There is plenty of criticism of operations,” she admits But first and foremost: We are not responsible for any bureaucracy.” The Red Cross Berlin is responsible for managing the accommodations bothers to look around to see who in Tegel is responsible for what "You have probably noticed that staff members are extremely reserved when talking to the press.” Many people have experienced their words being twisted anyone who wants to can talk with the press.” We don’t tell her that we were almost kicked out for trying to speak with an elderly woman and that a security guard is supposed be fired for speaking with us instructions for employees are circulating in Tegel telling them how to turn people away Are employees forbidden from providing assistance to the refugees "We don’t look at every briefing for staff members,” says Tümmler isn’t a place to go for psychological help that’s what the counseling centers are for "You can imagine what would happen if a staff member were to fill out a form incorrectly and the person wouldn’t receive any assistance or the wrong assistance as a result.” "Clowns were wandering through the cafeteria and there they were walking through the empty hall strumming their guitars.” Solovyov says that he sometimes doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry Tegel is a temporary solution that no one really wants The goal should be to downsize Tegel and close it in the medium term the Berlin city-state senator responsible for the social welfare portfolio and a member of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) Tegel has become an symbol of the German refugee system Everybody acts as if providing care for refugees is a constant unexpected temporary emergency They are housed in provisional accommodations paid for out of supplementary budgets people have no healthcare and their children do not go to school Unfathomable sums of money are distributed and people are hired off the street to keep the makeshift arrangements from completely derailing And yet: Taking in and providing care for refugees has long since become a long-term task for the entire country other accommodations would have to be opened up: in military barracks Berlin introduced late last year a "coordinator for refugee affairs.” He is an old acquaintance and a well-deserving man of the city: former fire chief Albrecht Broemme who coordinated the establishment of Berlin’s vaccination centers during the pandemic would be tightly integrated into the Berlin city-state government Broemme’s name can be found nowhere in the Berlin government’s organizational chart He has no official email address or website or a landline in the city administration The "coordinator for refugee affairs” in the city-state of Berlin is a retired public servant and receives an expense allowance for his services You can’t even really say that the Berlin city-state government is looking the other way It’s worse than that: They pay close attention They know the living conditions at the Arrival Center Ukraine at Tegel Another half a billion euros are earmarked for the facility in the 2025 budget BERLIN taz | Franz Schulz ist ein Bürgermeister Am Mittwoch aber scheint sein Blick noch etwas ernster Der Grünen-Politiker und Bezirksbürgermeister von Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg steht vor dem Haus Liebigstraße 14 dass jetzt ein Dominoeffekt eintritt." Ein Effekt der die alternative Wohnstruktur im Bezirk wegbrechen lässt Jahrelang hatten sich die 25 Bewohner dagegen vor Gericht gewehrt Die Eigentümer waren zu keinen Gesprächen bereit Im November 2009 wurde den zumeist jungen Bewohnern Anfang Januar 2011 erreichte sie der Räumungsbescheid Seit Wochen mobilisierte die autonome Szene - mit Erfolg: Hunderte auch aus anderen Städten und Nachbarländern Und um noch einmal den eigentlich seit Jahren erledigten Widerstand der Berliner Hausbesetzerszene aufleben zu lassen Schon in den frühen Morgenstunden muss die Polizei Sympathisanten vorm Haus vertreiben Zuvor hatten bis in die Nacht die Bewohner ihr Haus noch verbarrikadiert steht sie vor einem großen Sperrmüllhaufen Wasser läuft die Stufen hinab - das Treppenhaus ist blockiert Mehr als vier Stunden brauchen die Beamten um am Mittag über einen Mauerdurchbruch im Dach bis in die dritte Etage vorzudringen Unterdessen ziehen Schwarzgekleidete in Kleingruppen durch die Nachbarschaft und zetteln "dezentrale Aktionen" an So schnell sich die Akteure zusammenfinden unter anderem wegen Landfriedensbruchs und Körperverletzung und acht verletzte Beamte meldet die Polizei bis zum frühen Abend Ein Polizist musste im Krankenhaus behandelt werden Bei einer Spontandemonstration auf der Frankfurter Allee mit rund 500 Teilnehmern wurden Flaschen und Steine in Richtung von Polizeibeamten geworfen Die Polizei habe zeitweise rund 1.000 Demonstranten beobachtet Doch es sind nicht wie einst die großen Straßenschlachten dazu kommt die Verbarrikadierung des Hauses als viele Politiker der Hausbewegung noch zugetraut hätten Mehr als 200 Häuser waren nach 1990 in Berlin besetzt Erfolgreiche Neubesetzungen hat es seit Jahren nicht gegeben In der Innenstadt schwinde der Platz für Freiräume hatten die Liebig-Bewohner immer wieder öffentlich kritisiert Sie sind mit dieser Einschätzung nicht allein Längst ist Gentrifizierung für viele Berliner kein Fremdwort mehr Die Forderung nach sozialverträglichen Mieten werde ein Hauptthema vor und nach der Wahl zum Berliner Abgeordnetenhaus im Herbst Den einst besetzten Alternativhäusern aber zeigt die Politik die kalte Schulter Für die Liebig 14 gibt es am Mittwoch keine Solidaritätsnote der rot-roten Regierung Auch die an die Macht strebende Landesspitze der Grünen fordert die Bewohner auf In Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg sieht man das anders Außer Bezirksbürgermeister Schulz fährt von den Grünen/Bündnis 90 auch Bundestagsabgeordnete Hans-Christian Ströbele mit dem Fahrrad vor Aus vielen einst besetzten Häusern sei heute "etwas Vorzeigbares" geworden Wir verlieren immer mehr alternative Flecken." Ein Autonomer mit schwarzer Kapuze drückt das später kaum anders aus: Immer mehr linke Freiräume gingen heute verloren Eigens aus Leipzig sei er mit vier Bekannten angereist Auch in der Nachbarschaft regt sich offen Unmut "Eine Niederlage für alle" sei der heutige Tag Mit Brötchenbeutel stehen sie vor der Polizeikette "Die Linken waren immer nett und freundlich" Ein 70-Jähriger beugt sich in einer Nebenstraße aus dem Fenster Später parkt er sicherheitshalber seinen Skoda um Auch die Kitas haben vorsorglich geschlossen Zumindest äußerlich steht die Nachbarschaft hinter den Alternativen Und die Bäckersfrau schmeißt Polizisten aus dem Laden Heftige Ausschreitungen erwartet die Polizei jedoch erst für den Abend wenn sich die vielen in einer "Wut"-Demonstration zusammenfinden sollen Eine Demonstration am Samstag hat so krawallig geendet wie seit Jahren nicht mehr Noch ein paar Tage lang dürfte es nachts Ärger geben Etwas weiter nördlich dominieren bereits rote Townhouses mit grünen Gärten Dem aktuellen Berliner Sozialbericht nach gibt es hier die geringste Arbeitslosigkeit der Stadt Bürgermeister Schulz findet das nicht schlecht Doch es müsse auch Platz für Alternatives geben Bis zum Nachmittag bleibt er und stellt sich als Vermittler zur Verfügung "falls sich doch noch ein Ersatzhaus findet" Immerhin hätten viele am Mittwoch ihren Unmut gezeigt Sie können nur als eingeloggter taz-User kommentieren. Sie haben noch keinen taz-Account? Registrieren Sie sich hier Informationen zu allgemeinen Moderationskriterien sind in unserer Netiquette zusammengefasst Beim Lesen der Kommentare ist mir wieder mal klar geworden dass es in Internetforen offensichtlich unmöglich ist Schon geht es schon wieder um brennende Autos sollten sich alle auch an die eigene Nase fassen Ich befürworte absolut nicht das Abfackeln eines Porsches als Zeichen des Protests und sehe auch kein Statement darin und doch ist das vor allem Ausdruck von Wut die sich durch unzählige fruchtlose Dialoge mit der Stadt aufgestaut hat und sich in der Maßlosigkeit eines völlig größenwahnsinnigen Polizeieinsatzes entläd Entgegen einiger Meinungen hier wurde nämlich bis zum Schluss geredet wieviel Energie die Bewohner und ihre Sympathisanten in den Erhalt des Hauses gesteckt haben ihr Spießer ;P ...Ich wette in umghekehrter Situation wären die Hassposter unter euch doch nur zu gerne bereit dem linken Buchladen einen Pflasterstein zu verpassen oder dem VW mit linksorientierten Aufklebern den Gar aus zu machen Am armseeligsten finde ich die Blindheit von uns allen die es uns offensichtlich unmöglich macht zu erkennen das hier schon seit Jahren die Bürger gegeneinander aufgehetzt werden Der Arbeitslose wird zum Müßiggänger degradiert in diesem Land leben 80 Millionen Menschen die konsumierende Monokultur hat längst den ersten Rang eingenommen und trotzdem sieht sich selbst Lieschen Müller außer Standes den Arbeitsfrust statt im wachen Augenmerk auf die umliegenden Mikrokosmen in den zichtausend zur Verfügung gestellten Sportangeboten zu enladen das eine lebenige Kultur eben nur aus vielen verschiedenen nebeneinander koexistierenden Lebensentwürfen gedeihen und sich entwickeln kann Gleiches werfe ich mitunter auch der Linken vor während man aus den Trümmern irgendwie erstrebenswerter zukunft gerissen wird Und am Ende des Tages will der Hausbesetzer so wie der Porschefahrer auch nur ins kuschlige vorgewärmte Bett Über die globalen Auswirkungen unseres Handelns können wir erst reden wenn Dialoge endlich auch VOR und nicht erst NACH den ersten Steinewürfen zu Stande kommen In ihrem närrischen Kommentar ist bereits die Antwort auf die Frage weshalb es keine Lichterketten gibt enthalten Die Zerstörung eines kompletten Scheibensortimentes eines alteingesessenen Glasers ist ntürlich legitim und dem Milieuschutz zuträglich Einem Motorradfahrer 3 mal in einer Nacht das Bike auf die Straßenbahnschienen zu werfen ist natürlich eine Anti-Gentrifizierungsmaßnahme Das Abfackeln eines Papiercontainers zwischen lauter geparkten Golfs Corsas und Puntos (also Bonzenkarren von Handwerkern Kleinladenbetreibern und Arbeitslosen) weckt selbstverständlich die Sympathie der Friedrichshainer Bewohner die Zerstörung von Bushäuschen bringt Ihnen den Rückhalt der alten Omis und Opis die jetzt frei von der Bevormundung des Schwienesystems sind Bei den unzähligen Demos gegen Gentrifizierung und für Milieuschutz die im letzten Jahr hier durch 10247 gezogen sind und auch die Sympathien vieler Anwohner wecken konnten haben gerade einmal 150 Leute pro Demo - wenn's denn mal hoch kommt Den anderen "legitimen Aktionskünstlern der Nacht" waren diese Demos wohl zu früh Berlin zu weit weg oder der Suff-Kater noch nicht abgeklungen Erst bei ner schönen Randale werden sie munter Das sagt Ihnen ein hier geborener und seit 30 Jahren in Friedrichshain ansässiger Justav der immer eine gewisse Sympathie für die alternative Szene hatte Randalierer mit 8.-Klassenabschluß und selbsternannte Revolutionsführer habe mich nicht verständlich genug ausgedrückt und noch einmal nachgedacht es hat lange Zeit die Möglichkeit bestanden einen Mietvertrag auszuhandeln und mit den Hausbesetzern abzuschließen Geht jedenfalls aus den bisherigen Nachrichten und taz-Berichten/Recherchen hervor weil über die Bedingungen keine Einigkeit erzielt werden konnte Wie im Kleinen so auch im Großen - siehe Verhandlungen bspw der Berliner Bausenat oder Sozialsenat oder Jugendsenat hätte sich einmischen können hätte ein sehr preiswertes Ersatz-WohnMietobjekt direkt im Kiez anbieten können daß ein Zivilstreit ist und nicht im öffentlichen Interesse es geht aber doch um öffentliches Unteresse nämlich um "Gentrifizierung" in der Stadt Berlin Hat auch der Bürgermeister Schulz von Kreuzber-Friedrichshain gesagt Selbst der Berliner Mieterverein und die Berliner Mietergemeinschaft e hat dieses "G-Wort" schon seit langem thematisiert und vor den Folgen und Auswirkungen gewarnt Jetzt noch zum besseren Verständnis von befremdlichen Lebensläufen und Lebensweisen in der Gesellschaft demokratische und vor allem eine offene sowie s o z i a l e Gesellschaft verkraften kann damit es nicht zu Gewaltszenen auf beiden Seiten kommen muß die das Recht (Mietrecht und Eigentumsrecht) außer Kraft setzt: 2.500 Polizisten mit einem Gerichtsvollzieher Pfefferspray = staatliche Gewalt und demgegenüber Hausbesetzer mit aufgedrehten Wasserleitungen Pflastersteinen (!) und anderen bösartigen Wurfgeschossen Weißrußland zum Einsatz gekommen sind oder sich ein Amokläufer in den gesamten Tumult eingemischt hat die ganz bewußt sich für das Leben auf der Straße aus den verschiedensten Gründen entschieden haben sogenannte "Aussteiger der anderen Art" = Landstreicher oder auch Clochards (o.s.ä.) genannt total armselig mit ihrem Hab und Gut in einem überfüllten Einkaufswagen von einem Supermarkt aus - stinken und riechen oftmals fürchterlich Oft sammeln diese Leute alle weggeworfenen Pfandflaschen in Plastiktüten und stellen sich dann mit Sack und Pack an den Pfandgeldautomaten an bis ich mit meinen 3 Seltersflaschen dran komme und meinen Pfandbon ziehen kann auf diesen rumzutrampeln oder gar zu töten sich nicht wunschgemäß einordnen und unterordnen wollen Weil sie bei den Menschen betteln und bei den Sozialämtern Das überlasse ich bequem von der Couch aus den Ordnungsämtern in der Hoffnung daß diese sich darum kümmern oder den Kirchen und anderen Souialinitiativen und vor allem stets menschenwürdig behandelt und nicht menschenverächtlich Ich argumentiere jetzt auch aus dem bequemen PC-Sessel heraus und tippe weit ab vom eigentlichen Geschehen auf Behörden in Amtsstuben und weit ab von den Gefangenensammelstellen der Polizeireviere Noch ein Fall zum besseren Verständnis: In Ihrer Nachbarschaft lebt ein alter Mann oder eine alte Frau weil ich wie Sie solche Kontakt lieber meide Bin egoistisch und keine Samariterin wie Mutter Theresa die oft sogar "Messis" sind und ihre Wohnungen regelrecht zumüllen wenn sie eines Tages tot in der Wohnung liegen weil der letzte Schluck Alkohol ein Schluck zu viel war oder eine heimliche Droge oder Herzversagen akut ausbrechende Diabetes oder sonst ein Leiden wenn sie bestialisch stinken und schon verwesen Diese Menschen haben aus Eigensinn ein völlig anderes Leben mitten in dieser Gesellschaft gewählt und können auch sehr aggressiv und unerträglich gewalttätig werden aus sehr gemeinen Rachegefühlen gegenüber der glitzernden und relativ wohlhabenden Gesellschaft im direkten Umfeld Welch perverses Demokratie-/Rechtsverständnis muss man haben das in der Innenstadt der Platz für Freiräume verschwindet es waren 2500 Polizisten erforderlich um das Recht der Eigentümer an ihrem eigenen Haus zu wieder herzustellen wenn man sein Haus oder Büro besetzen würde Wenn man "Kommentare" wie den von "Fhainer" liest braucht man sich doch im Umkehrschluss nicht wundern warum eben KEINE Lichterketten veranstaltet werden um auf Probleme aufmerksam zu machen denn: WEN bitteschön interessieren Lichterketten Die Rechtliche Lage ist klar: Es geht um Eigentum Zumal die Käufer( vorstandsmidglieder des Kinderschutzbundes Unna) genau gewusst haben was sie da kaufen die in Fhain wohnen und sich anonym im Internet aufregen sind doch nicht wegen dem Flohmarkt dorthin gezogen die Häuser besetzt haben um die sich Subkulturen entwickeln machten die Bezirke doch erst spannend und attraktiv Das legitimiert auch letzte Nacht stattgefundene Aktionen dass mal über eine Art Milieuschutz nachgedacht wird der älteste Club Berlins musste schliessen weil es den Damen und Herren in ihren Eigentumswohnungen im Neubau nebenan zu laut war In Stuttgart is es doch so schön ruhig und Ihr seid unter Euch..macht doch da hin Sozialverhalten lernt man nämlich vor allem in Gruppen erst recht in den Kitas des "präkatiats"; und klar Dein SLK hat Vollkasko wie alle anderen abgebrannten Bonzenkarren auch "Wer sind denn die Eigentümer?" Kommen Sie doch mal raus aus Ihrer Ecke und stellen Sie sich der öffentlichen Diskussion - in einer elegeant aufgebauten Talkshow mit Podium direkt am Mietbrennpunkt und direkt am Sozialbrennpunkt in der Stadt Und nicht nur zu Weihnachten für die deutschen skeptischen und zweifelnden Soldaten in Afhanistan Meine ergänzende Frage: Tragen diese Eigentümer tatsächlich etwas zum "Wohl der Allgemeinheit" mit ihren Eigentumsrechten bei laß doch diese Leute bei Dir selbst zelebrieren ......!" (sinngemäß wiedergegeben) Diese Leute würden mich ganz sicher nicht akzeptieren habe ich doch klar und deutlich geschrieben Dieser Spruch in meine Richtung ist genauso fehl am Platze in der Diskussion wie "Geh doch rüber eigensinnigen Hausbesetzern noch mit dem Innensenator Körting noch mit dem Vorsitzenden der GdP Witthaut und auch nicht mit einigen Journalistinnen und Journalisten von "RBB-Abendschau" sowie "RBB-aktuell" Die "Tagesthemen" haben da schon weitaus differenzierter berichtet Die Sicherheitsdenke von Herrn Ehrhart Körting kann ich verstehen Habe ihm auch im Deutschlandfunk Köln zugehört und mich erschreckt Ich solidarisiere mich allenfalls mit dem hoffentlich bald beginnenden politischem Streben beim Eigentumsrecht und beim Mietrecht wieder eine akzeptable Balance herzustellen Diese beiden Rechte stehen einander gegenüber - und die Eigentumspflicht und die Mietpflicht natürlich auch die friedlich ihr befremdlich andersartiges Leben leben wollen in einer freiheitlich-demokratischen Bundesrepublik Deutschland möglich sein die die Freiheit von anderen beängstigend einschränkt sondern meiner Meinung nach um F r e i r a u m Und sei es in einem Bauwohnwagen oder in einer sonstigen Bruchbude Habe ich mich nun verständlicher ausgedrückt Ich werde es in diesem Leben nicht mehr verstehen ihnen die Autos und die Scheiben einschmeißt und dann auch noch der Unwissenheit Vielleicht wäre ein Stichwort Unfähigkeit zur kritischen Selbstreflexion Daß dieses System ein mörderisches und selbstmörderisches ist wissen mit Sicherheit auch viele von denen die wie ALLE anderen eben auch ihre Beschränkungen haben Abwehr und Verachtung für die Selbstverwirklichungsprojekt wie Liebig14 allerdings schon Wer andere immer gleich als Idioten wahrnimmt eigentlich dringend notwendigen Gemeinsamkeit Im Urteil über andere urteile ich über mich!!!!!! warum sollen wir alle uns von einzelnen instrumentalisieren lassen die nur die eigenen interessen im sinn haben und nicht die der gemeinschaft da läuft was falsch bei solchen sogenannten "linken" alte häuser gibt es teilweise zum nulltarif zeigt doch einmal courage und übernehmt verantwortung statt dessen lauft ihr feige weg und versteckt euch hinter propaganda seid doch mal vorbild für eure "bessere" heile welt deine wertvollen Erkenntnissen zur Anatomie anderer Kommentatoren zeigen ganz deutlich auf welchem Niveau sich die Szene befindet Nachdem offensichtlich der freischaltende Redakteur darin zumindest nichts beleidigendes fand und ihn auch noch veroeffentlichte scheint er auf vergleichbarem Nivaeu zu stehen So gesehen waren die Ausgaben fuer den Polizeieinsatz gut angelegtes Geld Das denke ich mir in letzter Zeit auch viel zu oft Oo Anstatt wirklich halbwegs gedankenvolle Kommentare gepostet werden wie Eigentum an Wohnungen und Häusern in diesem Land verteilt ist Über die Begrenzung des Eigentums zur eigenen Nutzung sei es privat oder auch als (Klein)Gewerbe geben die Geschehnisse um die Liebigstraße 14 erneut Anlass Hausbesetzer haben etwas mit VHS-Recordern und Röhren-TV-Geräten geminsam: Sie sind überholt Der Ursprung von Hausbesetzungen war es doch mal leerstehenden Altbauten in Eigenleistung wieder bewohnbar zu machen und dann eben meist ohne Genhmigung durch den Eigentümer zu wohnen Diesen Leerstand gibt es aber so nicht mehr In angesagten Stadtteilen wird heute auch noch die letzte Bruchbude saniert modernisiert und dann Makler Posth auf Vox an reiche C-Promis vermietet (das ist symbolisch gemeint Auf Vox jammern dann die potentiellen neuen Bewohner über mangelnde fahrstühle zum 4 Stock und fehlende sanitäreinrichtungen aus Baujahr 2012 London oder gar in Tokio kosten die m² einer Wohnung deutlich mehr als den Landesdurchschnitt von 100% (wie in Berlin) der kann sogar noch deutlich günstiger wohnen aber selbst im Bezirk Tiergarten gibt es noch Wohnraum für 5 Euro kalt Ich freue mich jedes Jahr auf die Maidemos weil es danach in Kreuzberg immer sehr spannend war wie schnell man Pflastersteine auch am Feiertag wieder im Bürgersteig unterbrachte Aber auch das war schon im letzten Jahr eher eine müde Erinnerung an früher wir werden alle älter und es wird neue Themen und Demos geben warum geht in Deutschland niemand auf die Straße um gegen die schwrz-gelbe Regierung zu demonstrieren ein bißchen mehr Ägypten könnte uns nichts schaden Unter dem Deckmantel "alternativen Lebens" Stumpfsinn der Zivilversager wird nichts anderes angestrebt als Provokation Und da ihr noch nie etwas Finanzielles zum Gelingen des Gemeinwesens Deutschland beigetragen habt auch noch für Eure unsägliche Realitätsverweigerung bezahlen Mein Wunsch: Alle Räumungsgegner als Gesamtschuldner für die leider notwendige Polizeiaktion ansehen und die horrenden Kosten z durch unbezahlte soziale Dienste abarbeiten lassen und die Gemeinschaft hätte von Euren Projekten auch mal was ausser Kosten und Ärger Allen anderen Verweigerern schreibe ich ins Stammbuch dass es für das Gelingen eines Staates für alle verbindliche Regeln arbeiten zum Hungerlohn für ihren Porsche fahrenden Chef kommen ausgebrannt nach Hause und lassen sich dann von ihren Fernseher besäuseln bis sie schlafen gehen Irgendwa...nn wachen sie alt und grau auf und merken arbeiten zu gehen um zu konsumieren und den anderen zu gefallen egal ob den Anderen oder was man sich selbst gekauft hat für uns arbeiten Kinder in Entwicklungsländern Ziehen wir von einem Land ins nächste in den Krieg und assimilieren die Einwohner fremder Länder einer von uns zu werden um noch mehr für unseren Konsum produzieren zu können Habt Ihr ach so Gebildete denn überhaupt kein Gewissen Was in Herrgottsnamen ist daran verkehrt sein Leben authentisch zu leben Was ist daran verkehrt ein Bild auf sein Haus zu malen wenn man kein Bock auf unifarbenen Einheitsbrei hat das Leben zu geniessen so wie man es möchte die dieses beschissene menschenverachtende System für uns dumme Sklavenbürger aus rein opportunistischen Gründen organisieren weggeschafft werden - an den Stadtrand oder besser noch ins Gefängnis Nachher möchten das womöglich noch mehr und das ganze System würde daran zugrunde gehen dass die Steuern Eures Hungerlohns dafür benutzt werden für solche Zwecke ausgegeben werden anstatt für Rüstungstransfers Endlagerungen für Atommüll und den Industrien in den Rachen geworfen werden die uns von morgens bis abends mit Botschaften zumüllen In einem freien Land sollte jeder die Möglichkeit haben dass Ihr nicht jeden Tag die Möglichkeit habt Dass Ihr nicht die Möglichkeit habt einfach mal Dass Eure Freizeit nur aus abgebranntem Feierabend besteht viele die sich so ein "freies" Leben ausgesucht haben sind mittlerweile verbittert dass ständig gegen sie argumentiert und gekämpft wird Viele davon sind dazu übergegangen sich zu wehren die noch überhaupt keine Ahnung haben von der Beschissenheit der Dinge aus Sensationsgeilheit dabei die ursprünglich die Aufgabe hatten eine gewisse Ordnung aufrecht zu erhalten Heutzutage dienen sie nur mehr als Instrument politischer Ziele Sie bekommen Druck von ihren Vorgesetzten und werden von vielen für ihre Arbeit gehasst wie hier alle Seiten unüberlegt mit Menschenleben umgehen Scheiss auf das Geld für den Polizeieinsatz heute Und das ist mit keinem Geld der Welt zu bezahlen Es ist nur legitim endlich mal die Wahrheit auszusprechen Aber meist sind wir ja schon durch die Flimmerkiste und durch unserer Gier nach Konsum so verblödet dass wir gar nicht mehr in der Lage sind die Wahrheit zu kapieren Und wenn doch mal jemand auch nur die leiseste Ahnung davon bekommt wie Politik und Soziologie wirklich funktionieren weil sie glauben nichts ändern zu können und laufen zum Psychater der sie schön wieder mit der kleinen weissen Pille in die richtigen Bahnen lenken soll Wieso gibt es heutzutage nur noch so wenige sie geniessen allesamt meine vollste Solidarität dass dir die Protestaktionen "tierisch auf den Sack" gehen du sollst auf keinen Fall mit uns sympathisieren mir) aufs äußerste dafür zur Kasse gebeten werden Schließlich müssen solche ABMs für die Beamten doch irgendwie finanziert werden wenn jetzt die Miethaie nicht mehr ihre horrenden Gewinne einfahren könnten dass auf diesem Wege der Steuerzahler die korrupten Geschäfte rücksichtsloser Investoren mitfinanziert ob er nicht slebst mit in das Geschäft einsteigt und 3-4 Investitionsobjekte erwirbt Werden hier Leute bezahlt um dumme Kommentare zu schreiben oder muss ich mir Sorgen machen welche Zielgruppe die TAZ liest dass die "antisozialen spinner" dafür bezaheln müssen Wenn sie schon dabei sind können sie auch gleich die kommenden 2 Jahre Leerstand bezahlen Und die Benzinkosten für alle braven Bürger_innen die auf dem Weg zur Arbeit einen Umweg fahren mussten wenn mit meinen Steuergeldern etwas das gegen das Wohl der Menschen gerichtet ist bezahlt würde ich hoffe jeder von den hausbesetzern wird zur kasse gebeten damit der steuerzahler nicht wiede5 für andee bezahlen muß Nicht traurig sein - also ich such mir jetzt auch ein Haus. Traurig Traurig und wieder geht ein stück desses was Berlin einst Ausgemacht hat verloren :-( Ich selber habe als junges Mädchen in Besetzten Häusern gelebt Pfarrstraße Kinzigstr Samariterstr selbst die Eastside Gallery nannte ich mal einen Platz zum wohlfühlen Es ist schade mit anzusehen wie Berlin im lufe der jahre im Hauptstadtboom und wahn immer mehr seinen Charme verliert die kleinen Alternativen ecken und plätze Freiräume gehen verloren weil es ja nicht in das Gesicht einer Hochmodernen Hauptstadt passt Alles was nicht passt wird verdrengt und versteckt Friedrichshain einst ein Arbeiterbezirk das zuhause der einfachen Leute gemütlich und heimelig davon ist nicht viel geblieben Die vielen Bestzten Häuser welche es einst in Berlin gab was ist von ihnen und der mit ihnen Entstanden Subkultur passiert die die sich nicht komerziallisieren lassen wollten wurden verdrängt Wieder ist ein stück Berlin verloren gegangen Es gäbe locker Wege für die alternative Szene Aber die alternative Szene ist leider nur "links" Berlin-Friedrichshain: mittendrin statt nur dabei: Vor einer halben Stunde wurden von vermummten Linksextremisten die Scheiben der Sparkasse Liebe schwarzgekleidete Mittelstandssprösslinge Nostalgiekommunisten und gescheiterten Existenzen des gefrusteten linksextremistischen Randes: Mir geht euer aus Dummheit und Langeweile resultierender Krawall- und Eventtourismus tierisch auf den Sack Warum könnt ihr nicht einfach mal eine friedliche Demonstration mit haltbaren Argumenten führen Warum müsst ihr eure „Argumente“ immer mit Steinen untermauern oder werft ihr diese etwa nur aus einem Vorwand heraus Ihr stellt euch damit lediglich selbst ein verdammtes Armutszeugnis aus und drückt euch mit dieser Form des „politischen Protestes“ unweigerlich den Stempel eines engstirnigen und verblendeten Meinungsfaschisten auf die eigene Stirn und vor allem gesellt ihr euch mit eurem dämlichen Verhalten soweit an den linken Rand dass ihr (ohne es zu merken) schon wieder am rechten Rand ankommt Ihr könnt einem echt Leid tun - mit eurem gestörten Verhältnis zu euch selbst dass ihr euch in eurem parasitären Nichtstun zwar am meisten über diese Gesellschaft und ihre angeblich ausbeuterischen Strukturen echauffieren könnt jedoch gleichzeitig aufgrund eures blinden Vandalismus und Zerstörungswahn am Meisten von selbiger alimentiert werden müsst Wie soll ich mit euch auch nur ansatzweise sympathisieren Also mir bereitet dieses asoziale Getue von wegen "jetzt machen wir die Räumung richtig teuer" nicht Dann wird halt fürs Prekariat eine Kita weniger in der Stadt gebaut Bei diesen Massen-Kindersammelstellen kommts doch ehh nicht drauf an ob 200 oder 250 Kinder untergebracht werden müssen Meine Kinder jedenfalls kommen nicht in diese Staatskitas @Gerda: Lass die jungen Menschen doch ihr alternatives Leben bei dir zelebrieren hast doch bestimmt noch ein bisschen Platz warum du es dann vom Eigentümer des Hauses verlangst Eines ist durch die Raeumung der Liebigstr.14 wenigstens deutlich geworden Dieser massive Einsatz der Polizei hat mehr gekostet Die Durchsetzung des Eigentumsprinzips ist wichtiger als das Menschen ein Dach ueber dem Kopf haben Ausserdem wurde anhand der Behandlung auch dieses Themas dass gerade auch Menschen welche sich die steigenden Mieten und Nebenkosten nicht mehr leisten koennen sich eines nicht leisten wollen: Protest oder gar Widerstand Rentenversicherung und Mobilitaetskosten ganz zu schweigen) Die Abhaengigkeit von den Interessen der Eigentuemer dieser Welt erzeugt keine Kritik der bestehenden politischen die Bitte um "Beschaeftigung" zu Loehnen von denen Millionen kein Leben planen koennen muss man sich die Sachen welche man selbst gerade produziert hat kaufen Ein fuer die Eigentuemer der Fabriken und Wohnungen praktischer und lohnender Kreislauf Gerade weil diesen Menschen eben nichts gehoert der Vermehrung des Eigentums -anderer- dienen verwechseln Sie nicht ihr Hab und Gut (Auto Kleidung usw.) mit der Sorte von PRODUKTIVEM Eigentum von dem HIER die Rede ist Linke wollen stattdessen die Besitzverhaeltnisse veraendern was das gesellschaftliche Prinzip des Eigentums in Frage stellt Diese geistige Haltung und Praxis von "Linken" ist der schlechte Grund des Hasses von "Rechts" und Anlass der Verfolgung durch die buergerlichen Die gern und immer wieder kritisch beschriebenen oekonomischen Verhaeltnisse sind ein Erpressungsmittel Jeder -muss- fuer die Befoerderung des Geschaeftszweckes der Eigentuemer diese "Herren" um Arbeit bitten Dieses oekonomische Gewaltverhaeltnis wird als Angebot wahrgenommen je hoeher die "Arbeitslosigkeit" desto lauter wird das Rufen nach Indienstnahme der eigentumslosen Kalkulationsgrunglage dieser Gesellschaft Die Welt -gehoert- eben der Minderheit der Eigentuemer muss zu den Bedingungen der "Arbeitgeber" seine Arbeitskraft verkaufen Jeder Angriff auf oder eine Kritik an diesem "System" erscheint der -bewirtschafteten- Mehrheit der Bevoelkerung deshalb als Schaedigung ihrer Lebensgrundlage Daher ist Links immer extrem und unbeliebt Die von "Rechts" vorgetragenen Hassbezeugungen sind nur die Verlaengerung der demokratischen Massnahmen (siehe Polizeieinsatz) buergerliche Welt mit der Herstellung von Recht und Ordnung begnuegt (das Eigentumsrecht ERZEUGT schon die noetige Unterwuerfigkeit) wuenscht sich die Rechte weitergehende Massnahmen gegen die linken Gesellschaftskritiker kann man mit Arbeits- und Mietvertraegen Gewalt ausueben der darf sich nicht nur der Beobachtung durch staatliche Organe sicher sein dass sie so genannten Saubermännern und Sauberfrauen weiter rechts von der SPD offensichtlich in nichts nachsteht Die SPD hat eigentlich keine Arbeiterschaft mehr in ihren Reihen Die Hanseln von Bürgerlichen haben längst den Kontakt zur Basis verloren Und so wird denn auch in der SPD vorgegangen dass die SPD den Kotau vor Immobilien-'Besitzern' wohin sich die SPD gewandt hat: Die SPD verteidigt die Besitzenden und nicht (mehr) die Besitzlosen ich persönlich würde nicht in einem besetzten Haus leben wollen dafür bin ich zu konservativ und zu "kleinbürgerlich" oder auch zu "bildungsbürgerlich" eingestellt Fände ich nach meinem Geschmack nicht gemütlich Erstens Christian Ströbele kommt wohl reichlich spät in die Szene und wohl auch nur neugierig er ist als Anwalt Strafrechtler und kein Anwalt für Mietrecht Als Berliner Bundestagsabgeordneter hätte er jedoch genug und reichlich Kontakte um auch mal Hausbesetzern mit Rat und Tat zur Seite zu stehen Die Berliner Wohnungspolitik hatte viele Jahre Zeit zum politischen Handeln daß sie aber stattdessen kräftig jahrelang weggeguckt hat bis zum "Finale" der Auseinandersetzung eine "Finale" das voll in öffentliche Gewalt mündete und sich präsentierte sowohl Staatsgewalt und Demonstrantengewalt Wie ist denn dieses Verhalten zu beurteilen das zu dieser gewaltsamen Eskalation geführt hat die den Kopf wieder einmal für verfehlte Politik hinhalten muß und 8 Polizisten wurden bei dem Einsatz verletzt Und dann die vielen Festnahmen von Demonstrierenden Die Gefangenensammelstellen müssen dadurch überquellen Drittens die Berliner Erfahrungen mit Gewalt in Häusern um Häuser und in den Straßenschluchten sind scheinbar nicht lehrreich für die Kontrahenten die Konfliktparteien oder wie sich alle nennen gewesen Die Strategien für "Präventationsmaßnahmen" *) und "De-Eskaltionsmaßnahmen" scheinen friedlich in den Schubladen zu schlummern oder sind wieder mal in Vergessenheit geraten Viertens muß es in einem Rechtsstaat und einem Sozialstaat wie sich die Bundesrepublik Deutschland in der Verfassung viele Bürgerinnen und Bürger irgendwie befremdende Lebensweisen von jungen Leuten anerkannt und respektiert werden Die Nachbarschaft hatte jahrelang keine Klagen gegen die Hausbesetzer Dann kam jedoch ein neuer Eigentümer und scheuchte alle auf befremdende Lebensweise der jungen Hausbesetzer mit denen ich auch nicht zusammenleben will weil ich persönlich ganz andere Ansprüche habe in diesem freiheitlich-demokratischen Staat frei verantwortlich und unabhängig von "bürgerlichem" Getue und Gehabe nach ihren eigenen Bedürfnissen und ihren gewiß andersartigen Ansprüchen zu leben Wo bleibt für solche Situationen denn der Minderheitenschutz und der Beistand für solche Minderheiten Hier vermisse ich bürgernahes politisches Handeln seitens aller Verantwortlichen und sei es gegenüber dem neuen Eigentümer und Immobilienbesitzer "Eigentum verpflichet!" Zu was denn und mit welchen gesetzlichen Mitteln die ausdrücklich nur das Vermieterrecht stützt und nicht auch das Mieterrecht *) bitte nicht gleichzusetzen mit "präventativer Kriegsführung" wie im Irak-Krieg