Kunsthaus Tacheles
Squatted houses are a Berlin institution and have been so ever since the Wall fell in ‘89, at which point thousands of East Berliners fled the East, leaving masses of buildings empty. Many of these were filled by eccentric West Berliners looking for a cheap (read: “free”) place to live. Hence the advent of the Berlin squat.
What is miraculous is that many Berlin squats exist to this day, housing artists, pensioners, ex-pats and everyone in between. What is even more miraculous is how well organized some of these squats are, many of them requiring those interested in becoming residents to go through a formal application process. Residents are then required to take part in the organization of on-site money-making endeavors, the profits from which go towards maintaining the building. These endeavors range from galleries to cinemas, cafés to concerts.
Here a list of the main squats in Berlin, where they are, and what they do:
Kunsthaus Tacheles
Oranienburgerstrasse 54-56a, 10117 Berlin
The Kunsthaus Tacheles is by far the most well-known squat in Berlin, due mainly to its central location in Oranienburgerstrasse and monstrous size, as well as to the fact that it has something for everyone: art galleries, outdoor and indoor bars, a café, a cinema, and graffiti galore.
Kunsthaus means “Arthouse” in German and Tacheles means “to disclose” or “to reveal” in Yiddish. The building originally acted as the entrance to a shopping mall built in 1907 in what was at that time a Jewish quarter of Berlin. During World War II, parts of the building were used as administrative offices by the Nazi Party. Post-1948, the building was used by the East Berlin government as a storage place. After the Wall fell, it was taken over by a group of artists and has been the Kunsthaus Tacheles ever since.
Supamolli
Jessner Strasse 41, 10247 Berlin
Supamolli is one of the oldest and largest squats in Berlin. You can’t go there to eat anymore, but you can always grab a drink at the bar. Additionally, Supamolli hosts concerts, parties and other events. For dates and times, check out their website.
Zielona Gora
Grünbergerstr. 73, 10245 Berlin
Tel: +49(0)302922471
This squat has no website, but you can call to find out what exactly is going on. Generally, a VoKü (standing for “Volksküche,” meaning roughly “community kitchen) brunch is hosted on Saturdays at noon, and a dinner on Sundays at 7. Note: all food served is vegetarian!
Sama Café
Samariterstrasse 32, 10247 Berlin
You can catch a flick in the Sama Cinema on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:30, or just stop in for a VoKü (see above) dinner at the Sama Café any day, Monday-Friday at 10 PM.
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