Soviet Union and the allied forces control Germany after actualization of the Nazi Regime. There were a lot of problems in the county and a good chance for the squatters scene to develop. West Berlin itself became especially popular with squatting among many other things including the artistic brand for which Berlin is world famous for. And after the free world east block collapsed in 1989 funny enough the squatting scene that existed in the west had moved to east and became even bigger than before. To be more precise one had so many new rooms to open and with these rooms more and more people wanted to find this very dream of an alterative life. Kreuzberg was the most squatted district by far and up to some extent today as well.
I came to Berlin at the beginning of winter in 2012, and this was my first winter in Europe. A long dark winter which eclipsed many others. At this New Year’s Eve I went out to the Kreuzberg area with some friends to Cuvry free space where we launched some fire works and drunk cheap beer. I wondered at the appearance of the slight low-built collective that had begun to sprout in the empty area at the side of the bank of the Spree river. The only improvements that were around were two teepee’s, a couple of wooden shacks and a tent which was situated in an open field, these people lived in these conditions with no electricity and no water supply or sanitation and the best of it was no authorities were preventing this. Berlin it seemed was a city that was free.
MY EXPERIENCE IN A SQUAT
I first began attending Cuvry Squat in June 2013 where I spent warm summer evening sitting by the river, having picnic with friends during the weekend and celebrating with the squatters during the weekdays. This was summer time and everyone had all the reasons to have a summer feel. I had the opportunity to meet a few people from Cuvry and was offered to come and occupy a tent on the equal free space. At this time only about 30 people were officially occupying the space and I couldn’t help but wonder where all the people were coming from? Some of the residents were homeless, some were travelers looking for a place to pitch their tent, many were poor folks who had little money and low patience for the very basic, some were taking their chance on squat life. I was of the later and among the few residents who had a job. I slowly grew fond of living a squatting life and a life where even if you have to work you don’t have to slave for rent and other related bills; in fact you can work and enjoy life. For what remained of the summer days the conviction grew stronger that I could live here so long as nobody was attempting to turn me out I had all a man could desire. I offered to help in the construction works and three months after arriving I switched from my tent to my shack where I was living for the next fifteen months.D’day begun with a fire in one of the houses before the police arrived and locked everybody out of their houses. It had grown to about 150 residents and had gotten to a point where squatting was impossible because all the houses in loco were occupied. Thus, with the other 3 squats closed over the winter period, the population increased and a few social problems emerged. Cuvry unfolded into the dislike of many of the neighbors and the owners had permission to start constructing in early 2015.
My days of squatting were for a time done and Berlin is slowly running out of places where people can still live for free. But it was this that I discovered my interest in such lifestyles and now understand the need for squats, and artistic, creative places. If the society is really free and fair, then free sidewalks or some space should be provided for such lifestyles rather than have people chased out of the city. The squatting scene is creating much of the culture owing to Berlin and without the capability to squat or dwell low-cost the populace who builds the trend are compelled out and regrettably, the culture is too. Like anything concerned, every scene or town has the peak and the low and the squatting scene in Berlin is at the lowest it has ever been. Gentrification is everywhere and it’s getting to the point where people that do not want to live the modern egocentric capitalist lifestyle are affected.
With regard to Kreuzberg it is a district without malls it is about independent business and utterance of family businesses rather than giants. Kreuzberg, in particular, is a district in which people have defined the way it exists, first and foremost, by protests and demonstrations to preserve the culture. It is a great pity that gentrification is going on for this reason because it is the only district that is almost devoid of interational corporations and famous brands. Yes the scenes that are forced out will pop up as the next place but once Kreuzberg has been sold off, there is no reversing this interesting lifestyle.
One real problem regarding the future of Kreuzberg is the rise in rent means those who created this scene are removed for being economically excluded, and the new inhabitants of these spaces don’t necessarily share this vision even if they are drawn to the cultural offerings of the area. We have to ensure the existence of the artistic brand and subculture by way of affordable living and provide an unhampered artistic freedom.
If Kreuzberg loses its culture it is simply an ugly neighborhood.