BERLIN H

EUTE Royal Academ

y of Art The Hague April 2012

BERLIN HEUTE

an encounter between history and the contemporary zeitgeist

one week,43 photographers,one magazine.royal academy of art

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In the past twenty years, since the fall of the Wall, Berlin has trans-formed itself into the most important place for film, music, fashion and art within Europe. A city with its history still visible; constantly changing and full of paradoxes.A versatile place like Berlin provides a great opportunity to explore both yourself and a rapidly developing modern environment. Berlin exists in the “now” so any prejudice that has been formed is dropped once you are there.

Berlin Heute is a magazine about this city showing the work of 43 pho-tography students made in three days after six months of preparation. The goal was to be able to handle ourselves as photographers in a city we were not familiar with, and to create a photographic project in only three days. Theory transformed into practice, individual challenges to overcome, and most importantly, stories to be created. A learning pro-cess of investigating and producing that usually takes months in artschool was sped up into just a couple of days.

After our trip to Berlin the same group of students started working on a magazine in a paper with the help of Vincent van Baar and as well as a digital version with the help of Pawel Pokutycki . An editorial staff exist-ing of editors and artdesigners was chosen to manage the whole pro-cess, and the rest of the group got different tasks so that we could cre-ate the magazine in four days.

This magazine casts a new light on the unique city that is Berlin: a Metropolis, a place of history and a city of zeitgeist. All the projects that on their own just showed a hint of Berlin are now connected with each other which, as we strongly believe, resulted in an unique perspective on the city that will be recognizable for some and surprising for others.

We proudly present you this magazine with the intention of giving you an insight into our perception of Berlin.

Yours sincerely,

Rixt de Boer, Olya Oleinic, Henri Verhoef

Editor’s note

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Germany is suffering from an extremly low birth-rate, which is a large problem for one of the biggest economies in Europe. The rate keeps on falling, despite all the effort of Angela Merkel’s political agenda. So far fifteen billion Euros have been invested to increase the birth-rate. So far it has not been succesful. One of the reasons women will not have more children, is that the facilities for the working mom are very out-dated. There is one exception; in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, you can find an area with one of the highest birth-rates in Europe. Children are hip and happening in Prenzlauer Berg, and you will stumble over bugaboos and parents with babies in eco

Babyboom gefragt

carriages. The high birth-rate in this area will not compensate Germany’s national low birth-rate, therefore the phenomenon found within this area is important for Germany as a whole to adopt. There is no explanation for this high contrast of birth rates within the city. Prenzlauer Berg is an area in former East-Berlin and during the governing of the GDR, regardless of whether or not women had children, they were still commited to work. In West-Berlin women stopped working when they started a family; a reaction to the GDR government. Schools in West-Berlin were and still are, open until 1pm. Daycares are open until 4 or 5pm. A woman who wants to have a career finds it hard to combine

their forty-hour working week in an office, with a child that has to be picked up at 4pm. In Prenzlauer Berg you will find a Kindergarten on almost every corner of every street. With its high birth-rate there is not enough room in the Kindergartens to accept all the childeren. The mothers in Prenzlauer Berg are forced to stop working once their children are born. Having a husband who is willing to work part-time instead of full-time, seems like the only convienent solution. Despite this, fathers working part-time are a rare thing in Germany. Most families still prefer the out-dated system: mom staying home, taking care of the kids. PHOTOGRAPHY AND TEXT BY

STIjE vAN DER BEEK

Jetzt Deutschland!

Prenzlauer Berg hat genug

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Let yourself into the colourful world of Kjosk, a kiosk-shop/café bar in a double decker bus, that opens in the morning and closes late at night in Kreuzberg. A place where you can get a newspaper, a magazine, and chill with some coffee, cake or have a drink at night, enjoying one of the organized events. Feeling like a kid or bringing one! Then dig out some sweets or get upstairs to play some games: A bit of everything for everybody.

kjosk

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICIA IBANEZ

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Was glaubst du?

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This community whose fate has been historically intertwined with Berlin, has been restored in numbers, making Berlin one of the most popular places for Jews to call their home. How can we know so little about the Jewish community there? I found out why.Monday morning, slight breeze, I was on my way to the jewish library at the East end of Charlottenberg, close to Bahnhof Zoo. The building that matched my address didn’t look like a library, it looked like an office, but the police officer in front assured me that I had to be inside. Metal detection gates, with clear instructions that photographs are forbidden. The library was disappointingly normal and shy of people. I expected debate, young men running around with torahs. When sharing my expectations with the library director I was guided towards the big synagogue in the Oranienburgerstrasse. The centre of debate, where I had to ask for Dr. Simon, who surely would grant me access to my requirements.Filled with optimism I cycled back. The weather agreed, it became sunny. In front of the synagogue three police officers, minding their own business, and again metal detection gates in the entrance. In the lobby an old American lady was being picky about which souvenir to bring home. With great patience the man behind the counter tried to help her out. I waited, and shorty after introducing my reason behind my visit. I was sure to mention that I was sent here by the Jewish library to give my visit more weight. Dr. Simon was enjoying his holiday, and instead I was to call Dr. Chana Schutz. I rang twice before returning to the gift shop, where the good man

suggested I tried the 2nd floor, there they’d know what to do with me.The second floor was not how I expected. A long corridor with a door every two meters, some opened, many closed, and no people anywhere. I started strolling, slightly uncomfortable, though the empty hallways. I stumbled upon a glass door, where a woman gazed at me, as if I came from Mars. I approached her with my most disarming smile, which was unanswered. I built up my story like I rehearsed prior; Do you speak English?, photographer for magazine Berlin heute, Jewish community can not be skipped, exclamation mark. When I wrapped up my story she replied that I am on the wrong floor, and I should be heading to the 3rd.Coming out the lift at the top floor, two elder Russian speaking ladies were working their way through some flyers, ignoring me completely. Desperation made me steadfast and I started to open doors. Small kitchen, a loft, an empty office, a conference room, then a huge room filled with some desks. Someone telephoning at the far end, accompanied by a lady with a gentle smile. No time for doubt, I walked in and explained my story, less detailed this time, and she sent me to the 1st floor, with proper instructions; After exiting the lift, just go to the first door in front. And so I did, I knocked on the door, knocked some more, gathered my strength, tried to open it. Locked. I didn’t waste any time. Back into the lift. Back to the huge room which upon entering was deserted. Disillusioned I went down, to the lobby, and complained to the man who sent me up, ‘Perhaps now is not a good time’ he suggested; ‘come back in an hour.’

the second floor

The man at the security gates made funny comments about my return. I concluded it must be unusual to enter once an hour. I was recognised at the lobby, and without saying a word he grabbed the telephone and dialed a number. After a few minutes of conversation I was given the horn, and at the far end there was a female voice of someone who didn’t identify herself. She recommended the second floor.In the lift I questioned my sanity. I had to act, do something creative or be trapped here forever. Once more I ventured into empty hallways, making my way to the glass door. Behind it, two young men were having a disscusion with the secretary. One of them required a document, but the secretary objected on grounds of procedure. I ignored the secretary and followed the young men out of the room and asked them if they could help me out. Sure, because they were part of the Jewish youth department, and they had contacts with the Judische Oberschule. I just had to call the school, mention their names, and surely that would grant me access. Being short on time they walked out the synagogue as we exchanged contact information. I suppressed my devious smile and imagined reaping the rewards of my persistent labour. ‘Of course you can photograph our school, all you need is an erlaubnis.’ It took an English language teacher to explain me what that might be: authorization. They gave me a vaguely familiar telephone number which I was calling without answer. Researching my notes I found that the number that was given to me belonged to a synagogue in the Oranienburgerstrasse.I had come too far to give up now. It was three in the afternoon, plenty of time to make pictures. Defeat is not an option. So there I went through the metal detector gates, my smile started to feel forced. The man at the giftshop has a small shock when he saw me, as if I was the symbol of a burden. He resentfully approved my ascension to the second floor. Through the hallway, through the glass door, into the small room with the secretary. Can I please get my erlaubnis? I have to make pictures tomorrow, if not the Jewish community will be skipped another year, maybe forever. I will promise not to picture your security gates, really my intentions are good, can I get my piece of paper, please, madam, please?‘You will have to send that request by e-mail.’

Text: jacob Gesink, Art: Riebel.nl

During the Second World War, most Jewish people were deported or emigrated to Israel or other countries. It was not until the fall of the Iron curtain that Germany invited them back as ‘kontigentflüchtlinge’; Jews living in Russia were enticed to return to Germany. The largest group of them ended up in Berlin.

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I: Storage at BESTflag

II: Production with Simon Schimming

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The winds of change have blown through Berlin, altering the political climate many times over. Here the colours of power have symbolized the ideologies of many, but none are more dominant now than the European flags.

Intended as a symbol to heal the scars of the Second World War, the European flag is displayed only on official buildings such as institutions, schools and hotels, but is never found in private homes.

The stars on blue flag replaced one of the four German flags on top of the Reichstag in May 2011. This controversial decision at the height of Europe’s instability and Germany’s extended role in EU policymaking provide the context for looking behind the veil of production and the servicing of the swaying textile rectangle.

I: Production at BESTflag

II: Detlef Backhaus, driver for EU-Komission

III: “Reichstag flag”, 4,5m x 7m servicing at MACGFLAG

PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY FLORESTAN KORP

CaPItal B

Flying colors:“Berlin zeigt Flagge”

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Why we waste the food? Buying more and more, throwing away part of our shopping’s, looking for a food which should looks perfect if it is not is not eatable for us. What to do whit this problem? The best example is a Berlin City. Has few companies which cares about this problem and collect the food which is almost over expired [but still eatable] and deliver it for people who has no money for it at all.For my Berliner project I used vegetables which would be waste and throw away from one of the small shops in Berlin. I made a still life photographs to show this problem, called my story “ best before” to start discussion about what is eatable and what is not in these days?

Best before

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BLACKENINGText and photo by Tisa Senčur

Mumbai-based artist Nikhil Chopra performed the last of a series of 3 performances on the last Friday and Saturday in April.The 27 hour long performance (entitled Blackening) was based on and inspired by burying memories of a space. It was also a conclusion of his 1 year artist residency in Berlin. It took place in his studio at Grünthaler Strasse 9 in Wedding, which is a busy Turkish community. To say goodbye to people from the streets he left the studio painted with skyline of Istanbul.

Ber

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T R E N D Y T R A N S P O R TText and photo by Stije van der Beek

Not only having children is a big trend in Prenzlauer Berg, but also the way of transporting them. Apart from the huge amount of strollers, bugaboos and even the original Dutch ‘Bakfietsen’, a lot of carriages are found in this area. The young parents of Prenzlauer Berg choose to carry their children instead of pushing them around town in a bugaboo. The children are carried in a so called ‘eco carriage’ or sling. Baby Björn or any other ordinary carriage, is way too commercial for open minded, creative and biological Berlin.

J E W I S H M U S E U MText and photo by Lara van Lindenberg

This deconstructivist masterpiece was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind. It’s stark references to Judaism are a refreshing alternative to the ‘smoothing over’ of many political points of conflict regarding German-Jewish history. The combination of Libeskind’s groundbreak-ing creation and the collection which makes up the Jewish Museum results in a unique visual and spatial experience chalk full of history and symbolism.

E x P R E S S I V E B E R L I NText and photo by Gabrielle de Kok

Berlin is a diverse and modern metropo-lolis. Many buildings used during WWII have been repurposed. Surprisingly, a lot of these buildings are now havens for artists and youth. In a nation where people used to be discouraged to act and think freely, these places are now encouraging that exact behaviour. Still, there is a visible part of history saved in or around the buildings, just to remind us of former oppressive times.

U N E x P E C T E D N I G H T L I F E Text by Anouk van Kalmthout

Dr. Pong is a shaggy little bar in the heart of Prenzlauerberg, reminiscent of a teenager’s basement, complete with poor lighting and graffiti on the walls. Surprisingly, there is a ping pong table in the middle of the main room. There is a constant circling multi-player ping-pong action around it. Paddles and ping-pong balls are provided by the owner. While the the atmosphere was lacking, the international crowd and relaxed vibe at Dr. Pong make it an enjoyable place.

H O L O C A U S T M E M O R I A LText and photo by Sofie van der Sman

Because of it’s heavy history, Berlin has multiple memorials. I expected to find tourists standing still, wondering and commemorating history.Walking through the Holocaust-Mahnmal I was overwhelmed by the 2,711 concrete blocks. What struck me the most were that tourists were not wandering through the massive monument. They didn’t meditate on the meaning of the monument but instead enjoyed the weather and played games like hide and seek in the middle of the monument. The tourists did know what it was all about but didn’t have the heavy weight of the history on their shoulders. They simply enjoyed the city that Berlin is right now instead of dwelling on the past.

K O L L W I T Z PLATZText by Stije van der BeekPhoto by Ellen Daniels

Kollwitz Platz is a little sqaure, located in the popular area Prenzlauer Berg. The platz is named after the artist Käthe Kollwitz who was an important artist during the interbellum. The platz is a place where the inhabitants of Prenzlaur Berg come together. It is surrounded by small shops and cafes. In the middle of the sqaure you will find a small park with several oppotunities for children to play. Kollwitz Platz is surrounded by trees and like the rest Berlin it contains a lot of green. A diverse mix of people can be found there. Young people with or without children, students and the elderly who have been living in Prenzlauer Berg for decades. If you are visiting Berlin on Thursday, you should go to Kollwitz Platz. Extended with a bio market full of ecological food and hand made things, the expercience and atmosphere of the area is truly unique to Berlin.

S T I E F E L K O M B I N A TText by Eline van Strien

Berlin is known for it’s surplus of vintage shops. On Eberswalder Strasse there is a store which stood out among all the rest. Located in the lively neighbour-hood of Prenzlauer Berg, Stiefel Kombinat carries a wide range of products, from mens and womens clothing to interior design accessories. Unlike so many of the cheap second hand stores, here you pay for quality. The prices and customer service are comparable to large chain stores, however the experience is still an authentic treasure hunt. Berlin has definitely mastered the art of vintage shopping.

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Kindercafe is a hip, indoor playground geared towards children from eight-years-and under. These places are unique because parents can come and enjoy a comfortable atmosphere while their children play freely in a clean, safe and age appropriate playground. No smoking and beers in these cafes. Parents don’t have to worry about their kids being pushed around by bigger kids and can enjoy their coffee and other no-alcoholic beverages. Forgot your baby food? No problem, all cafes have enough in storage. Most of the cafes are small and have a clear view, so you can always watch your child. When you visit a kindercafe for the first time it is clear that the Germans are good in organisation. The cafe looks like a living room, except that it is always clean and

When you take a trip to the neighbourhoods of Berlin you will notice that having children is a popular thing; especially in the Prenzlauer Berg area. Many strollers dominate the landscape. As always, commercial companies react on these kinds of phenomena. Baby photographers, playgrounds, childcare, flea markets and the most special ones are the child cafés. In German “Kindercafes”. PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY HANS BRACKE

kindercafes

organized, with chairs, pillows and toys. When something has been moved, the bar employee is ready to put it back on the right spot. A luxuary for the mothers normally preoccupied with these tasks. Most of the visiters of these cafes are mothers with their clidren. For them it is not only a relaxing moment, it is a moment where mothers meet each other and share their experience of parenting. It looks like most fathers have no need for these sorts of experiences because they never join these conversations. It is clear that Berlin is a lot further on on the kindercafe market then other cities. So beware of the kindercafes that are coming to your city as well!

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history

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I could see peace instead of this

‘Eva Kor and her twin sister both miraculously survived Auschwitz and the infamous SS doctor Josef Mengele. Thanks to an iron will - and a strong immune system - Eva survived the disease Mengele had injected into her veins. But despite almost being murdered, Eva forgave the Nazis.

photography by anouk van kalmthout

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“I believe with every fiber of my being that every person has the human right to live with or without the pain of the past, and that is a personal choice. My ques-tion is, how many people would choose to live with pain, when they could heal from it?”

- Eva Kor

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Was weißt du?

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Take a look into the remnants of modernistic GDR architecture. During the fifties and sixties the GDR built structures that still live up to their character-istics today: monumental and futuristic. Let yourself be taken on a journey towards these clear, straight and mind-blowing buildings that still exist in Berlin today. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUC SCHOL

BaCk tO tHE FUtURE

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need light

tosee sun

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Decades went by. New meanings, joy and expression insert in modern l ife, but the history is sti l l present beneath the surface. The young generation is dealing with the burden of the past . The story underlines the struggle and aiming for acceptance.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GABRIELLE DE KOK

CLOTHING BY STIEFELKOMBINAT

MODELS jELENA , KEITH ( C O L B Y M O D E L S )

Decades went by. New meanings, joy and expression insert in modern l ife, but the history is sti l l present beneath the surface. The young generation is dealing with the burden of the past . The story underlines the struggle and aiming for acceptance.

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Sitting at the heart of Berlin, the Schloßplatz stands as a gaping wound, a reminder of the turbulent history of the city, a history that has been redrawn time and time again. It has been the home of two palaces’, of two opposing ideologies: The Schloß-Palace and the German Democratic Republic’s “Palace of the Republic”. Now plans are in motion for the rebuilding of the site’s original palace, built before Berlin was even a city.

‘The rebuilding of the Schloss is of enormous cultural importance. A Continuation of this magnificent museum island becoming a world museum of great value.’* PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY JACK MARTIN

the Berliner schloss

The magnificent 18th century Schloß-Palace originated from drawings by the Baroque sculptor and architect Andreas Schluter, as a seat of power for the Kaisers of the Prussian Empire. Following the end of the war and the separation of the city, the new GDR government of East Berlin demolished it.

The plans for the reconstruction of the Schloß-Palace include replicating three of the original outward facing façades. Italian architect Franco Stella has redesigned the remaining façade that faces out across the Spree towards the modern centre of Alexander Platz. The New façade will be integrated with the old and will follow the same geometry of the original but remain in keeping the modern side of Berlin. Sadly the Baroque interior will not be rebuilt. Although being the pinnacle of Baroque art in Northern Europe during its time, the “Humbleboldtforum foundation”, which is the organisation behind the rebuilding, decided against it. The craftsmen skilled enough to undertake such a task are too few in number, perhaps.

The new Schloß façade will represent alternate meanings, both historical and political. It represents divided opinion and a continuation with the use of

‘the decision is political, it is a statement of victory, to say to the former communists that they failed to eradicate history’.

architecture as propaganda so tied to Berlin’s modern history. To some it is an essential part of reinstating Berlin’s past and a final completion to the centre of the city. To others it is regarded as an act of cultural regression and a clear political message against the former communist regime of East Berlin, a final coving up of the GDR. The lead archaeologist in the excavations Michael Halliaris explained some of the opinions on the rebuilding, ‘The decision is political, it is a statement of victory, to say to the former communists that they failed to eradicate history’. I met Martin Kaferstein walking among the ruins. He is a professor of restoration archaeology and was leading a group of students around the site. For him the decision to rebuild the Schloß is a half-hearted one, ‘they are only replicating the outside and nothing of the original interior,’ it will be fake according to him. Herman Duquesnoy, an architect working under Franco Stella, the head architect of the project, said, ‘In my opinion you cannot have a city without a closed centre’. What is now Museum Island in the 17th century was the town Cölln, one of two towns later merging to become the city of Berlin. As the city

grew it modelled itself on the palace at its core. Today the surrounding buildings of Museum Island all bear relation to the Schloß. When Karl Friedrich Schinkel designed the grand Altes Museum and many of the surrounding buildings, he did so in accordance with the Façade of the Schloß, ‘There was a communication, a language between the architecture. Without the Schloß the city centre does not make sense’, Duquesnoy remarks. The decision was passed with overwhelming majority in the German parliament, winning between 60% and 70% of the votes. The opposition claim it is an act of cultural regression, dishonest because only a façade will be recreated, to represent a fake “replacement” to history.

*)Bernhard Walter of the Humboldtforum Foundation

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The truth lies midways

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The truth lies midways

‘So much freedom, it’s wonderful! The whole country cried for freedom’, remembered Mrs. Junghans. Fortunately, no more crying was needed that fateful day in 1989. At the 9th of November the Berlin Wall fell, but how blissful was that day?

A wonderful bright sun shines on Berlin. It seems typical for the way people enjoy life here. Not that long ago the atmosphere of this city was not as bright as it is today. You can ask the older Berliners who experienced life in the Eastern side of Berlin; during the time this city was divided in two. During that period the concept of freedom was not as common as it is now. Some former Eastern Berliners reflect on that period:

text: Jason Keizer photography: Amber Toorop

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Remarkably, those old enough to experience the Eastern side of life in Berlin, are not bitter about that period of their life. ‘We don’t have many bad memories about the DDR. Surprisingly, we’ve never had problems with friends or family, although we did hear some horrible stories about some family issues,’ Mrs. Junghans said. This pragmatic attitude is common amongst the older Berliners, who think positively and enjoy life. Of course, their attitude nowadays is strongly influenced by their experiences with the Berlin Wall. But, it is not the fact that they now have more freedom that makes them cheerful. What is important to them is that Berlin is united again. The separation from family and friends used to cause them grieve, ‘We can celebrate Christmas together these days, that’s what makes me happy,’ said Mrs. Becker, when asked about the positive thinking that prevails in Berlin.

Ruth Becker lived next to the Berlin Wall for the entire period it stood. ‘It all started during the night of 13 August, 1961. At first, the Russians placed barbed wire on the border between East and West Berlin. Soon after, they started to build a 45 kilometre long wall of concrete.’

Mrs. Becker and her family were witnesses of the many horrible events that took place along The Wall. Perhaps the most terrible happened while the family was not at home. Mrs. Becker described the event: ‘We came back from a trip, I can’t remember whence, but I found 200 Deutsche Mark on the kitchen table, a lot of money for that time. I found it a bit strange and asked my neighbours if they noticed something at our house while we were away. They told us soldiers invaded our house, broke the window in the kitchen and started shooting at anyone who was suspected of crossing the border. In the end, they replaced the window and left us some money.’

But again, how blissful was the day The Wall fell? Thomas Döring, an East Berliner, reflected: ‘Nowadays life brings more luxury and freedom of speech, but what about the current height of unemployment? During the DDR everyone had a job, it was required.’

In conclusion, life in the DDR had two sides to it. On the one hand, the newly gained freedom must be cherished because of experiences from the past: On the other hand, the living conditions of the Eastern side of Berlin were not as bad as you would think. After all, a lot of people who lived in East Berlin are nostalgic for it, which implies that they cannot relate to the more infamous stories.

There’s this dramatic story of Ruth Becker’s son, who died at the age of forty. Mrs. Becker blames his death on his ‘new’ life after the fall of the Berlin Wall. ‘During the DDR he had a permanent job and afterwards he didn’t. He couldn’t get used to his ‘new’ life and that resulted in a heart attack’, she says.

The truth lies midways. Currently, those who have lived in the DDR enjoy life, simply because they know what it means to be restricted. The freedom of today makes people want to express themselves. For example the Junghans family likes to spend its time on cultural trips and the streets of Berlin are covered with graffiti.

Then again, the restrictions made life in the DDR simple and offered continuity. And that is what a lot of older Berliners miss terribly these days.

‘We can celebrate

Christmas together

these days, that’s what

makes me happy’

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‘Nowadays life brings

more luxury and freedom

of speech, but what about

the current height of

unemployment? During

the DDR everyone had a

job, it was required.’

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And that is what a lot

of older Berliners miss

terribly these days.

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gallery

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Majda VidakovićEllen DaniëlsAnna Klevan

Nick van TiemThomas BoerenAxel Crettenand

Robin Butter

Kontrast

‘Berlin is a multicultural city. Only the inhabit-ants live complete ly at cross purposes.’ - Resident of Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin

Alexander Platz, Berlin’s most recently renewed square, located in the Eastern part of the city center. Each day over 300.000 people visit this junction and represent the life of the city in the 21st century. Berlin is everything except a mono-culture.

Potsdamer NOW

Potsdamer Platz has always been a place of innovation. Once being the centre of Berlin and the biggest crossway of Europe, it was one of Berlin’s showpieces.After the war, the Platz was destroyed. As the Platz divided East and West, the wall was build right through what once was Potsdamer Platz, turning it into no man’s land.When the wall fell in 1989, sixty hectare of land was suddenly available, and companies grabbed their chances to start building. Potsdamer Platz contains the full history of Berlin, but also represents the time we’re living in right now.

Repitition of waiting

Waiting for strangers, while letting time pass in a city that isn’t ones own choice of destination.

Already have gazed over the city a dozen times, could not be bothered merging in to life on streets.

Rather, staying on the place that will bring them to the next destination.

Attempting the past

Alexanderplatz is a large public square in the central Mitte district of Berlin. It was originally a cattle market, but at the start of the 20th century it became a major commercial centre filled with big department buildings. The square has been subject to redevelopment several times in its history.

Nowadays, Alexanderplatz it’s a shopping and transport hub, remaining a commercial centre. Once in a while, there is an attempt at creating authenticity before the background of the modernity. The contrasting elements of the past and the present suggest the reality of history coming back as a temporary event; a reminder of old times..

Urban development

Up and away

Berlin Hauptbahnhof - Modern, light, vast. The five-floor Central Station in the middle of the city is a beacon in modern-day Berlin. Hundreds of thousands travel through daily. Running up and down the many escalators, visiting the many shops. Buy, eat, rest, wait. The Hauptbahnhof becomes a metropole in itself, where its inhabitants become isolated in the busy mass of anonymity.

Kieze

‘Kieze’ is a typical German word, mostly used in Berlin. It translates to ‘a small community in the big city’. Berliners are really attached to their own Kieze because they value the surroundings of their homes, and mostly the social system of the neighborhood. Behind the big excitement of Berlin, there’s also the ordinary and daily life. It may be not so thrilling but it keeps the city going.

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Escape the crowd.

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metropole

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metropolis

bright neon lightpierces the dark grey shroudthe will of the gods are flashedfrom the pinnacles of dark monolithswhile in the depthsthe multitudepay homagegods view the swarmscurrying belowon the watchsearching for a tray of rebellionas neon flashes in the nightjust a reminder

- M.W. Ketchel

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rixt katharina de boer

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Sleeping BerlinPeople nowadays are in more need of rest. This work is about the contrast between the hectic and the rest in a metropolis. When these people rest, they are no longer aware of their surroundings. They isolate themselves from the crowd and take a moment to recover from the city. PHOTOGRAPHY: DORIS JONGERIUS.

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The latter becomes clear when you look at the number of places in Berlin where people can take shelter. In every district there are many shelters for young mothers with their children. There is a big monastery where a hundred people can get lunch every day. There are shelters for young people, mistreated women and in wintertime at night there is a bus driving through the city to pick up the homeless and provide them with a place to sleep.

Located at the Kuglerstrasse in Prenzlauerberg there is a meeting point of the Salvation Army; a Protestant Christian organization known for its thrift stores and charity work. You could compare the meeting point with a café and it’s open every day from 1pm to 8pm. Anyone who needs a safe place to stay during the day can stay here.

During my visit at the cafe it becomes clear how many different people come together. There are especially a lot of men and their age generally varies between thirty-five and seventy-five. Many of the visitors come here everyday and when they enter the room, you can see they feel safe.

People coming into the café are welcomed and warmly greeted by everyone inside, and they shake hands with the other visitors. After saying hello they go and sit at one of the tables to talk, play a game, read or just look around. The space is arranged as a living room; there’s a bookcase with many games and books, there are some plants, an aquarium, and on the walls are pictures and symbols, which refer to the religious beliefs of the organization.

The walk-in warm lunch is served between 1pm and 2:30pm. Dinner is served at 6pm sharp and is initiated with a prayer and concluded with a message from God, told by Siegfried, the sergeant of the Salvation Army. This is done in order tell the-generally-atheistic visitors something about religion and especially to bring some structure into their lives. Most of the people coming to the cafe have a lot of trouble functioning in society, because of drinking

or psychological problems: They are, in short, not really used to “normal” life. That’s why the Salvation Army makes it their goal to help these people functioning in society, and an important aspect they focus on is responsibility. By bringing a little bit of structure into their days and having good talks with the visitors, the Salvation Army hopes they can help improve the lives of people.

The organization is very disappointed in the decision by the government to cut their budget. This, sadly, resulted in people having to pay for their lunch (1€) and dinner (2€), which visitors often can’t afford. But the organization has faith they can fight against this problem and that it will be solved and get better soon.

Berlin. A city with millions of people; a city where many cultures come together; a city where frustrations don’t play a role; a city where everyone seems to be respected the way they are and a city where everyone is treated right, without exceptions. PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY BARBARA DE MORREE

Berlin: a home for everyone

We try to bring structure in their lives.

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12 Berlin has long been the access point to

Europe for migrants from Russia and the former Soviet Socialist Republics; Russian Jews, who could not or did not want to go to Israel, immigrants, refused visas by their chosen states all stayed in Berlin. Charlottenburg, for example, was flooded with Russians in the 20s after the 1917 revolution. tExt: guS ColvIn, yana volovICh;

PhotogRaPhy: yana volovICh

новый пролетариат

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яand have inhabited the vast soviet-era housing estates of East Berlin. Marzahn is one of these communities. But not a community of artisans and the literary classes like Charlottenburg, but a community of working class people, a community of the proletariat.These communities, built in the 1970s, are so evocative of the ones I knew as a young girl; growing up in a collective house on the furthest outskirts of Moscow (even down to the giant central heating pipes that heat whole blocks at a time) and, like Berlin, many people think of these communities as villages. Just as with traditional villages, people I grew up with that had never travelled the short distance into central Moscow. Indeed, when asking for directions to the Berlin City Centre, the reply I got from a rather confused “Marzahnian” was ‘what do you mean?

We are in the centre’. you could think of this as an indication of the geo-graphical distance between downtown Berlin and Marzahn, but I couldn’t help feeling that it was more to do with the community’s introspected view of life. a view later reiterated by Sasha, a Siberian immigrant, when he said, ‘Russians in germany don’t like germans. When they go to america they don’t like americans, I don’t think anyone will ever understand the sophisticated Russian soul’.Sasha is a gentle, charismatic fifty-something alcoholic that lives with his mother in Marzahn. he is something of a local tourist attraction and is usually the first to befriend strangers. With smart rhetorics he obsessively engages with Russian history, ‘Do you know how many times they burned Moscow? Thirteen times they burned Moscow! Thirteen times!’. Sasha is untouchable and protected, should any stranger cause offence or act in a hostile manner towards him then they will quickly find out how this community looks after their own.Spending time in Marzahn you become aware of its strange juxtaposi-

‘Being Russian is not a stamp in your

passport, it is a stamp of fate’

Russian immigrants to Berlin have, traditionally, been renowned for their artistic and literary endeavours, a fact that is (of course), due to the numbers of the Russian dissident artistic community that have settled in Berlin, but what of the common man, what of the proletariat? This is the question that that took me to Marzahn.vladimir gusman, a journalist and a writer who lives in Berlin, suggests, ‘The new Russian Berlin is some sort of mosaic re-composition of the frag-ments of the disrupted Soviet union. Immigrants from every corner of the collapsed Soviet empire had to come to Berlin to recover their repudiated culture. Somehow, the reconstituted topography of contemporary Berlin produces some sort of cultural recon-stitution of displaced groups and is itself affected by multi-ethnic presences’. after reunification the flow of Russian immigrants became larger and a new kind of emigration started: The one of the so-called Russian germans (mainly Jews); those who carried a german last name and could claim german nationality. But when in germany they found themselves to be simply other Russian immigrants and suddenly felt the desire to recover the lost relationship with their home country, one that, paradoxically, does not exist anymore.

So, afflicted by nostalgia and to bring comfort to the dispossessed, immi-grants from the former Soviet union immerse themselves in their own culture and language. They revitalised the popular Soviet culture and pathos

tion to modern European life. you are met on the one hand with the austerity of the Soviet style architecture, but on the other, with the warmth and friend-liness of the majority of its inhabitants. For example, I sat down on a bench next to four guys that were eating ice cream in the sun and within a few minutes I was invited to join them for a beer and of course, the obligatory Russian fish accompaniment. They were all part of what is known as “the fifth wave” of immigrants. Russians of german decent, offered repatriation as part of the german war guilt. They all came to Berlin with their extended families and are either working in the building trade or training to be skilled labourers.

It may seem strange to many Europeans that at this point in European history and politics, people are offered the opportunity to be economic migrants. Without them these vibrant communities, survivors from the fall of the Soviet union may be lost forever, displacing the popula-tion even further. Personaly I take comfort in knowing that these people seem to have found a way of life that they are accustomed to; they have inhabited their social islands in what is increasingly becoming a homogenised Europe. They are continuing a Berlin tradition that while firmly planted in 21st century Europe, harks back to a time of my childhood, a time that many have forgotten.

‘Nobody will ever understand sophisticated Russian soul.’

‘What is good to a Russian, is death for a german’

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When it comes to beliefs about healthily living Berliners are just as diverse, although there is a group that strives for peace and purity in their lives. Good care is the standard and a healthy life is a clear goal.

Christel & Wolfgang Barth, who I encountered at the city beach pool Weissensee are such healthy people. For over 25 years, they are active winter swimmers and outdoor enthusiasts. ‘The season is almost over’, laughs Wolfgang in the early spring sun. Normally the Barth’s visit the city beach pool Orankesee, a few miles east. There they are part of the Berliner Seehunde, a group of cold water enthusiasts that bath throughout the winter, in sometimes literally ice-cold water.

Their winter bathing started in the GDR days when it was a very popular national sport with a rich club life. The Barth’s are Ossie’s, like Wolfgang later explains. After their swim the couple invites me to their house to further discuss the health aspect of the winter baths and the traditions of the GDR era.

Do you want to know more about the Barth’s or the health aspects of the winter bathing culture and of the GDR era? Then visit the digital version of this magazine, and find more in image and sound.

For centuries the city of Berlin has been a magnet for those with an open mind and a free spirit. It is hard to find a greater diversity of ethnicity and lifestyles anywhere in Europe. PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY RODERIK ROTTING

BatHINg IN BERlIN

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Schönhauser Allee 12010437 Berlin

Greifswalder Str. 80, S-BhfBerlin 10433 Alte Potsdame 10785 Berlin

Badstr. 4(Im Gesundbrunnen Center)13357 Berlin jetzt offen

Wrangelstr. 3510997 Berlin

Osloer Str. / U-Bhf / Passage Laden 1713359 Berlin jetzt offen

Hermannplatz 2-310967 Berlin

Frankfurter Allee 117 / Ringcenter Ii10247 Berlin jetzt offen

Hansastr. 113051 Berlin jetzt offen

Markstr. 1613409 Berlin jetzt offen

Am Ostbahnhof 910243 Berlin jetzt offen

Europaplatz 1(Hbf)

A project exploring the interaction between the globalised american dream and the background of [East]Berlin. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYNNE BROUWER

F[R]ICtION

+ 33.000> restaurants worldwide + 1.700.000 employees

+ 119 countries + 64.000.000 customers a day

Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 1310178 Berlin jetzt offen

Alexanderplatz (S-Bahnhof)10178 Berlin

Alexanderplatz / U-Bahnhof10178 Berlin

Grunerstr. 20 (Ekz Alexa)10179 Berlin jetzt offen

Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 1310178 Berlin jetzt offen

Alexanderplatz (S-Bahnhof)10178 Berlin

Alexanderplatz / U-Bahnhof10178 Berlin

Grunerstr. 20 (Ekz Alexa)10179 Berlin

Friedrichstr. 141-142 10117 Berlin

Friedrichstr. 141-142 10117 Berlin

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Ist es wichtig?

Ignorance, resistance or victimization

How do we deal with history, do we cover it up and forget? Or can we permit ourselves to appreciate what remains of a sinister past?

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On the corner of the Cuvrystraße and the Schlesische Straße a larger-than-life mural painting rises above fences. Fences, which seem to surround a closed area, but if you look close enough you will notice one fence is missing. This is far from a coincidence, it’s an entrance. While entering this space, which is perfectly hidden from the rest of Berlin, you feel like you are stepping into a whole different world. PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY CATHARINA GERRITSEN

the Fortress of kreuzberg

The first thing that draws attention is the huge amount of trash throughout the big grass field. It’s a true wasteland: empty beer bottles, the remains of barbecues and all kinds of traces from lively events. Nothing of these events can be caught during the daytime though, there are only two dogs running around and a few people sitting, quietly enjoying the sun while watching the Spree flow by.

Nothing in this calm scenery indicates that this place has been the cause of heated discussions for the past month. Yet, it has. This empty lot in Kreuzberg has been the center of attention for the German media; politics and the Berliners themselves, after BMW and Guggenheim announced they wanted to use the ground to install their traveling lab “devoted to exploring issues of future cities”. The plan turned out to be a

controversial one and caused many protests within the community of Kreuzberg. People were furious that these big commercial companies dared to take their community ground.

Truth is that the ground does not belong to the community. The lot is owned by real-estate developer IVG and has been empty for over 10 years. Since it has been empty

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“I have never seen a neighbourhood change this much in 10 years. Never.” - Peter (30)

for such a long time locals have tried to set up things within the space, like a Sunday Market (YAAM) and educational programs. IVG in return has stopped all initiatives, in fear of people getting too attached to this piece of ground. Even though there is not a lot happening with it now (sometimes there is a barbecue or a small party), it still is a very popular place for the locals to enjoy the weather, sit by the Spree or walk their dog. Like a park, but in an anarchistic form.

It is very difficult to understand the importance of this little piece of wasteland just by looking at it. The value is not defined by how the place looks or what can be done here. It is not even this particular place that is so special, but the bigger issue it stands for: gentrification.

‘Five years ago they could care less about kreuzberg, now everybody wants a piece’ - Barbara (42)

Kreuzberg is quickly becoming Berlin’s hottest place to be, everybody wants a piece. And when everybody wants something, the price goes up. The inhabitants have seen their rents go up and the whole social demographic is changing.Young, rich families are renting the houses where immigrants and working class people used to live. Little shops have been taken over by big companies. What once was a sober, socialist environment is now quickly becoming the place to be within the fast growing Berlin. The popular metropolis has got to expand and Kreuzberg is next.

But when the BMW and Guggenheim decided to build their lab on this dirty looking no-mans land in the popular Kreuzberg, they forgot that such a piece of ground can have a meaning to a community and that Berliners are not to be run over. In the end the big companies couldn’t ignore the protests and the angry community, which eventually caused for them to withdraw the plan. To answer the question why this particular place ís special; it is this case that shows that the inhabitants of a neighborhood do have choices; they do have power, as long as they show their muscles. Like the people of Kreuzberg did, like the Astrix’s and Obelix’s of Berlin, protecting their fortress.

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“this is not a park. this is our piece of ground where we can do whatever we feel like doing.” - abel (23)

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In the beginning of the late 1990s consumer artifacts from the former East experienced a pop-culture revival: household goods, food/ luxury items and toys from the GDR now enjoy a cult status. Nowadays GDR look-a-like fashion can be added to this trend. A generation of young people born after the fall of the Berlin wall adapts aspects out of GDR daily life.After talking to younger and older people across the Eastern part of Berlin, only a few seemed to feel anything close to the nostalgic feeling.

Joyce sheds a different light on the matter however. She was born in the GDR in the same month the Berlin wall came down. An important GDR value is family and as such, she tries to spend as much time as possible with her mother.

Jacky, a current resident of the East who was also born and raised there, works in an Osseria and is convinced that the good times were before the reunification. “Less violence and child murder, a better modern day trend. Easy to find the materialistic part, but it feels like the collective memories disappeared with time. Instead of holding on to the past, the reunification opened doors

Berlin is a place where the phenomenon of nostalgia is widely spread because of its turbulent history. Nostalgia raises interesting questions about identity and the way we perceive past and present times. Which of the contemporary communities that colour Berlin are affected by it? Can you be nostalgic for something you have not personally experienced? PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY TAMARA ROBEER AND JACOB GESINK

the good times a search for past and present moods in Berlin

Growing up in the West, Ulrika made her first trip to the East in 1985 to visit a friend. She remembers the smell of the East and the music records selling all for the same price. Everything looked plain and grey. “I have nothing with Ostalgie. Time goes fast, after ten years you forget about the differences.”

Viet is a Vietnamese man who came to Berlin 20 years ago to join his wife. Viet lives and works in the eastern part of Berlin. Together with his wife he owns a wholesale company which sells plastic flowers. These flowers are typical for the Vietnamese community in Berlin, all operating in the Eastern part of the city.

At an age of 54, Viet considers himself an old man because his memory is fading. He enjoys talking about his legacy: ‘I am proud of my son, he speaks not only German, but also English. He speaks of Vietnam as a holiday destination. Why go there, when life is in Berlin?’

Searching for Ostalgie (nostalgia in Ost) in a city as big as Berlin; it seems a modern day trend. Easy to find the materialistic part, but it feels like the collective memories disappeared with time.

‘I have nothing with Ostalgie’

for new people in the city.”

Ulrika talks about the first group of people seeking fortune in the new East, the Vietnamese. The times had changed, and Vietnamese where invited as ‘gastarbeiter’ just before the fall of the wall.

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the good times a search for past and present moods in Berlin

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BAERCK Berlin

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Photography: Tisa SenčurModel: Niko Lah

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ICH BIN EIN BERlINERThe desire to integrate in an un-known city

Photography by Willemieke Kars

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ICH BIN EIN BERlINER

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A teacher, a pupil and a caretaker at a school in Berlin. They depend on one another and connect in several ways, yet they have their own role and place. Photographed by Alexis Anyfantakis, Susanne Duppen and Elske verdoorn, at the Wald-Grundschule. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELSKE vERDOORN,

SUSANNE DUPPEN AND ALEXIS ANYFANTAKIS

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‘New Yorker’ is a store that originates from Germany. It’s a typical store in Berlin that attracts teenagers. PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY KIM VERKADE

gUIDE

All teenage girls are concerned with their looks and are dealing with some uncertainty behind their appearance; Berlin is no exception. They veil their insecurity by teaming up. These groups of girls share a particular interaction and certain behavioral codes. This series shows my perception of the contemporary German girl.

Here are some of my observations of how teenagers in the Berlin young-girl culture mengle.

1. Teaming up: always have others by your side

2. Go to typical teen stores with a lot of bright colors

3. Always ask your friend’s opinion about your clothes

Observations of typical behavior codes:

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With its one hundred and thirthy-seven motorclubs, Berlin is home to many bikers. From recreational riders, that pray before touring, to true ‘brother-hood’, where the club functions more as a family.

gUIDE

While in Berlin I got to know the brightest sites and the darkest locations of the city through this diverse group of bikers. Meeting members of the ‘Born to be Wild’ motorclub and supporting club; ‘Wild Vikings’, gave me an inside view into what it takes to become a part of this group. Here are some crucial tips when trying to become biker in Berlin. More specific; how to become a “Wild Biker”.

Essential in the process of becoming a part of the motorbike scene in Berlin is the possession of a motorcycle. For members of “Born to be Wild” this means a Harley Davidson. You cannot join without this specific bike. If you don’t have the financial resources, there is still hope. When you do have a bike but it is just not a Harley Davidson, you can join a ‘support motor club’. Wild Vikings is such a group. A lot of the some codes apply, but you are not an actual member of Born to be Wild and you wear a different ‘colour’. When the resources cannot buy you a motorcycle at all, there is still an option; join a ‘support crew’.

Black is the new black. It is diffi-cult not to notice all the black clothes worn by bikers. When you are a member of the Wild Vikings, black is the only colour you can wear. Through the years  there has been a visible transition within the Born to be Wild fashion trend. Back in the days when flower power flour-ished, the dress code had not been established. In one of the first pictures members are depicted with all kinds of clothes. Black was already there, but it wasn’t a rule yet. The same tran-sition applies to different kinds of motorcycles. 

It is not easy to become a mem-ber of an established motor club such as Born to be Wild. When you happen to be a woman it is not possible to join at all. There are other possibilities, but not within the world of Born to be Wild. When you happen to be a man and meet all the already named requirements, the  focus is mainly on trust, loyalty and respect and an introduction. Their slogan explains, ‘If you want to join us, you must come to us!’  You can create a head start by visiting the places most bikers go, next to their clubhouses. ‘Bierbaum’ in Neukölen, is one of these places. It used to be owned by the Born to be Wild club, but it got taken over by someone else. Here you can have breakfast early in the morning and drinks late at night, a perfect way to meet people with a passion for the machine.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY YARA VAN DER VELDEN

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‘Berlin’s gay scene is in the urban area of Mitte and Schönenberg; I really feel com-fortable there.’ Berlin’s inhabitants are sig-nificantly more open-minded than people of other German cities. Berlin is known as the second gay capital of Europe, the primairy reason because of the mayor being openly gay. The drag scene is closed, usually you only see them at night. When they are pre-sent on the streets during the day, then it is most apparent during festival time.

‘Sometimes random people come to me and ask if my boobs are real. If I say no, they start touching them and ask what’s in there. I don’t mind it that much, but I still think it’s rude; I would never do something like that. It’s the same with fake boobs; you also don’t immediately touch them if you know they are fake. At least they don’t get aggressive.’

“When I’m walking down the streets of Berlin, I feel safe most of the time,” says Svetlana Pall Mall. PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY LYNN VAN ASPEREN

What it feels like for a girl

‘‘sometimes random people come to me and ask if my boobs are real.’’

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During the current economic crisis, Germany takes an evermore-dominant role within Europe. Remarkably this poses questions within the EU with regard to German history. What makes Germany an engine of Europe? And how do other nationalities relate to this? Within the international schools we can see on, small scale, some of the reaction and dynamics of foreigners towards this phenomenon. With this in mind we take a look at the so-called, “ Sprachschule” where people from all over the world join in to learn German in a fast pace.

the speech mechanismPHOTOGRAPHY BY SVEN JACOBS

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These fashionistas can be found all around the city on their fixed-gear-bikes, which match the colour of their clothes.The “Hipster Centrale” is definitely Rosenthaler Platz with famous bars like Oberholz and Mein Haus am See.

During their study breaks plenty of Mittsters are drinking at Club Mate and rolling cigarettes around the “Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm Zentrum” library in Mitte. They feed themselves in one of the hip asian restaurants on Alte-Schönhauser Straße at gallery openings or launch parties.

Not every city in the world has its own fashion scene. Berlin does. With the growing popularity of the city, the hipster scene has already globalised and become mainstream, but inner city centre, Berlin Mitte, has it’s own species, called “Mittsters”. PHOTOGRAPHY AND TExT BY TISA SENCUR

Hipster’s guide to Berlin

Outside their natural habitat Mittsters can be recognized by their skinny jeans or leggins.

“Juta” bag with an obscure 90’s print, is an essential accessory.

Modest vintage shoes and oversized frames of non-prescription glasses are also typical, but the most obvious is allways the strive to have an individual and excen-tric style.

‘Being a hipster is all

about clothes and not the

mentality.’ marlon, mitte

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Find the handpicked treasures from foretimesin Vintage store Ohne Frage Toll

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Chausseestrasse 131b 10117 Berlin

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Colophon

Editorial BoardRixt de BoerOlya OleinicHenri Verhoef

art / Design DirectorsAxel CrettenandImke LigthartDaan Liu

text EditorsLynne BrouwerThomas BoerenJack Martin

ProductionAnna KlevanFlorestan KorpAmber TooropYara van der Velden

Digital magazineGabrielle de KokHans Bracke Tisa Sencur

Printed magazine ProductionCatharina GerritsenYara van der Velden

PrintingEerste Haagsche Digitale Drukkerij

Cover photoSofie van der Sman

thanks toKABK 2nd year photography studentsVincent van BaarLeo ErkenDennis KootCorinne NoordenbosPawel PokutyckiLotte SprengersSterre SprengersEdel VerzijlRob Wetzer

All photographs were taken during the annual Berlin-trip of 2nd-year students of the Royal Acadamy of the Arts, department of photography. March 26-29, 2012.

© KABK 2012

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EUTE Royal Academ

y of Art The Hague April 2012

florestan korp jack martin imke ligthart eline van strien lara van lindenberg axel crettenand willemieke kars yara van der velden stije van der beek olya oleinic thomas boeren ellen daniëls barbara de morree hans bracke henri verhoef sofie van der sman lynne brouwer catharina gerritsen anouk van kalmhout jacob gesink tamara robeer patricia ibanez lynn van asperen robin clemens gabriëlle de kok nick van tiem luc schol doris jongerius olga tokarczyk anna klevan majda vidakovic robin butter yana volovich roderik rotting rixt de boer kim verkade alexis anyfantakis susanne duppen elske verboom sven jacobs daan liu tisa sencur amber toorop