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Saving Berlin’s tatty temple to art

Berlin’s legendary artist collective Tacheles has long had a tenuous relationship with the building’s owners. Gert-Andreas Oberfell explains why the group is hoping to raise €3.5 million to secure its future in the heart of the German capital.

Saving Berlin's tatty temple to art
Tacheles before it was renovated in 1997. Photo: DPA

A tatty temple to art housed in abandoned ruin of a department store in eastern Berlin, the former squat Tacheles quickly became a symbol of the city’s thriving art scene that rose following the fall of the Wall. As reunified Berlin changed around it, the inhabitants have remained a creative constant on the now touristy Oranienburger Strasse. Tired of dealing with the building’s owners, the association Tacheles e.V. is now making a push to buy the property it has filled with life for the past two decades years.

Kunsthaus Tacheles has established itself as a self-administered, public cultural centre since shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It’s a place not only included in every guidebook as a must-see, but one which has also become an established workshop and event space. It is well-known way beyond the borders of Berlin and has undoubtedly contributed to the city’s image as a creative and tolerant place.

Whether it is the morbid charm and unfinished nature which attracts so many creative spirits remains open to question. Sadly though, the further development of the building is continually blocked by the opaque question of ownership.

The owner, Johannishof Entwicklungs GmbH (a subsidiary of Fundus AG) is in receivership. And although the consortium of creditors, centred around HSH Nordbank, originally told the media it was prepared to extend the rental contract to Tacheles, this was withdrawn shortly before the New Year. The current contract expired on December 31, 2008 and a compulsory auction is currently being prepared. For Tacheles e.V., this situation, where the legalities and future are so unclear, is unbearable.

Potential financial independence from public grants was to be achieved once extensive renovations were completed in 2002 with rental and leasing agreements. But at about the same time, a main source of income – Cafe Zapata – stopped its payment of rent and operating costs to Tacheles e.V. In the subsequent years these people concerned tried three times, using bogus membership meetings, to take over the building, all of which failed. It would not be so far-fetched to imagine that the attempted takeovers were designed to rid themselves of the rising debts (now standing at nearly €300,000).

That under such conditions, public financial support remains elusive, would seem reasonable – after all, there would be the danger that public money would indirectly cover the deficit from the lack of rent payments. But the building is being punished twice – from the lack of public funding and the missing rent.

Although Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit has recently spoken out in favour of preserving the artistic collective, his culture officials are singing a different tune, saying no artistic impulse is currently coming from Tacheles. Apart from the fact that the board from Tacheles e.V. is also not always satisfied with what is on offer (that is always the risk taken in supporting the next generation), Tacheles artist Tim Roloeffs was chosen to be Berlin’s cultural ambassador in 2008.

The charitable association Tacheles e.V. has, for more than seven years now, run a consistently innovative and alternative cultural programme, without any public assistance. It allocates 30 artists’ ateliers at cost price to domestic and foreign artists, pays its taxes and, between 2000 and 2002, secured €300,000 of investment for building work from federal grants, donations and outside sources – not counting the endless hours of work the association itself put in.

It requires a very high level of courage and motivation to remain true to the aims of Tacheles despite countless run-ins with drug dealers and the far-right scene. On top of such difficulties, unpaid rent makes it nearly impossible to support the artists and run a continuous culture programme. But where is there a comparable cultural space in Berlin that is run on a charitable basis and without public funding?

Tacheles has been declared a myth, one which used to stage great cultural events but one many now claim is destroying itself. The press often suggests the association is insolvent, even though it’s the building’s owners who are insolvent. The association has nothing to do with this – unless it means we might at some point have a different landlord.

However, the continuation of Kunsthaus Tacheles is questionable without imminent clarification of the group’s lease and the building’s ownership situation. For that, we need €3.5 million.

Gert-Andreas Oberfell is a member of the Tacheles e.V. supervisory board.

For members

BERLIN

EXPLAINED: Berlin’s latest Covid rules

In response to rapidly rising Covid-19 infection rates, the Berlin Senate has introduced stricter rules, which came into force on Saturday, November 27th. Here's what you need to know.

A sign in front of a waxing studio in Berlin indicates the rule of the 2G system
A sign in front of a waxing studio indicates the rule of the 2G system with access only for fully vaccinated people and those who can show proof of recovery from Covid-19 as restrictions tighten in Berlin. STEFANIE LOOS / AFP

The Senate agreed on the tougher restrictions on Tuesday, November 23rd with the goal of reducing contacts and mobility, according to State Secretary of Health Martin Matz (SPD).

He explained after the meeting that these measures should slow the increase in Covid-19 infection rates, which was important as “the situation had, unfortunately, deteriorated over the past weeks”, according to media reports.

READ ALSO: Tougher Covid measures needed to stop 100,000 more deaths, warns top German virologist

Essentially, the new rules exclude from much of public life anyone who cannot show proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19. You’ll find more details of how different sectors are affected below.

Shops
If you haven’t been vaccinated or recovered (2G – geimpft (vaccinated) or genesen (recovered)) from Covid-19, then you can only go into shops for essential supplies, i.e. food shopping in supermarkets or to drugstores and pharmacies.

Many – but not all – of the rules for shopping are the same as those passed in the neighbouring state of Brandenburg in order to avoid promoting ‘shopping tourism’ with different restrictions in different states.

Leisure
2G applies here, too, as well as the requirement to wear a mask with most places now no longer accepting a negative test for entry. Only minors are exempt from this requirement.

Sport, culture, clubs
Indoor sports halls will off-limits to anyone who hasn’t  been vaccinated or can’t show proof of recovery from Covid-19. 2G is also in force for cultural events, such as plays and concerts, where there’s also a requirement to wear a mask. 

In places where mask-wearing isn’t possible, such as dance clubs, then a negative test and social distancing are required (capacity is capped at 50 percent of the maximum).

Restaurants, bars, pubs (indoors)
You have to wear a mask in all of these places when you come in, leave or move around. You can only take your mask off while you’re sat down. 2G rules also apply here.

Hotels and other types of accommodation 
Restrictions are tougher here, too, with 2G now in force. This means that unvaccinated people can no longer get a room, even if they have a negative test.

Hairdressers
For close-contact services, such as hairdressers and beauticians, it’s up to the service providers themselves to decide whether they require customers to wear masks or a negative test.

Football matches and other large-scale events
Rules have changed here, too. From December 1st, capacity will be limited to 5,000 people plus 50 percent of the total potential stadium or arena capacity. And only those who’ve been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 will be allowed in. Masks are also compulsory.

For the Olympic Stadium, this means capacity will be capped at 42,000 spectators and 16,000 for the Alte Försterei stadium. 

Transport
3G rules – ie vaccinated, recovered or a negative test – still apply on the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses in Berlin. It was not possible to tighten restrictions, Matz said, as the regulations were issued at national level.

According to the German Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, people have to wear a surgical mask or an FFP2 mask  on public transport.

Christmas markets
The Senate currently has no plans to cancel the capital’s Christmas markets, some of which have been open since Monday. 

According to Matz, 2G rules apply and wearing a mask is compulsory.

Schools and day-care
Pupils will still have to take Covid tests three times a week and, in classes where there are at least two children who test positive in the rapid antigen tests, then tests should be carried out daily for a week.  

Unlike in Brandenburg, there are currently no plans to move away from face-to-face teaching. The child-friendly ‘lollipop’ Covid tests will be made compulsory in day-care centres and parents will be required to confirm that the tests have been carried out. Day-care staff have to document the results.

What about vaccination centres?
Berlin wants to expand these and set up new ones, according to Matz. A new vaccination centre should open in the Ring centre at the end of the week and 50 soldiers from the German army have been helping at the vaccination centre at the Exhibition Centre each day since last week.

The capacity in the new vaccination centre in the Lindencenter in Lichtenberg is expected to be doubled. There are also additional vaccination appointments so that people can get their jabs more quickly. Currently, all appointments are fully booked well into the new year.

 

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