COVID-19 and Berlin‘s nightlife

[Herr Schnitzel 9]

Berlin is known for its nightlife and the longterm effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on its culture could be devastating. Most nightclubs have been shut and many won’t survive longterm closures. Many places are already threatened by gentrification and this could be disastrous for Berlin. Iconic queer club and music venue SO36 has already posted on social media that they won’t last beyond one month of being closed. I’m sure we’ll also loose bars, independent cinemas, etc if this drags on even if they don’t close. I hope the government will help independent businesses out with loans, etc and I would urge people to support venues they care about via crowdfunding.
 

https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/coronavirus-berlin-endangered-nightlife-berghain/

https://www.zeit.de/kultur/2020-03/kulturbetrieb-coronavirus-schliessungen-grossveransaltungenfbclid=IwAR0E99b2lor62fY7GjS1kqODw_3gg4RioGoUla8TB4uGuSufs5dpGOy6HE4

 

[MikeMelga 7,325]

Demand will return, clubs will return. The difference is that in between owners can go bankrupt.

[Wasteland 100]

Berlin was famous for it's hedonistic night life before WW2, the city was flattened, and like a phoenix from the ashes the clubs and bars came back, Berlin may not be able to build an airport, but when it comes to having a good time the Berliners are an unstoppable force of nature, things may change but it could become exciting all over again.

[Herr Schnitzel 9]

Thanks for the history lesson guys, I know that Berlin has recovered in the past.
 

Unlike you I’m worried about specific venues like Schwuz or SO36 and many of the bars, which are central to particular communities, closing and independent business going bankrupt, rather than some sort of nightlife returning sometime in the future. These two iconic Berlin venues have already let it be known, that they aren’t able to survive long closures. It will be the same for many others.

One reason I moved from London to Berlin is because the queer scene here is far more lively and diverse right now, while gentrification was killing London LGBT+ nightlife at a rapid pace. It could all go in swoop in Berlin during this crisis and it could take years to recover. It’s also not said that in the current climate, nightlife will fully recover. Gentrification already poses a massive threat to Berlin nightlife and this could speed up the process.
 

Landlords are looking to increase rents on properties which they are restricted to do while an independent business is in there. If bars/clubs go bankrupt, this leaves landlords free to hike up the rent. That makes it prohibitive for a comparable business to move in. We may we’ll end up with another Lidl or Edeka where the likes of a Schwuz or SO36 are now. 

 

 

[fraufruit 42,496]

About that airport, is it really necessary now? 

[Herr Schnitzel 9]

 

12 hours ago, Wasteland said:

Berlin was famous for it's hedonistic night life before WW2, the city was flattened, and like a phoenix from the ashes the clubs and bars came back, Berlin may not be able to build an airport, but when it comes to having a good time the Berliners are an unstoppable force of nature, things may change but it could become exciting all over again.

For the LGBT+ community, for whom a thriving nightlife is of particular importance, that took half a century. Before the Nazi‘s took over, Berlin had the most liberal and diverse LGBT+ scene on the planet. It took till the mid-70s to recover to comparable levels.

 

Obviously I’m not comparing WWII to now, just answering to a glib assertion in regard to Berlin history.

[Krieg 15,074]

Don't worry, there are still some "Corona Parties" during the weekend in Berlin.   I wonder where are the libertarians who claim the free market fix everything and advocate for the small state.   The crisis is proving we are all idiots.

[Herr Schnitzel 9]

I do worry about "Corona Parties", I don’t think you understood my point. I wasn’t arguing for venues to stay open, but for financial support so they can survive this crisis.

 

If you personally have no interest in Berlin‘s nightlife culture, then move on, there is nothing to see here. If you do, then I’d urge you to support your favourite venues with donations while they are struggling. Otherwise there is a good chance they  will be gone. You‘ll still be spending less money than if you were going out.

 

 

 

 

[cybil 1,465]

Wouldn't it be possible, through the online social networks to create invitations to much smaller gatherings in people's appartments? Like the old salon culture? Limit on how many can come in! Makes it more 'exclusive' and intimate even. Simple as: show up with something to drink/eat to share around. You can still dance/spin the music/dim the lights/decorate/dress up or down/put on a performabce, etc. Just quiet after 10 pm please (the neighbors!). 

 

Charge a 'donation' fee. Post a bouncer at the door...with a thermometer, just to check the temps of those going in. He/she could wear a mask like from the Plauge era...that bird beak look, and gloves. Or even just dress like a doctor or nurse? Why not?  And have a stack of cards to fill out before going in just case the visitors need to be contacted about a flu issue later. And one of those hand disinfectant dispensers should be posted outsdie as well. Not hard to do, I'm sure!

 

Someone could even start a blog about how the nightlife changed in Berlin this year and document it! How cool is that? 

[fraufruit 42,496]

Dance in a flat? I can't even do yoga in mine. Not enough free space. 

[RedMidge 6,638]

56 minutes ago, fraufruit said:

Dance in a flat? I can't even do yoga in mine. Not enough free space. 

Mental movements!

[dessa_dangerous 13,315]

What the hell is a corona party?  Aren't all venues shut already or is that also starting Tuesday?  Over 1000 pax already banned, I think it was recommended that gatherings of over 100 pax be cancelled as well.

[dessa_dangerous 13,315]

@Herr Schnitzel may I ask what leads you to count Esso as a queer institution?  Do they have even one regularly occurring queer event there?  

 

I always thought of them as more punk than anything else.  If you would have said Blank, KitKat, Trauma, even Grießmühle (well not that they count anymore I guess), those I could see...

[Herr Schnitzel 9]

3 hours ago, dessa_dangerous said:

@Herr Schnitzel may I ask what leads you to count Esso as a queer institution?  Do they have even one regularly occurring queer event there?  

 

I always thought of them as more punk than anything else.  If you would have said Blank, KitKat, Trauma, even Grießmühle (well not that they count anymore I guess), those I could see...

It hosts several regular queer nights like Gayhane, Café Fatal, Queer Slam, Queens against Borders and Easter Beardance. It’s commitment to queer events is referred to on its website:

 

https://so36.com/about/

 

In the end I don’t care how others define it, my point the same. Would be a shame to lose it and many other great Berlin venues.

[Rushrush 301]

11 hours ago, Herr Schnitzel said:

 

One reason I moved from London to Berlin is because the queer scene here is far more lively and diverse right now, while gentrification was killing London LGBT+ nightlife at a rapid pace. It could all go in swoop in Berlin during this crisis and it could take years to recover. It’s also not said that in the current climate, nightlife will fully recover. Gentrification already poses a massive threat to Berlin nightlife and this could speed up the process.
 

 

Bit off topic but being an expat means you fall behind on the language, so I assume that queer scene now means gay which is kind of funny cause queer used to be an insult. 

[arsenal21 401]

Shuttering the clubs seems like overkill. If you go to some cool scuzzy underground club in Berlin, even before the crisis, and you don't pick up some virus, you're probably doing it wrong anyway.

[Herr Schnitzel 9]

19 minutes ago, Rushrush said:

Bit off topic but being an expat means you fall behind on the language, so I assume that queer scene now means gay which is kind of funny cause queer used to be an insult. 

"Queer" is a reclaimed umbrella term for sexual minorities which in the past used to be a term of abuse, just like the German "schwul". Now "queer" gets used by LGBT+ people who often feel they don’t fit one specific category. As a term which is inclusive of all sexual minorities, I prefer to "queer" to "LGBT+" because I find acronyms impersonal, though I identify as gay.

 

 

[fraufruit 42,496]

I think it is the same as black people calling themselves the n word while other people can and should not. Kind of a brother/sisterhood thing.

[Rushrush 301]

Yeah kind of figured that but language evolves so fast it can be hard to keep up with. 

[Herr Schnitzel 9]

18 minutes ago, fraufruit said:

I think it is the same as black people calling themselves the n word while other people can and should not. Kind of a brother/sisterhood thing.

It’s very different from the n-word and just like the German "schwul" it has becomes generally accepted term. It has been around at least a couple of decades as an identity and while English in its origin, it now gets used in many languages.