Radio Spaetkauf Berlin

The U-Bahn Flat Rate Proposal by Radio Spaetkauf Berlin

The new rental price index comes out soon, which will give Berlin landlords an excuse to try to increase rents. At the same time, a new initiative is trying to force a referendum on rental issues by collecting signatures. Foreign residents aren’t permitted to sign the petition, but Daniel and Joel argue that we should sign anyway to indicate our frustration at being denied political participation. The Radio Spaetkauf team reflect on the most recent May Day protests and celebrations. The former revolutionary holiday has become a huge street festival, with crowds so large that U-Bahn stations are closed to prevent overcrowding in central Kreuzberg. Has the city’s strategy of turning May 1 into a party worked? After last episode’s warnings about new drug prohibitions in Görlitzer Park, it seems drugs are popping up everywhere in local news. Cannabis was found to be growing wild on the Kottbusser Tor roundabout, cocaine was found in banana boxes at Aldi supermarkets, and the dealers in Görli are carrying on unper

Radio Spaetkauf is back after a long break, and there's a lot of news to catch up on. New co-hosts Daniel and Jöran join Joel in our new studio at Donau115, a bar and creative space in Neukölln. On this episode, we discuss the drug crackdown in Görlitzer Park, which is now the most regulated space in all of Germany. Since March 31, it has become completely illegal to possess any amount of marijuana in the formerly anarchic park. This makes Görli the only place in Germany where you cannot carry a small amount of weed for personal use - even conservative Bayern allows up to 5 grams. We talk about the politics behind the crackdown, which has as much to do with gentrification, asylum regulation and power struggle in the Rotes Rathaus as it does about drug policy. Berlin has been spared from the expense and waste of the Olympic Games. The city has lost the bid to bid to host the Olympics, as Hamburg has instead been selected as Germany's nomination for the 2024 and 2028 games. The reason Hamburg won was because of

On our final episode for 2014: Berlin’s most famous mural has disappeared under a coat of black paint. The Blu mural at Schlesisches Tor was erased by the original artists themselves. Maisie gives her tips on how not to be saddened by the city’s constant evolution. Former mayor Klaus Wowereit is likely to be given a free U-Bahn pass as part of his post-job perk package. We discuss how both the top and bottom of Berlin society ride the trains without paying. The new and exclusive Mall of Berlin has been renamed the Mall of Shame by former workers, who are campaigning to get paid fair wages. The shopping center was constructed by Romanian workers who claim they were mistreated and left underpaid by the development company, which has now filed for bankruptcy. The Club Commission thinks the whole building should be taken over and turned into a culture center instead. Berlin columnist John Riceburg shares his story about witnessing his neighbor’s eviction, and his thoughts on what should be done to prevent people

RS#16: Tear down this mall by Radio Spaetkauf Berlin

Berlin has a new mayor - Michael Müller, the man who headed the failed attempt to build on Tempelhof field. Will the city like being run by the man whose development plan they rejected? The 25th anniversary of the fall of the wall was celebrated with white balloons being released - and many of the stands being stolen. But the city says it won't hunt down those who nicked a stand. We talk to visting journalist Nalina Eggert about the anniversary. The company behind the famous nightclub Kater Holzig has filed for bankruptcy, in what appears to be a tricky maneouver to avoid paying its bills. The party continues in a different location under a new name and new legal entity, which plans to build apartments and restaurants on the site of the original club Bar 25. This show presented by Joel and Andrew, with help from Nalina Eggert. Music from The History of Colour TV and Erfolg.

Coming up: Rent controls are coming, but they might have some unwanted side effects. We'll tell you why it's better to get a job in West Berlin than in the old East. And there's some bad news for anyone wanting to open a bar in Kreuzberg - you probably won't be allowed to.

On Radio Spätkauf #13: The Klaus Wowereit legacy. How has he changed Berlin during his period as mayor? We will be analysing the soon to be former Major of Berlin before he official steps down in December. Would you believe it…. more of the Berlin Wall is undertreat and GEMA has again been disputing Berlin’s music establishments. Berlin seems to be taking part in “build the fastest castle” as it’s Stadtschloss seems to be making rapid progress. We also have an update on Berlin’s refugees and their recent turn of events. Of course there is the standard #RSShortNews #RSTransport and music this episode from Sealake, Antoni Maiovvi and Jaakko Eino Kalevi.

RS#Extra 2014: Yellow Press by Radio Spaetkauf Berlin

RS#12 2014: Hello Lenin by Radio Spaetkauf Berlin

Who wants free money? A Berlin entrepreneur is giving away 1000 EUR a month to a worthy candidate to test the idea of the grundeinkommen, or basic citizens' income. We talk about whether the idea could work for everyone. Enjoying the lakes? Take care - six people have died while swimming around Berlin this month so far. The lakes are getting warmer, too, which isn't always a good thing. What to do about a lack of affordable housing? The SPD development minister thinks it can be solved by paying landlords to encourage them to take more social tenants. More money for the rich, to help the poor? Lost some snakes? The police at Ostkreuz are searching for the owners of two snakes, found in a bag at the S-Bahn station. Music from Sydney Valette, Lawrence Arabia and Tusk.

Radio Spaetkauf is Berlin’s news show in English. Presenters Maisie, Andrew and Joel discuss local politics, urban development, public transport, bicycles, architecture and culture. On this episode, we dissect the refugee protest actions that have gripped Berlin over the past few weeks. Refugees are standing up for their right to move freely around the country, and are staging a series of sit ins, blockades and demonstrations, supported by a large number of local residents. Police have responded by flooding Kreuzberg with over a thousand officers, at a cost of over five million euros. Local politicians are divided on the issue, with even the refugee-friendly Green party flip-flopping about whether to send police in to evict refugees from their protest quarters. Should Berlin bid to host the 2024 Olympics? The Berlin Senate are racing to prepare a bid for the city, without stopping to first ask the citizens if they like the idea. Olympic Games are known to cause huge increases in rental prices, result in massi

On this episode: After Berliners overwhelming rejected the city senate’s plan for luxury flats on Tempelhofer Feld, politicians have already begun talking up another controversial top-down master plan - to bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games. When were Berliners ever asked if they liked the idea? The BER airport starting date has been set back until the end of 2016. The disastrous project is now tainted by allegations of corruption, with one official accused of abusing the tendering process. Now the Pirate Party in the Senate is demanding a referendum on whether the airport should ever be finished with state funds at all. A prisoner who escaped from the sturdy Moabit prison has been recaptured, thanks to a Berlin hotel receptionist who recognised his poorly bearded face from a police fax announcement. Would-be escapees are recommended not to check into hotels near the prison they have escaped from.

Radio Spaetkauf is Berlin’s English-langauge news show. On this episode: Should you buy a stolen bike? Maisie enters the murky world of second-hand bicycles. Have you ever seen a swarm of cyclists riding on around Berlin on a Friday night? You’ve probably just witnessed a Critical Mass procession. Our new correspondent David Ravensbergen joined a recent Critical Mass to find out what relevance the cyclist demonstration has in Berlin. With the EU election and Tempelhof referendum weeks away, we analyze the election posters. The Green party is targetting English speakers with translated placards; they’ve also got a fantastic one criticizing mayor Klaus Wowereit with the slogan - “Would you trust this man with an airport?”. The CDU is being disingenuous by displaying images of Angela Merkel, even though she is not a candidate in the current election. And we ask why the city libraries are campaigning on behalf of the city government in the referendum, using their meager budgets on political advertising instead of

This is Berlin's news podcast. Tonight: Oranienplatz has been cleared out. The refugee camp has been replaced by a police camp. Politicians are claiming victory, and crass young conservatives are photographing themselves in front of the demolished camp. Now that the protesting refugees are hidden away in a hostel, will the city forget about their plight? Police have been busy lately. They also helped evict a man from his Neukölln apartment, after he failed to pay his rent on time, due to an error by the Jobcenter. Over 120 protesters failed to prevent his eviction. He is now homeless. It has also been revealed that Berlin police are sending hundreds of thousands of ghost SMS messages to track suspects in a NSA-style operation. Human statues have been ordered to shuffle away from Pariser Platz. The Mitte city council decided that costumed characters posing with tourists in front of the Brandenburger Tor are a nuisance, and must clear off. Another example of the fun police in action? Don't forget to register to

Radio Spaetkauf is Berlin's news update in English. Tonight: The old Spreepark has been bought by the city for €2M, ending years of uncertainty about its ownership. It is now likely to be resold and reopened as a theme park. What did the Planetarium sound like before it closed last weekend? Joel went along and recorded the retro soundtrack of the now-under-renovation DDR treasure. Why are protesters standing with dead animals in front of Brandenburger Tor? Andrew met the initiators of Animal Equality Berlin to find out. It is cycling season again, and police are reporting an increase in bicycle theft. Those thieves will soon be hearing a new sound when the police catch them: the city's cop cars will be equipped with a new siren imported from the USA. Some Berliners aren't happy about the police siren noises being Americanized. www.radiospaetkauf.com

Radio Spätkauf is Berlin's English-language news programme. This week: Did you sign the Tempelhof petition? If you're not German, you weren't entitled to, as only citizens are allowed to have a say at regional and national elections and referendums. We talk to Walhrecht Für Alle about who can and can't vote. This month is your last chance to visit the Zeiss Planetarium in Prenzlauer Berg before it closes its doors for a year. The 30-year old Cosmorama projector needs to be replaced. A series of free events on the last weekend of March will let you experience this DDR gem. Music this week comes from Robyn Hitchcock, a renowned British singer-songwriter who is playing at Monarch bar in Berlin on March 27. Full disclosure - Robyn is Maisie's dad, and Joel is the support act. Links: http://wahlrechtfüralle.de/ https://www.facebook.com/events/448810325218909/

On this episode of Radio Spätkauf: as Berlin's building boom continues, will a new mega-hotel in Neukölln eclipse the skyscraper planned for Alexanderplatz? Does Marzahn really need a ski lift? And was a branch of Netto sacrificed for a higher purpose? Also on the show: Berlin's fare dodgers walk in the steps of Nazi resisters , Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg cleans up it's advertising act and the city gets a new, pop-savvy culture secretary. Plus music from Fenster.

On this episode, we interview a Japanese man who was attacked in Kurfurstendamm. Instead of seeking to punish his assailant, he attempted to offer him a job. In other news, the city government is cracking down on the infamous beer bikes by banning them from all major city streets, except for those leading east to Friedrichshain. Where should Berlin build new bike lanes? You can nominate a deserving street at www.fahrradnetz-berlin.de Plus: a group launches a new program for people riding trains without tickets. It's called Ticketteilen. They are encouraging people to wear a button to indicate if they hold a umweltkarte, which is a kind of yearly travel card that lets you take another person after 8pm or on weekends. Hear this episode with music at radiospaetkauf.com

A special update from Radio Spaetkauf: Opposing the obligatory TV and Radio fee. Have you recently received a letter demanding 18€ per month for your television and radio license, even if you don’t use either service? It seems this has happened to many of us in Berlin over the last few weeks. This contribution towards broadcasting has become mandatory since January 2013 but one group thinks it’s unfair. Hear all about the group “Remote Control” and their campaign “Der Rundfunkbeitrag-Zahlungsstreik” (payment strike). Listen to the update to hear how to oppose the fee and not get yourself caught up in back-payments.