The Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection are presenting a special exhibition at the Neues Museum on Museum Island to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the bust of Nefertiti on 6 December 1912. The exhibition is focussed on the Amarna period, refering to the ruins of the ancient Egyptian city of Akhetaton.
More information:
http://www.smb.museum/smb/kalender/details.php?objID=29934
The Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg is one of Berlin’s unique spots that is frequently overcrowded. Especially on Sundays – especially during the summer months people gather, play music, frisbee, have a grill snack, a drink, a talk – or go shopping on one of Berlin’s wildest most interesting flee markets.
And the mixture of people is rather interesting two: since Mauerpark built on former Berlin Wall ground, on the so called Death Corridor, it is situated rigth between Wedding and Prenzlauer Berg – rigth between East and West Berlin – somewhere between the past / history and future.
But the park is at its limits – it is just a bit too small for its sheer popularity. After the original plans the Mauerpark should have been built by 2-3-4 times the size – the only problem is that the city of Berlin can not pay for it. Or maybe the city of Berlin does not want to invest in this *project*, and has a different plan for the future of Mauerpark. Instead there are now plans to sell the “waste land” that should actually be part of the park to investors – and they’re planning to build high value real estate – so called city houses with roof top terraces, garages, elevaters and… what not.
Well. Enough Prelude. What are your plans?
—– > Please sign the petition against the construction of buildings on areas of Berlin Mauerpark! More green space NOW! openpetition.de/petition/online/gegen-die-bebauung-der-erweiterungsflaechen-des-mauerparks-…t
And here you’ll find further information about the future plans for Mauerpark in english:
www.welt-buerger-park.de/index.php?id=5
Today i discovered this plastic Toilet in Kastanienallee in front of the language school. I suppose it’s indicating that very soon also the lower part of Kastanienallee will be a construction site…
The upper part of Kastanienallee has been geavily under construction for quite a while – and it actually still isn’t finished yet. The sidewalks get narrower, the street gets wider, “parking pockets” are built inbetween the trees – and – I suppose nobody really knows if all of this really is a good idea.
Also this year Berlin will host one of the world’s largest New Year’s Eve parties. The event will take place downtown Berlin on an area over two kilometers long, between two renowned landmarks: the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor) and the Victory Column (Siegessäule).
With over a million visitors, dozends of artists, bands and DJs the New Year’s Eve Party downtown Berlin is one of the world’s largest events at the turn of the year in Europe – if not in the world.
This year’s programme features mostly german, but also some international live acts, such as Kim Wilde, Hot Chocolate, Jimi Jamison, Johnny Logan, Udo Jürgens, Andreas Bourani, Cassandra Steen, Culture Beat, DJ BoBo, Frida Gold, Marianne Rosenberg, Berlins Country/Western band The Boss Hoss and many more. Around midnight the Scorpions are expected to perform one of their very last gigs playing “Wind of Change” around midnight. Later DJ Ötzi and other DJs will spin records until early morning hours.
As this is Berlin you are of course alowed to drink alcohol – although you are not allowed to bring glas bottles. So you better be prepared and either bring that champaign in a plastic bottle, or buy your drinks at one of the many “bar booths” that will be located along the party corridor.
And additionally you should also not bring any fire works – there will be light and laser performances as well as spectacular midnight fireworks provided.
Admission is free – further information can be found on the party’s website in english:
www.silvester-in-berlin.de/EN
If you prefer to go clubbing on New Year’s Eve without having to travel a lot, you might want to concider an easy option: going to the former brewery “Kulturbrauerei” (“Culture Brewery”) in Prenzlauer Berg – which you might also call “the walled garden option”: some 15 Dancefloors, more than 30 DJs – and you just have to pay for one ticket. The huge court yard connects all the venues and around midnigh you can hang outside and watch the fireworks.
Admission is Euro 25,-
Further information can be found from the New Year’s Eve Party page of Kulturbrauerei:
www.silvester-kulturbrauerei.de
Of course there is other party options than going to the largest New Year’s Eve party in town or to the walled garden Kulturbrauerei – basically you can go where ever and be pretty sure, that there’ll be a party. But on the other hand this may also mean, that there’s probably more ‘party’ in the streets than you might expect — like youngsters shooting at each other with fireworks…
Or let’s put it this way: you may want to know in advance where you want to go (A) and where you have to go (B) and how to get from A to B and back – without getting too much oth other people’s fun in your way.. Walking down Oranienstrasse in Kreuzberg around midnight might not be such a good idea, meeting at some friends’ appartment way before midnight might be a good one..=)
Get started early, get going early – visit some good friends – eat some Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) and Würstchen (sausages). Some minutes before midnight you should grab a glas, a bottle of champagne and go into the street. But beware: around midnight there might be lots and lots of firecrackers and fireworks going off all around you – especially in certain areas..
Then you’re free to go party hopping – or clubbing – or both – or just stay a little longer wherever you are.
What ever you do, where ever you go – whatch you step and mind the gap!
Have blast! And a Happy New Year!
Slowly but surely first rumors/reports about the coalition talks between Conservatives and Social Democrats are leaking, According to the media recent talks between SPD and CDU were focusing on plans to build a new public art gallery – the Berlin Kunsthalle – and a new public library – the “Metropolen Bibliothek” – the latter to be built at the grounds of the former Airport Tempelhof. Both projects have been discussed for a long time, both are rather near and dear to Berlin’s mayor Klaus Wowereit.
Additionally the controversial plans for the expansion of the Autobahn A100 were probably part of the negotiations – but actually the result was foreseeable since both parties had made their pro-Autobahn positions clear long before the elections. And since the city of Berlin doen’t even have to pay for this project, the probably was no discussion at all. Germany will pay the estimated 420 Millionen Euro.
Also the Kunsthalle is expected to come for free – at least at the moment the plan seems to be that private sponsors shall be found to pay for this prestigious project. This will at some point leave the question unanswered, if the Kunsthalle will then be an independent art institution, making it’s own decisions – as it should be.
For the construction of a new public city library some quarter of a Billion Euros will probably be needed. Currently it is completely unclear, where that money should come from – especially since the city of Berlin is rather broke. One could of course consider using the abandoned airport building – there should be enough space available for ten libraries (and a Kunsthalle) – above all since it’s the third largest building in the world. But…
And then there is of course also other projects lurking: the expansion of the airport Berlin Brandenburg International and the reconstruction of the Berlin castle construction of the Humbold-Forum are probably the two more imprtant ones, worth mentioning.
At this point I just HAVE to shed a tear over the demolished Palast der Republik (Palast of the Republic): it would have been roomy enough to host a library, a Kunsthalle AND a reunification museum AND another Kunsthalle – and maybe even additionally a restaurant. And it could have been the perfect spot for all this – beeing THE place where Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev held his famous “hurry up” speech and where the contracts for the reunification between East and West Germany were signed – but…
…instead the upcoming coalition between Conservatives and Social Democrats announced they wanted to support the Humbold-Forum project with all their power. Let’s hope that they actually don’t really mean it and instead first focus on other, more important projects.
see also:
tagesspiegel.de/berlin/landespolitik/rot-schwarz-baut-die-stadt…
In the last four days over 15 Firebombs were found near in seven different locations in and around Berlin. Only some went off, damaging technical equipment, disrupting rail traffic – but nobody got harmed. On the other hand tens of thousands of commuters are late on a daily basis – anger and frustration are on the rise. Especially since it seems to be quite unclear who placed these fireboms along the rails in the first place – and why.
Although there is actually claim of responsibility, signed by somebody/ a group named “Hekla”, pointing out “they” would protest against Germany’s involvement in the war-like activities in Afghanistan. But since nobody, not even left wing extremists seems to “get” the connection between war in Afghanistan and disruption of rail traffic, one has to doubt that these claims of responsibility are “real”.
The name “Hekla” however points in the direction of another incident, that took place earlier this year: a cable connection bridge was set on fire, destroying import cables providing not only railway infrastructure, but also phone and internet connections for thousands of Berlin households. Back then the claim of responsibility was also signed by a group that refered to an Icelandic vulcano: “Das Grollen des Eyjafjallajökull.” – which means something like “The rumbling of Eyjafjallajökull”. This name again refers to the disruption of plane traffice due to that Icelandic Vulcano in 2010.
Well. Whatever. Now the German national railway company Deutsche Bahn is even offering a 100000,- Euro reward for hints and clues that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrator/perpetrators. We’ll see if that is leading anywhere.
And by the way: I found it quite surprising that there seems to be no mentioning of the current incidents neither on the website of Deutsche Bahn, or on the website of S-Bahn-Berlin. I do understand that the companies would like to ignore those firebomb-incidents – but wouldn’t it be nice at least to inform their customers about disruptions and closed connection?
Instead the website of Berlin S-Bahn feature a large ad for the musical Dance of the Vampires at Theater des Westens and how to win tickets. Well – thank you very much, everybody..=/
First it seemed as if both sides had found a compromise regarding the expansion of the city autobahn A100 – a compromise that would have kept the Social Democrats and the Greens from loosing their face. But now this compromise appears to be a foul compromise – and both parties have a different interpretation of its meaning and its consequenses, hence both sides blame the other for not beeing willing to compromise on the topic. Currently a coalition between SPD and the Greens seems to be out of sight – at least if you are listening to what Berlins mayor Klaus Wowereit (SPD), the head of Berlins Social Democrats Party Michael Müller and the head of Berlins Green Party Volker Ratzmann say.
Well – usually, and especially in politics, things don’t have to be as bad as they seem. Maybe we are just witnessing two parting competing each other – and maybe the just want to make a good impression on the voters. Maybe they just “show off” how good they can fight – and in the end sign the coalition contract, the compromise anyways. Or maybe not.
It could actually also be that the green-red-idea is already doomed – and that instead today was the day the future city coulcil was formed, and the road was cleared for a coalition between the Censervative Party and the Social Democrats.. At least the hot topic Autobahn – or actually the expansion of the A100 would probably an “easier topic” for the CDU than for the Greens. But of course there are other probably even more important subjects for Berlins future – and we’ll soon find out if the Conservative Party and the SOcial Democrats will meet on common ground – or not. And maybe we can already today look forward for a potentially upcoming headline “Black-Red coalition talks fail at…” …=)
Today the 38th Berlin-Marathon is taking place – or actually it took place. For some runners the Marathon is already over, some others still have to rund a couple of kilometers before they can relax..
Patrick Makau from Kenia was first – again – and with just about two hours (2:03:38) he broke the world record. It seems the Berlin Marathon is becoming more and more one of the fastest Marathons. For Patrick Makau it is already the second time he wins in Berlin – also last year he came in first.
If you want to – or if you have to go through downtown Berlin today you’ll probably have to be a bit patient – vast areas of the city centre are closed. And the streets that are open might be packed. You should probably try to avoid the Marathon area – a map showing the route can be found on the event’s homepage:
www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com/veranstaltung/start-ziel-strecke.html
And if you just want to see some photos of the even you may want to have a look at this photo page over at Tagesspiegel..:)
www.tagesspiegel.de/mediacenter/fotostrecken/sport/berlin-marathon-2011/…