I went to see Norma at the Berlin Staatsoper Unter den Linden and couldn’t take the bus from the Brandenburger Tor (Gate) station, where my local train stopped. There was a demonstration planned, and the police had blocked off the main drag, which is Unter den Linden (Under the Lindewn Trees). No bus, so we had to walk. It’s not a long way, lovely sunlit evening and we had plenty of time to pick up my Press ticket. Demos, as they are known here are common in Berlin and everybody knows how they usually go and adjusts. Turns out this one started at the Staatsoper, so when we got there people were already chanting. It also turns out that this production of Norma started with the recorded sounds of crowds chanting, so inside and outside had a certain symetry. Very Berlin.
This week May Day is coming and there will be more. Many things have changed, especially since ‘die Corona Zeiten’, as the Covid pandemic was known here, so it will be interesting to see what happens. When I first lived here there used to be some pretty wild stuff. Kreuzberg, which has gotten trendy and expensive, used to have some pretty good riots on May Day, with cars and trash cans set afire. It borders what was then East Berlin ad was home to squatters, hippies, artists and political activists. Especially bak in the early 70’s areas like Kreuzberg and Fredrickshain were very run down but housing was scarce so many ‘alternativ’ folks moved into abandoned buildings there and started a citywide movement which eventually involved governmental policy. Trendy and gentrified as they have become, urban grunge is part of their appeal, and expensive bistros exist around the corner from hangouts for ‘types’ looking for their next mark.
It’ll be quite an indicator of Berliner ‘tradition’ to see if the “Autonome” and others are still around and up to their old tricks on May Day night.