History Prenzlauer Berg
kastanienallee squat in 1990
in interim between peaceful revolution brought down wall in 1989 , consolidation of united germany began year later, many 39 wilhelmine apartment houses squatted in prenzlauer berg alone. focal points areas around kastanienallee, teutoburger platz , helmholtzplatz (locally known lsd-borough initials of 3 main thoroughfares lychener- schliemann- , dunckerstraße). first ones move in young grassroots activists prenzlauer berg in search of radical democratic alternatives state-socialism of gdr. joined young anarchists west-berlin , other parts of germany , set countless collective projects ranging bicycle workshops community soup kitchens. of squats contributed cultural life of borough venues concerts, poetry slams, , underground movie screenings. came under attack neonazi skinheads , football hooligans. while many squats cleared out police 1998, inhabitants entered contracts city , able stay on.
most of prenzlauer berg s urban apartment blocks had belonged state-owned housing associations of gdr. after reunification entered massive privatization scheme , bought private investors raised rents. has led many original residents no longer able afford elevated living expenses being replaced more affluent newcomers.
historic buildings wasserturm (water tower), near kollwitzplatz, or prater beer garden in kastanienallee, former brewery in schönhauser allee/sredzkystraße still give impression of days when prenzlauer berg part of so-called steinernes berlin (berlin of stone) described author werner hegemann in 1930.
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