Radio Spaetkauf Berlin

More than 200 Berlin police officers have been sent home from the G20 summit in Hamburg early after some were caught partying in their quarters. They were observed drinking and dancing on tables with their weapons, pissing in a row against a fence, and one couple was seen having sex in public. What might be standard behaviour for some Berliners was not acceptable in Hamburg. Berlin’s fascination with its captive bears continues. Two adult pandas have arrived from China. Meng Meng and Jiao Qing will be on display in a fancy new enclosure at the Zoo Berlin from July 7. Berlin’s gay pride parade, also known as Christopher Street Day or CSD, is happening on July 22. But there won’t be any Alternative CSD in Kreuzberg this year as the organizing team broke apart in a dispute. A replacement DIY picnic on Mariannenplatz was also cancelled after its Facebook event got too popular. This episode was presented by Joel Dullroy and Jöran Mandik.

New York has its Highline Park. Should Berlin have a lowline bike path under the U1 tracks? We interview a team member behind the idea for the U1 Radbahn. There’s controversy over plans to rename some streets in Wedding, where a citizen’s jury trying to replace German colonialist names somehow selected the name of a slave trader instead. Our guest Kilian Flad tells us about the revisionist history of street names. And our friend Konrad Werner is back to talk about whether Germany has an equivalent to Jeremy Corbyn in the coming federal election.

There's been a spate of mysterious dog deaths around the Tegeler See. The cause is unclear - either a dog hater leaving poisoned food, or a bloom of dangerous blue algae in the water. Swimmers are also advised to avoid the Tegeler See, Berlin's second biggest lake. It has been almost a year since a new law was introduced forcing dog owners to carry a plastic poop bag or face a €35 fine. But so far not a single fine has been issued. The law's vague description of "suitable material" for poop collection could be at fault. There's a debate over whether a crucifix should be placed on top of the dome of the new Stadtschloss, or Humboldt Forum. Another suggestion is to install the word "Zweifel" (doubt) on the building. Joel's preference? No cross, no doubt, no Stadschloss at all. Come along to our next live recording, Sunday June 18, 17.30, at the Comedy Cafe Neukölln. This episode was presented by Jöran Mandik and Joel Dullroy, and brought to you by RadioEins.

Only 26% of Berliners get around by car, a survey found. The rest walk, ride or use public transport. Those who take buses should be aware - the BVG has announced that it is looking for a security company to start checking tickets on buses, starting November 1. That’s because the city government wants the BVG to allow passengers to board buses through the rear doors to speed up departures. Berlin’s first-league football team Hertha BSC are unhappy with their home ground, the Olympiastadion, which they say is too big to create an energetic atmosphere. Now the mayor Michael Müller says the city would agree to reconstruct the Olympiastadion to extend seats to the edge of the field to keep Hertha happy. It could cost €160 million and push out athletic events. Karneval der Kulturen is on this weekend. The street festival runs from June 2 to 5, while the main parade is on Sunday June 4, moving from Hermannplatz to Yorckstraße. This episode was presented by Joel Dullroy and Daniel Stern, and brought to you by RadioE

The new TV series 4 Blocks depicts Arabic criminal networks in Neukölln. But fiction isn't far off fact. We interview 4 Blocks writer Hanno Hackford about the real stories behind the show. You can see the show on TNT, or watch it with English subtitles at Mobile Kino. Are you scared of lakes? Can't join in the summer trips to Brandenburg? Author Jessica J. Lee decided to get over her fear of still water by swimming in a different lake every week, including winter. She joins us to give her tips on how to brave the cold. You can find her articles at: http://www.slowtravelberlin.com/wild-swimming-in-berlin/ Berlin's months-old Lidl Bike shared cycle system has deteriorated quickly due to vandalism, leaving Joel disappointed in his fellow citizens. The new rival Nextbike system has now launched, as have a new category of shared transport - shuttle buses. One shuttle company promises to get you from Rosenthaler Platz to Kottbusser Tor for €0.25. In airport news, Sixt car rental company is being fined €30,000 for i

The official Mietspiegel rent index has been released. Average prices grew by 9.6% in the last two years, twice as much as during the previous review. The Mietspiegel determines how much landlords can charge. The City Hostel in central Berlin has been ordered to shut down because of its ties to North Korea. The hostel is next door to the North Korean embassy, which since 2004 has rented out the building for €38,000 a month. The German Foreign Ministry has ordered the hostel to close or face fines for breaching UN sanctions. The hostel operator says they will fight the order and are still taking bookings. Berlin S-Bahn ticket machines were caught in the global computer virus Wanna Cry. Many ticket machines across the city were malfunctioning for several days due to the malware. Passengers might not have noticed as S-Bahn machines are hard to use at the best of times. A project to make the Spree swimmable is progressing. The Verein Flussbad is installing a 42-meter barge near Museuminsel to test a water filtrat

This year's May Day party/protest attracted 200,000 people to Kreuzberg 36, including 10,000 demonstrators and 5,000 police. But there were hardly any public toilets outside the official Myfest area. Where people supposed to pee? Holding the door open on the S-Bahn can be injurious to your body and wallet. A young man was dragged 50 metres along the Brandenburger Tor train platform after sticking his hand in a closing door. He could also be fined or jailed. A medical research project has applied to distribute marijuana to 25,000 Berliners to test its effects. The Forschungsinitiative Cannabis would give 30 grams of weed a month to each participant. Smokers ignorant about data privacy can register online. But the study probably won't happen since its chief scientist recently quit as the study wasn't scientific enough. This episode was presented by Jöran Mandik and Daniel Stern, and brought to you by RadioEins.

The landmark Neues Kreuzberger Zentrum at Kottbusser Tor will be purchased by the Berlin city government, snatching it from the hands of private investors. The NKZ - the giant 70s construction that bridges Adalbertstraße - will be bought by the city's own housing company Gewobag for €56.5 million. It is the first major example of the government buying back large tracts of housing from the open market to balance property prices. Why is the metal sculpture in front of the Volksbühne Theater about to disappear? Konrad Werner tells us about departing intendant Frank Carstoff's decision to take the circular "Rad" with him when he begrudgingly departs. Listen to Konrad's own podcast News des Nachrichtens: https://soundcloud.com/newsdesnachrichtens Why do the escalators at Kottbusser Tor U-Bahn station run British style, with traffic on the left? Wouter Bernhardt talks about his discoveries on the U1 line. Listen to Wouter's own podcast Walrus and the Bear: http://viertausendhertz.de/walrus-and-the-bear/ Think you'r

S-Bahn or U-Bahn? Take the U-Bahn if you like free Wi-Fi and fare evading. Figures from the Berlin Senat show the S-Bahn prosecuted over 35,000 repeat ticket cheaters in 2016, three times as many as the BVG. The S-Bahn checked 8.5 million passenger tickets, while the BVG only checked 5 million. Don’t try it if you want a career in education. A young Berlin man has been denied a career as a teacher because his potential employer ran a police background check and found he had been caught riding public transport with a fake ticket. A labour court upheld the school's decision. After the spectacular gold coin robbery at the Bode Museum, here’s another break-in. On Easter Sunday police responded to an alarm at the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf Bürgeramt and caught two men in the building, while a third man escaped. Police said the burglars were trying to steal paper forms. Barack Obama will be visiting Berlin and will give a public address at the Brandenburger Tor on May 25. He’ll be on stage with Angela Merkel at an

Berliners will get to vote on whether to keep Tegel open after the campaign to save the airport collected enough signatures to trigger a referendum. But even if Berlin votes yes in September, it doesn’t mean that Tegel will actually stay open due to complicated legal reasons. The past March was one of the warmest in recorded history, at an average temperature of 8 degrees. The winter was also unusually warm. Bee-keepers in Berlin and Brandenburg are reporting that 40% of their hives have died as a result, due to the growth of the varroa destructor parasite. Want to take a ride on Berlin's first cable car? Head along to the International Garten Ausstellung, opening in Marzahn on April 13. The 1.5km cable car will transport guests into the garden show, and is free to ride with a ticket to the IGA. It also gives a great view of the socialist Plattenbauten of East Berlin. More here: https://iga-berlin-2017.de If you haven’t yet, have a listen to our last hour-long live show. We had a great interview with a restau

Restauranteur Clare D'Orsay is a victim of anti-gentrification violence. She has been unfairly targeted by protesters angry about the potential eviction of Cafe Filou in Kreuzberg. Her restaurant Vertikal is next door. On this show Clare talks about the attacks against her business at the hands of misguided protesters. Clare says she's been spat at, pushed to the ground and had her windows smashed by an organized group for being a foreigner opening a nice looking restaurant. Investors Charles Skinner also joined the show to announce he's reached an agreement with Cafe Filou and will allow them to stay. Mr. Skinner said he decided to renew the contract after appeals from Green party politician Hans-Christian Ströble and Ms. D'Orsay. "In the end we saw reason," Mr. Skinner said. Maisie is one of 480 British citizens trying to apply for a German passport to ensure she can stay after Brexit. Unsurprisingly she's run into bureaucratic hurdles. Mark Whiley from Forward Britain joined the show to talk about what des

Hang on to your wallet on the U6 and U8. Crime stats show they’re the hottest U-Bahn lines for pickpockets. While wallet theft is up, crime rates in Berlin have remained stable - not bad, since the city is growing. Bicycle activists have long complained that Berlin’s €10 parking fines are too cheap. Now a study has found it costs the city €10.38 to process a parking ticket. Should the city charge more, or give up issuing fines? Strikes are continuing at Berlin airports, where workers are demanding an immediate €1 pay rise per hour, while ground service companies are offering €0.27 a year over three years. Ryanair has escalated the situation by flying in a plane load of Irish strike breakers. Hear more about drama at the BER airport at our next live show at 5.30pm, Sunday March 19 at the Comedy Cafe Berlin in Neukölln. This episode was hosted by Jöran Mandik and Daniel Stern, and presented by RadioEins.

Ever wanted to make a citizen's arrest? Don't try it in Berlin. A local politician attempted to rally an U-Bahn carriage to help detain an alleged pickpocket, but was ignored by his fellow U8 passengers. New fatter U-Bahn carriages are now being rolled out on some lines. The new model type is nicknamed the "Icke." That name has nothing to do with David Icke, the conspiracy theorist whose speaking event was recently cancelled by Berlin's Maritim Hotel, which has declared itself politically neutral. Ever wanted to try out stand-up comedy? Dan is hosting a new open mike called Slingshot! held each Wednesday at Kupfer Bar in Mitte. He'll even give you a few tips. This episode was presented by Maisie Hitchcock and Daniel Stern, and brought to you by RadioEins.

How to make Berlin's buses run faster? The city has set up a taskforce to come up with ideas. One of them is to allow passengers to board on the rear doors to save time. The BVG doesn't like the plan. Our own Dan Stern has a few suggestions for the taskforce, one involving the to-be-constructed Wippe see-saw monument. Two major transport tunnel projects are delayed due to groundwater flooding - no surprise, since Berlin is built on a swamp. The S21 connection between Gesundbrunnen and Hauptbahnhof, and the U5 extension under Museuminsel are both experiencing water problems. Again, Dan has a suggestion - an underground ferry system. Berlin's latest anti-gentrification protest is against the eviction of Cafe Filou, a French bakery in Kreuzberg being kicked out by British investors who don't like the croissants. Could more of these kinds of investors be on their way to Berlin with the planned relocation of Lloyd's bank to the German capital? Radio Spaetkauf is a listener-supported podcast. If you like the show,

Berlin workers go on strike! Airport staff shut down Tegel and Schönefeld terminals on Feb 8 demanding a pay rise from €11 to €12 hour. Kindergarten staff went on strike on Feb 15, causing every second kita to close. They're seeking equal pay with Brandenburg kita workers, who get up to €400 more per month. Berlin is to get a new monument that is more like an amusement ride. The so-called Wippe, or see-saw, will be a moving platform that is supposed to reflect the motion of democracy. Federal politicians finally agreed to fund the Wippe after years of back and forth. No fixed opening date has been announced. The famous Berghain nightclub will open a new dance floor on March. Called Säule, it will feature dark experimental electronic music, and provide the club with space to squeeze in more guests. Come to our next live show! It's on Sunday Feb 19, 17.30, at the Comedy Cafe Berlin in Neukölln. Entry is free. This episode was presented by Jöran Mandik and Joel Dullroy, and brought to you by RadioEins.

German federal police carried out an undercover sting targeting ticket inspectors on the Berlin S-Bahn. Five inspectors were busted fining tourists and pocketing the cash. If you're caught, ask for inspectors' ID and always get a receipt! Six months in prison for smoking on your balcony? A Hellersdorf woman has been ordered by a court to not smoke outside between 8pm and 6am, or face a fine or jail time. Her 20 cigarettes a night were bothering her neighbour. Fritz is the new Knut. Tierpark's 3-month polar bear cub has been named Fritz, short for Friedrich, which intones peace. He's half Russian. Event tip: Australian musician Darren Cross writes songs inspired by Berlin. He's playing a silent concert at Ofen Bar on Feb 7, where you wear headphones to hear the music. More here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1079325368844281/ This episode was presented by Maisie Hitchcock and Daniel Stern, and brought to you by RadioEins.

How big is Berlin's marijuana market? We interview podcaster Diane Arapovich who investigated the weed economy and found Berlin is the greenhouse of northern Europe, supplying even Amsterdam. Listen to her full German language podcast Die Stadt und Das Gras for more: http://www.radioeins.de/archiv/podcast/die_stadt_und_das_gras.html Was it fair for Andrej Holm to be fired from Humboldt University, just days after resigning under pressure because of his brief Stasi past? Joel and guest Konrad Werner think not. The academic has spent his adult life fighting to make housing affordable for poor people, a career that surely redeems his youthful error. This year marks the end of an era at Berlin's Volksbühne Theater. Long-time intendant Frank Castorf will be replaced by Tate Modern director Chris Dearcon. Konrad Werner explains why the Berlin theater scene is upset over the switch. You've got until summer to get along to Volksbühne and catch one of the last Castorf productions. Radio Spaetkauf needs your support! W

Berlin’s R2G coalition is in crisis after the mayor Michael Müller (SPD) forced the resignation of Andrej Holm, who had been picked by Die Linke as the city’s housing secretary. The sociologist was a controversial choice due to his radical anti-investor ideas, and also because when he was 18 years old he trained to become an officer for the Stasi, the secret police of East Germany. Holm has also now been fired from Humboldt University for failing to fully declare his Stasi past. Was it fair? Listen to our next live recording for a full discussion. The KaDeWe department store has been robbed yet again. On January 14 axe-wielding bandits broke through the doors, smashed glass cabinets and stole jewelry. In robbers held up KaDeWe during opening hours and sprayed teargas as they stole €800,000 worth of expensive watches. And in 2009, burglars broke in and stole jewelry worth €2 million. Evidence from a dropped glove led to the arrest of a pair of twins, but neither could convicted as their DNA was too similar. Po

The new year started in Berlin with 16 people hospitalized from fireworks injuries. The number of emergency calls was down by 12%. If you think Berlin was chaotic, in Paris more than 650 cars were set on fire. Last month video footage of a man kicking a woman in an U-Bahn station led to a suspect’s arrest. Since then police have been releasing a steady stream of images from attacks and robberies. Previously, they were reluctant to do so for privacy and legal reasons. Even the mayor Michael Müller has changed his mind about video surveillance. He says he’s now open to more cameras in public places. The BSR will be collecting old Christmas trees from January 7 until January 20. You can find a full list of districts and dates here: http://bit.ly/2hTqQu4 In case you’re wondering what happens to old trees, they get used as biofuel to power the city, and are given to elephants at the zoo to eat. Come along to our next live show on Sunday January 22, 6pm, at the Comedy Cafe Berlin. This show was presented by Joel Du

Following the terrible Christmas market truck incident at Breitscheidplatz, all other markets were told to keep their music down. Does staying quiet actually achieve anything? We're going to carry on enjoying Gluhwein rather than respond with fear. What's changing in Berlin in 2017? We'll get an extra public holiday, pay more for public transport, and get a small raise in hourly rates - unless you're a freelancer. Looking for something to do over the Christmas break? Why not volunteer at a refugee shelter. Find one near you at www.volunteer-planner.org. Thanks for listening to Radio Spaetkauf in 2016! This episode is presented by Joel Dullroy and Maisie Hitchcock, and is brought to you by RadioEins, Berlin's public broadcaster.