#342: Syrians celebrate, gas protest, Berghain @ 20
Cannabis crime down
Dear 20 Percent,
Thousands of Syrians have been celebrating on the streets and squares of Berlin since the fall of the Assad regime.
BAMF, Germany’s agency for migration and refugees, said Monday it was suspending all decisions on the asylum status of 47,000 Syrians in Germany. Around 1 million Syrians have come to Germany over the last decade.
Within hours of the news coming out of Damascus, right-of-center politicians were suggesting ways of getting Syrians to return to their home country.
In an interview with RTL TV, Jens Spahn (CDU) said: “How about the German government saying: ‘Anyone who wants to return to Syria, we'll charter planes for them and give them a grant of 1,000 euros.’”
No need to repeat the heartless crap the AFD has been tweeting. You can easily imagine.
There’s a national election in February, so it’s no surprise pols are shamelessly using this extraordinary, historic event as a campaign opportunity.
Meanwhile, the Lutheran bishop of Berlin, Christian Stäblein, stated the obvious: “Syria is not a safe country, even after the end of the Assad dictatorship.”
So let’s cool it with the demands to send Syrians back to Syria. Many, many refugees have made Germany their home. They’ve got jobs, families, friends. Some have taken on citizenship.
More news below.
Maurice
Fury at fossil fuel forum
Tuesday morning, around 300 climate activists attempted to block the entrance to the Adlon Hotel in Mitte. The luxury hotel near the Brandenburg Gate is hosting a conference on liquid natural gas, the World LNG Summit. The protest was organised by Ende Gelände, a group that primarily mobilises against Germany’s practice of mining dirty lignite coal. Full disclosure, I attended a couple of those protests against the filthiest fossil fuel on the planet. When it comes to LNG it’s not so clear-cut: Europe has had to rapidly wean itself off of Russian gas — and Germany insisted on shutting down its last nuclear power plants🤷 — and renewables just can’t cover all our energy needs yet.
Cannabis crimes crash
Since Germany sorta legalised cannabis in April, the number of weed-related crimes reported by Berlin cops has plummeted. The number of offences from April to October fell from to 1,685, compared to 5,315 in the same period last year. Most offences involved illicit trafficking or illicit possession. Under the new law, people are allowed to cultivate a small number of cannabis plants, found cannabis grow-clubs and carry up to 25g — but not smoke the stuff in the vicinity of schools, playgrounds or daycare centres. Buying and selling the drug is still verboten.
Big Berghain bash
Nothing quite stands for the Berlin of the early 21st century more than the three-story super-club. Who would have thought Berghain, known for its stripped down bunker aesthetic, dedication to minimal techno, libertine vibes and famously inscrutable chief bouncer, Sven Marquardt, would have lasted so long? Anyway, there’s a special anniversary Clubnacht that kicks off Friday. Good luck getting in.
Events this week, selected by The Next Day Berlin
🎥 SloVision – Slowenische Filmtage in Berlin
Thursday, 12.12 - Sunday, 15.12. SPUTNIK Kino, Kreuzberg. Tickets: €6.05/€11.
Six Slovenian films showcase themes from identity to conspiracy, blending personal and political. Highlights: existential thrillers, road trip nostalgia, and intimate explorations of illness, memory, and history. Curated by Bernd Buder. (OmUeng)
🎸 SO SOON
Thursday, 12.12, 8:30 pm. Kantine am Berghain, Rüdersdorfer Str. 70, 10243 Berlin. Tickets: €19.70.
Melancholic indie pop, folk, and electronica from 🎧 So Soon capture Berlin's winter mood with introspective melodies—an ideal soundtrack for cold, gray days.
⚓ Outer Place
Friday, 13.12, 11 pm - 11 am. Hoppetosse, Eichenstrasse 4, 12435 Berlin. Tickets: €18.10.
A night of electro and dub techno headlined by 🎧 Detroit In Effect, delivering raw, unfiltered grooves on the most sought-after boat of Berlin's winter season. The line-up features 🎧 Gwenan, 🎧 Dea, and Ma.to. It is an irresistible lineup for dancefloor enthusiasts.
🪩 Justice
Saturday, 14.12, 8 pm. Max-Schmeling-Halle, Am Falkpl. 1, 10437 Berlin. Tickets: €63.22/€68.97.
I have to admit I’m not a big fan of Justice’s new album 🎧 “Hiperdrama,” but I was a huge fan of the duo and headbanged a lot to their music. Plus, their shows are always visually stunning. It’s on the list for nostalgia.
🎄 Merry Markthalle
Sunday, 15.12 & 22.12, 11 am - 6 pm. Markthalle Neun, Eisenbahnstr. 42/43, 10997 Berlin.
Indoor Christmas market with artisan goods, handmade treats, and festive vibes. From cheese fondue to natural wine, panettone to ceramics—perfect for gifting or indulging.
Germany-wide news
🛂 Germany pauses asylum applications for Syrians after fall of Assad
🤝 Germany-UK deal over people-smuggling
📊 Economy expected to grow by only 0.1% next year
👩💻 Should the German state adopt open source?
🎭 Can Germany still afford to fund culture?
Factoid
OK so it’s not a Berlin-specific factoid but marijuana was criminalized on this day in 1929 as part of a broader law to regulate narcotics. Politicians began to reign in the excesses of the waning Weimar Republic, including the use of cannabis. It remained verboten until this year (and may very well become verboten again should the CDU gain power in February’s looming election).
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