Berlin should retain its soul

The German capital is a place in flux, very much in danger of making several of the mistakes that have made London so unattractive

elix Petersen, managing director of Samsung Next Europe, reportedly says that his company will not set up its headquarters in London. It’s just “not a fun place to live unless you are really rich”, is the rationale. Instead, Petersen and colleagues will set up shop in Berlin, hoping to find a home that is both far more enjoyable and affordable. As a Berliner, I can give Petersen some idea of what he can expect.

One can see why Petersen’s eye might settle on Berlin, for it has long been seen as a centre for tech start-ups, with its lower costs allowing them to recruit and retain young talent. Samsung’s arrival may mark a greater maturity of that market, allowing younger companies to rebase in a capital more easily accessible than London or San Francisco. Petersen and colleagues will find much to love in Berlin. There are parks, lakes and forests within a short train ride, nightclubs on which the sun never sets. There are theatres, food markets, streets of endless bars. Yet, Petersen should know that Berlin, though still a wonderful place to live, is not as much fun as it once was. Gentrification — in which I, as a newcomer, am complicit — is occurring at lightning speed.

A few minutes down the road from me, one of the most popular local bars was closed after a succession of legal notices from residents who moved into a vibrant area and then complained that it was all too loud downstairs. And though the local authorities recently introduced rent controls, the property prices are soaring there.

Older residents tell me that the search for a flat, which once would last just a few days, can now take many months. As you turn up to view it, there may be dozens if not hundreds of other hopefuls. Berlin, in short, is a victim of its own popularity. We are fortunate enough to live in a place where people travel to relax and to party. They have been joined of late by new young faces, decamping from different parts of the United Kingdom in advance of Brexit. Last year, a banner draped from a local building dubbed them “Brefugees”.

Whenever I mention Brexit to my German friends, I see shaken heads, hear incredulous laughter, or — worst of all — receive sympathetic smiles. Many of them speak two or three languages, learned through the school system. They can’t believe that Britain has voluntarily removed the right of its young people to live, work and love where they choose. But Berlin is also a place in flux, very much in danger of making several of the mistakes that have made London so unattractive to Samsung. In Kottbusser Tor — an area, incidentally, where Turkish food is second to none — it looks as though dozens of local families will have to relocate at the behest of developers.

Andrej Holm, for years the city’s leading anti-gentrification activist, was sacked in January from his role as Berlin’s housing minister, in a move seen by many as being politically motivated. Of late, too, the city has lost some of its liberal sheen, with the far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) party having claimed 14 per cent of the vote in the local elections. This was largely due to the arrival of 900,000 refugees in Germany in 2015 — a backlash that proved that, as ever, some expats are more welcome in Europe than others.

Significant racial issues are still to be addressed. As Samsung becomes the latest economic migrant to blend into the landscape seeking a fun, affordable lifestyle it cannot find in London, there’s thinking for Berliners to do as well. Maybe this is a good time for Berliners to seriously consider protecting the things that make Berlin special. Musa Okwonga is a poet who lives in Berlin.

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