Possible one of the best known artists’ collectives in Berlin, Kunsthaus Tacheles attracts many visitors every year with their huge range of activitites. From the Zapata café, via shops selling art from independent artists to artists with their workshop in the garden behind the house. There’s a vast amount of things to see here at any time of day: it’s open throughout the night, too. For now.
It might however become the victim of rising rents and renovation projects. As the lease with the owner of the property ended back in 2008, the future of the complex is far from certain. On April 4th, 2011, the property will be sold on auction. Whom the owner will be after that, let alone what its plans with the property are, are not known. It can only be hoped that the future owner will recognize the values of the collective, which bases its activities on a non-profit system, relying on donations and sales to keep things going.
The property itself was built as a department store back in 1909, with entrances at both Oranienburger Straße as well as Friedrichstraße. From 1928 on, the complex was used for exhibitions by German producer AEG to showcase their technical appliances and was host of the first television broadcast worldwide in the 30s. With the rise of the Nazi-party, the building was put to use by some of its institutions, including the SS, whom used the upper floor as a prison. By the end of the Second World War, the building was heavily damaged from air raids.
Although large parts of the building remained standing, the complex was largely unused due to the political division of the city, with its owner, AEG, being in the west and the complex in East-Berlin. During the years, some shops, a travel agency as well as a cinema took residence in the complex, but in the 80s large parts of the building were demolished in favor of a new road connecting the two streets, with the current building left standing, to be demolished as well on a later stage.
The artist’s collective ‘Tacheles’ occupied the building two months prior to the planned demolition of the remaining section in April 1990 and slowly developed the complex to what is now one of Berlin’s most famous centers for independent art. Although it has been marked as a historical landmark in 1992, the future now is perhaps more uncertain than ever and we can only hope in the years to come, more visitors will be able to visit this unique complex.
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Hackescher Markt, it’s conveniently located, no matter where you’re coming from. Once you get in, you can pick a seat in any of the various rooms, each with a different feel to it. Be aware though, the mock cobblestones might prove to be an obstacle if you’re wearing heels. This really is a nice place to sit down and have a chat with a friend, or a group of friends.