#268: No more train strikes, flats in office space, stores closed Easter
Germany's vigilante traffic warden paid us visit
Dear 20 Percent,
It’s Easter week. People with kids are on holiday or just stocking up on chocolate. The news cycle slows down a little. Which doesn’t mean interesting stuff doesn’t happen.
For example, the self-proclaimed Anzeigenmauptmeister (chief ticketing officer) was in town. Also known as Niclas Matthei, the 18-year-old became famous overnight this winter when news show Spiegel TV profiled him and his über-German hobby: reporting parking (and other) violations to the Ordnungsamt, which he did Monday in the Hauptstadt. Niclas, who heralds from Gräfenhainchen in Saxony-Anhalt, has made it his mission to visit every single German municipality and report at least one violation per city. He claims to have sent in more than 4,000 reports across the country — and generated more than €140,000 in fines.
Here he is on YouTube:
On Monday, he arrived by train at Südkreuz, rode to Neukölln and then to Gesundbrunnen, reporting several infractions and making selfies with fans, police and Ordnungsamt officers on the way. Not everyone’s a fan: he gets a lot of online abuse and earlier this month he had to be treated for a cranial contusion in hospital after being attacked by a group of men on a train in Saxony-Anhalt.
As a cyclist, I’m impressed by Anzeigenhauptmeister’s resolve to report poorly parked cars. But that’s not the whole story. He’s been known to call the police on people vacuuming or gardening on Sundays — reflecting one of the less positive aspects of life in Germany. I’m not sure what to make of him, though — I just hope he stays safe while completing his project. What do you think?
More new below!
Maurice
PS: Many thanks to our sponsor, digital insurance provider Feather. More from them below!
Stores closed Friday and Monday
Supermarkets will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday (and Sunday because it’s Sunday). Stock up by Thursday! But if you don’t, here’s our handy list of what’s open when nothing’s open.
Want to get real about learning German? Check out SmarterGerman, an online learning platform created by BerlinerMichael Schmitz. Take advantage of their Easter Sale and sign up with the code ALLEGGSINONEBASKET for 20% off on any course. Valid through April 1 only.
No more train strikes!
After six strikes in recent weeks, the GDL train drivers union and Deutsche Bahn have reached a deal over pay and working times, reports RBB. I’m not going to bore you with the details because none have been released. The thing is: no more DB strikes and that includes the S-Bahn, which is operated by DB.
New flats in empty offices?
Real estate agency Jones Lang Lasalle estimates 2,500 new flats with an average size of 65m²could be created by converting unrented office space in Berlin. Head of the firm’s Berlin branch, Anja Schuhmann, told Berliner Zeitung that “converting office space that is no longer needed into residential space alone cannot solve the current housing shortage but it can be a building block in combating the housing shortage.” The Senat wants to build 20,000 new units per year and, according to Schuhmann, around 1.19 million m² of office space lie vacant in the city.
A few Easter week culture tips from our friends at The Next Day Berlin:
Concert: Space,
Thu, 28.03, 8:30. KM28, Karl-Marx-Straße 28, Neukölln. Donation based.
Space is a piano trio based in Stockholm that plays 🎧 free jazz channeling the American free jazz tradition and contemporary classical music.
Party: LSDXOXO: Delusions of Grandeur
Friday, 29.03, 8:30 pm - 1 am. Trauma Bar und Kino, Heidestrasse 50, Mitte. Tickets: €19.65.
From radical techno to Baltimore club, his influences span club cultures. With pop and rap hooks, his EPs skyrocketed him to fame. With a stellar remix and collaboration roster, LSDXOXO is set to shine on stage, teasing an eagerly awaited 2024 album. 🎧 Delusions of Grandeur
Park Dance + Picnic by Meditanzion
Sunday, 31.03, 1 - 4 pm. Tempelhofer Feld at this location. Donation Based: Suggested €10-25
Welcome spring this weekend with an outdoor gathering on the Feld: community dancing, singing, jamming, and picnicking. Don’t forget to bring food for the picnic and musical instruments if you have one.
For more subscribe to The Next Day Berlin.
Factoid
Construction of this controversial memorial to German unity, known as the “unity seesaw”, in front of the Humboldt Forum has been delayed indefinitely because the firm building the 120-tonne steel structure has gone bankrupt. The government now has to find a new supplier to finish the project via a public tender.
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snitches get stitches
He should try snitching on people for daring breathe on Sundays