#484: First female coach, illegal ads, May 1 demo
Berlin to encourage sustainable travel
Dear 20 Percent,
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News below.
Maurice
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Illegal Lieferando ads
Usually, it’s just drug dealers with a QR code linking to a Telegram account or sketchy used car sellers that cover lampposts and fences with illegal advertising. But this time it’s a large company: Food delivery app Lieferando has been busted hanging up posters across Mitte, according to BZ. Advertising on lampposts is verboten — except for political campaign ads before elections, posters promoting citizen’s referendums and circuses (because of their long history in Berlin!). A spokesperson for Mitte said: “The Ordnungsamt has already launched an investigation. As this is an ongoing case, we are unable to provide any further details. The standard fine for illegal flyposting is 200 euros.” Liederando, which can probably shoulder that fine easily, says it has begun taking down the posters.
Berlin copies sustainable travel concept
Visit Berlin says it’s launching its new BerlinPay programme this summer, a copy of the CopenPay scheme pioneered by the Danish capital. BerlinPay will gamify people’s stay and nudge tourists to perform virtuous tasks like cleaning up trash or getting engaged in a social projects. Visitors can earn little rewards or discounts at partner companies. This year the focus will be on “water tourism” — and here I can wholeheartedly recommend Green Kayak (another idea that began in Copenhagen), where you get to paddle in the Spree River for free if you promise to pick trash out of the water. Really fun!
May day demo route
In Berlin, the kids get to play revolution once a year — one of the things that makes Kreuzberg so fun and liveable. The organisers behind the “Revolutionary May 1st Demo” have announced the route of the traditional and often rowdy anarcho-leftist-antifacist May Day march. It begins, as usual, on Oranienplatz, weaves its way through SO36 and northern Neukölln, ending at Südkreuz. The route deliberately passes Görlitzer Park. The organisers are not happy about the park being closed at night and have promised “actions” on May 1. Maybe park your Tesla elsewhere that day.
Events this week, curated by The Next Day Berlin
🎭 Leila Hekmat: Roses Rising – The Dinner
Wed- Sat, 15-18.04, 8 pm (Friday at 7 pm). HAU1, Stresemannstraße 29, Kreuzberg. €15-38
Four guests at a decadent dinner table, hopes for collective action unraveling into delusion. Handcrafted costumes, live music, baroque satire.
🎸 The Twilight Sad
Thursday, 16.04, 8 pm. Gretchen, Obentrautstraße 19–21, Kreuzberg. €35.
Scottish duo James Graham and Andy MacFarlane present It's The Long Goodbye, their first album on Mogwai's Rock Action label. Visceral guitar rock built around dark subject matter and a rare kind of catharsis.
🖼️ Affordable Art Fair Berlin
Thu–Sun 16–19.04. Arena Berlin, Eichenstraße 4, Alt-Treptow. €15–22
If you want to browse, not just look. Works under €10,000, 70+ galleries.
⚛️ Echoes in Orbit
Friday, 17.04, 9:30 – 11 pm. Zeiss Großplanetarium, Prenzlauer Allee 80, Prenzlauer Berg. €29
Live microscopy showing fluids, particles, and physical processes filmed in real time via ZEISS optics and projected across the full dome. Tara Nome Doyle (voice) and Sofi Paez (electronics) perform alongside. 90 minutes.
🪩 REEF 10 YEARS
Friday, 17.04, 10 pm – 6 am. Berghain / Panorama Bar, Am Wriezener Bahnhof 70, Friedrichshain. €25-27
Ten years of Reef end this year, three editions left after tonight. Calibre, RP Boo, Skee Mask, Dangermami, Marylou, Siete Catorce. The event series that tracked the intersection of UK bass, IDM, and techno is now in its final stretch.
🍺 🥨 Germany-wide news 🥨 🍺
⛽ Government announces fuel tax cut and tax-free worker bonus
😬 The AfD’s radical manifesto for Saxony-Anhalt
🖕Germans see decline in public manners
😬 Merz’s reactionary culture guy
Factoid
Marie-Louise Eta has been promoted to head coach of eastside football team 1. FC Union Berlin, becoming the first ever female coach of a men’s Bundesliga squad — and the first woman to coach a men’s football team in the the top-five European leagues. Unsurprisingly, Eta has been targetted by sexist abuse online since her appointment. Union’s Head of Football Horst Held had her back: “We have 100 percent confidence in Louise, complete conviction. I find it insane that we have to deal with this [sexism] in this day and age. We’re talking about a highly competent leader here, and you can be sure that everyone here at Union, whether in the stands or within the club itself, stands 100 percent behind this decision.” Eta will hold the post at least until the end of the season. She was given the top job after the sacking of Steffen Baumgart in the wake of a 3-1 loss to FC Heidenheim on Saturday. Union hasn’t had a great season, and are just 11th in the Bundesliga.
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