The History of the Berlin Club Scene

To highlight the Berlin club scene that has been such an influence on Isa Genzken’s work, The Nasher asked Monica Salazar, an American expat and the co-Editor-in-Chief of the online art magazine Berlin Art Link, to give some insight into the fabled nightlife of the German capital.

By day they appear as rundown warehouses, abandoned old mills, or squatted buildings covered in anarchist posters and graffiti. By night, they become the heart and soul of Berlin’s contemporary culture and one of its biggest attractions. Throughout the weekend, these hidden and often off-putting facades yield entry lines that loop around the block, featuring young, old, local, and new eager clubbers who are all here for one reason. Nervously approaching the infamously intimidating bouncers, Berlin’s night crawlers live for dark rooms with no rules, psychedelic lights, and infectious transportive techno music. Even for those who have never heard techno or hate the smell of smoke, a night in Berlin will always be unique.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the city embarked on a cultural and artistic rebirth that persists today. Coming into its own as a mature international contemporary-art destination, Berlin still holds on to its artistically liberated attitudes, where parties don’t end and there is no room for elitist judgment—much of this can be seen within its legendary techno parties. It is not immediately clear why Germany’s capital has such an unmatched nightlife. Perhaps the history of various authoritarian regimes made the city more amenable to underground scenes. Or maybe the plethora of vacant buildings and lots waiting to be filled after the fall of the Berlin Wall invited this flourishing of art, sexual liberation, and never-ending techno parties. Read about this and more at the full magazine below.