Radio Spaetkauf Berlin
Radio Spaetkauf is Berlin's English-language news show, keeping international residents informed about local politics, public transport, urban development, culture, bicycles, bars and more. Hosts include Joel Dullroy, Maisie Hitchcock, Jöran Mandik, Daniel Stern, Izzy Choksey and Matilde Keizer.
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Loud at the Library | Guests: Juliana Pranke (ZLB), Philipp Kreicarek (KnowDrugs), Jöran
03/28/2024
Loud at the Library | Guests: Juliana Pranke (ZLB), Philipp Kreicarek (KnowDrugs), Jöran
Recorded March 24, 2024 On this episode of Radio Spätkauf, Izzy, Dan and Matilde take on the month's news from Berlin in English. We touch on the recent UNESCO recognition of Berlin's techno scene, the legalization of weed, controversies surrounding stone statues at the Humboldt Forum, and the pressing issue of affordable housing. Joeran Mandik turns up to tell us about his quest to find Berlin's own Tree of Enlightenment. Izzy dissects Berlin's governing coalition's policies on housing, transportation, bikes and a Maglev train proposal. We consider the three duos vying to lead the SPD. Juliana Pranke the head of public services for the ZLB tells us about the Amerika Gedenkbibliothek's PopUp, plus other updates on the libraries in Berlin. Philipp Kreicarek, the creator of the app KnowDrugs tells us about his project helps people to be safe while using psychoactive substances. Please support the show: Links: ZLB Petition: KnowDrugs: Dan's show: Matilde's insta: Arab Film Festival Berlin:
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Berlin Heat: Gas, Grass or Pansy's...
02/28/2024
Berlin Heat: Gas, Grass or Pansy's...
This episode of Radio Spätkauf was recorded live February 25th 2024 in Berlin at Noisy Rooms. Hosts Mathilde, Dan and Izzy joined by guest host Pip Roper. Headlines: BVG’s brand new CEO Henrik Falk’plan to clean U8 UBahn stations. Berlinale got off to a contentious start but ended with satisfying wins. Tegel is now welcoming school students to its halls. Tesla faces a setbackin Grunheide. More public transportation strikes are on the way. A leaked government housing report undermines CDU and SPD plans to open up tempelhof to developers. •Michael Efler from explains the importance of Berlin’s deal to buy back its district heating system. • co-director and cannabis advocate guides us through Germany's new marijuana laws. • Drag artist and returning guest on “Chez Pansy”, a new Queer Cabaret and supper club currently in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign. Learn more and support Pansy’s project at --- If you want to contribute on a monthly basis please subscribe to our .One time donations on our website: Writing production and hosting by: Izzy Choksey, Daniel Stern () and With support from Sebastian Filip and Radio Spaetkauf Host Emeritus Joel Dullroy Pip is at: This Episode Edited by Alex Griffiths Technical Support: Theme Music by Ducks! Find more Radio Spaetkauf and contact us at
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Extreme Right vs Meteorite - Jan 28 LIVE
01/31/2024
Extreme Right vs Meteorite - Jan 28 LIVE
28th January 2024 recorded live at Zimmer48, with Izzy and plus two guest hosts: Maria Debinska, a research fellow at the and Megan Whittington of German news in English podcast . Support Radio Spaetkauf: A bahn-strike started last Wednesday, running six days until the morning of January 29th included the S-Bahn. The rail worker’s union, the GDL, is advocating for a shorter 35-hour work week with full pay, a wage increase of €555 per month immediately as well as a €3,000 one off inflation compensation. Deutsche Bahn has offered only a 4.8% raise for 2024, 5% in 2025 and 2.7% in 2026. Berlin’s mayor Kai Wegner and education secretary Katharina Günther-Wünsch revealed they were in a romantic relationship. An anti-semitism clause proposed by CDU politician Joe Chialo was deemed a violation of artists’ constitutional rights. Agricultural sector protestors brought the city centre of Berlin to a standstill. Emergency vehicles were blocked and streets took hours to clear. The protests were organised in opposition to the proposed end of tax exemptions for diesel used in agricultural vehicles. A meteorite listed as 2024 BX1 crashed near Berlin last Sunday night and has not yet been found. According to Thomas Becker of Westhavelland Star Park, it may have crashed in an area east of Nennhausen. If you come across a suspicious looking rock, don't touch it. Members of the AfD and some CDU were present at a secret meeting last November in a villa outside Potsdam along with extreme right activists including Martin Sellner of the Identitarian Movement. Plans to ‘re-migrate’ both foreigners and Germans from a foreign country were discussed. In response over a million people across Germany took to the streets, demonstrating against right wing extremism. Berlin politicians left in protest when AfD state Chair Kristin Brinker rose to speak at a recent Assembly session. Green party leader Bettina Jarasch commented that it would be wrong to ‘listen to AfD denials’, and Berlin CDU parliamentary group leader Dirk Strettner said “I don’t listen to right wing radical relativising and lying.” January 27th was Holocaust Remembrance Day, and commemorations were held across the city, including in Reinickendorf where the BVV has five AfD members who were automatically invited to the ceremony, so a local alliance against the far right organised an alternative vigil on another memorial site. Jonny Tiernan of joins us to discuss changes in the print edition and invite us to take part in their research into the sex lives of Berliners. Survey LINK: Thanks to Yvonne at and to Sebastian for the pic and Joel on his travels. Next Live Show: Feb 25th
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RSxEAB: Housing First and Fun With Social Workers
12/19/2023
RSxEAB: Housing First and Fun With Social Workers
Radio Spaetkauf Presents: "Housing First and Fun With Social Workers" - RSxEAB #1 • This pilot episode examines homelessness, housing first, and sleeping rough. • Recorded Dec 6th 2023 in Berlin at Salon Am Moritzplatz, Released Dec 19th 2023 A Special Edition of created through a partnership with . This episode is a pilot for the “RSx” series in which we seek presciptions for the problems of our city and the world which revolves around it. An attempt, in our way, to look forward to the future with hope. With hosts Matilda Kaiser and Daniel Stern, plus guests Debora Ruppert, Karen Holzinger of Berliner Stadtmission, and Kathrin Schultz of Queerhome*. and catch up and remind us of the Kältebus number: 030 690 333 690 and review some previous Radio Spaetkauf stories that overlap with today’s topic of homelessness; Zweckentfremdungsverbot, co-working spaces, commercial real estate regulations and the battles of the cities last remaining squats, with an update on Liebig14. How does the housing crisis affect the search for a home? The topic of Homelessness is introduced by Dan who struggles to find the right vocabulary and correct language with which to describe the issue. The first guest, is an artist who captures the lives of marginalized people, including the homeless, through photography. her most recent exhibition “” was on display in the Bundestag. She emphasizes the importance of speaking with people who are experiencing homelessness rather than merely speaking about them. That dialogue and relationships help individuals out of their situation.
To learn more about “Housing First” we are joined by Karin Holzinger, who in 1991 began her work with and later became their head of homelessness services. Karin also co-invented the Kältebus, and is a co-founder of Kumpfide, an organization twhich offers support to non-abstinent alcoholics. She clears up some common misconceptions about homelessness, “When you walk through the streets, you see people, and you think, oh, he or she might be homeless, because maybe the person is not dressed very well, he or she looks drunk or [seems to have] psychological problems, so you think, ah, this is homelessness. Some of these people are not homeless and on the other hand, about I would say about 90% of the people who are homeless you would never recognize as being homeless because they look like you and me…” Karin explains the vocabulary in German for homeless people: Obdachlos and Wohnungslos, plus attempts to teach Dan the meaning of “Bürgerlich” and tells us the value of a “Housing First” program, as well as some of the limitations. What does it mean to help people survive vs. changing their living situation? Next, Radio Spaetkauf is joined by of Berlin to explain some of the challenges faced specifically by LQBTQI+ plus people in finding homes and shelter. She describes her work; “We say we are in the middle. We are not a government organization. We are not a church or Christian organization. We are not an only queer organization. We are in the middle because the organizations who work with homeless people have no knowledge about LGBTIQ and the queer organizations normally have no knowledge about homelessness…we are in the middle and try to give information to the one side and to the other side.” She affirms that helping people get off the streets is not just about bringing services to them but also about informing the general public about the reality of homelessness and dispelling misconceptions about who is homeless and why they have ended up without a home. She also underlines the importance of recognizing that many people who do find a place to live or a shelter are forced to put up with terrible conditions. Queerhome* is a relatively new organization and looking for growth in its network and resources. Matilde laments the lack of help for people living at Moritzplatz station and the missed opportunity at Habersaathstraße, where an empty building was used briefly for housing. The show ends with a mix of hopeful wishes, pragmatic realities, practical advice and rueful observations.
More information on our guests and their organizations: Karen Holzinger, Berliner Stadtmission: Kathrin Schultz, Sonntags Club and Queerhome*:
Debora Ruppert, artist, Home Street Home:
This episode was made in conjunction with the Europäische Akademie Berlin aka “EAB”: and recorded at Salon Am Moritzplatz
: Radio Spaetkauf information and episodes cab be found at: and you can find us on these socials:
Today’s hosts were Daniel Stern and Matilde Keizer. Thank you for subscribing, following, and supporting the show.
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Sticking Point: Too Radical or Right On? – Part 3
11/24/2023
Sticking Point: Too Radical or Right On? – Part 3
“I don’t think fear is the right word. I am afraid of the future,” of told us about what he feels when drivers try to run their cars into activists during a street-takeover action. “The worst thing that can happen is that they are going to run me over [...] I wouldn’t be there if I wasn’t already committed to that.” Who defines what “radical” is? Who gets labeled “radical” and what implications does this have? In this episode of Sticking Point, Anne-Marie and Izzy dive into this question and share some of their personal viewpoints on the kinds of direct actions taken by Letzte Generation and why they think the media making comparisons to terrorist groups is pretty freakin dangerous. Journalist picks up with what happened in the climate movement after FFF and XR stopped attracting the numbers onto the streets that they had in 2018 and 2019. takes us further into the motivations of Letzte Generation activists and Tadzio Müller of argues that there are also specific reasons why the climate movement has not turned violent. from the thinktank and of Urgewald join us again to help contextualize the impact of these activist groups on German society. About Sticking Point: Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison take a journey through Germany’s climate movement in this Radio Spaetkauf series. Sticking Point meets the people inside Germany’s climate movement: from the tactics of the anti-nuclear campaigns, to activists clambering onto coal excavators, striking students and people gluing their hands to roads. We find out what motivates activists and why they are willing to use increasingly radical means to force change. Credits: Producing: Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison Script: Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison Editing: Sebastian Filip Technical Support: Daniel Stern Art Work: Daniel Stern Additional Support: Joel Dullroy Music: Tom Evans Listen: Support: Help us keep making podcasts and mini-series! Shownotes:
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Podfest Live (Lost & Found Recording)
11/06/2023
Podfest Live (Lost & Found Recording)
The previously lost audio has been found - we apologize for the delay! Listen to our live show at Podfest Berlin, recorded on October 15th at Noisy Rooms. We cover invading hornets, sex scams while fishing, and threats to ice skating season. Plus, we talk to Tim Wechselmann-Cassim of Letzte Generation and Rachel Stewart from the new podcast Don’t Drink the Milk.
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Sticking Point: Onto The Streets - Part 2
08/29/2023
Sticking Point: Onto The Streets - Part 2
“He saw the remains of his father dug up again.” That was the traumatic experience of one man in a village which was forcibly relocated due to coal mining. It was told to us by , who helped found the group to fight on behalf of villages threatened by fossil fuel extraction. In Episode 2 of Sticking Point, Izzy and Anne-Marie hear the stories of pain and anger that inspire Germany’s climate movement activists. Tadzio Müller discusses how place-based movements can break through ideology and make things more real, something that was very effective in doing. While a lot of this work took place on the interpersonal level, activists like from and Clara Duvigneau from were able to raise public consciousness and force politicians to agree to goals. But then, the corona pandemic hit. What do climate activists do when they’re not allowed to bring people together on the streets? Botzky and Duvigneau describe how their respective groups have handled the change in momentum. Journalist and from the thinktank help to contextualize their impact. About Sticking Point: Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison take a journey through Germany’s climate movement in this Radio Spaetkauf series. Sticking Point meets the people inside Germany’s climate movement: from the tactics of the anti-nuclear campaigns, to activists clambering onto coal excavators, striking students and people gluing their hands to roads. We find out what motivates activists and why they are willing to use increasingly radical means to force change. Credits: Editing: Anne-Marie Harrison Producing: Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison Script: Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison Technical Support: Daniel Stern Art Work: Daniel Stern Additional Support: Joel Dullroy Music: Tom Evans Listen: Support: Help us keep making podcasts and mini-series!
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Live at Lakeside Film Festival 2023 | Guest: Ben Knight
08/09/2023
Live at Lakeside Film Festival 2023 | Guest: Ben Knight
Will Berliners survive the apocalypse? Should we even try? Ben Knight filmed his quest to deal with climate crisis angst. His film "We're All Going To Die" screened at Lakeside Film Festival. Ben joins us for a live recording in the rain. Find a screening here: Berlin's new conservative government passed its first 100 days. They made lots of threats against bicycles, and cancelled 3 of 19 planned bike lanes. Budgets for local councils were cut, threatening services for schools, parks and Christmas markets. How much damage is the CDU-SPD doing, or is their bark worse than their bite? Germany's media have started calling Columbiabad a "problem pool" after a scuffle broke out between young men. The pool shut down for a week and the city started demanding visitors show their ID to get in. Was it a racist overreaction? Neo-nazis at other pools don't get national media attention. Want to install a solar panel on your balcony? The city is offering €500 funding for renters to generate their own power. You need permission from your Hausverwaltung, and can apply here: And here's where you can buy a Balkonkraftwerk once your funding is approved: Want to join in NABU's annual bug count? Sign up here: This episode is presented by Dan Stern, Joel Dullroy and Ben Knight.
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Sticking Point: Voices from Germany’s Climate Movement - Part 1
07/03/2023
Sticking Point: Voices from Germany’s Climate Movement - Part 1
In this miniseries, Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison take a journey through the main waves of Germany's climate movement. We meet the people behind the headlines: from the tactics of the anti-nuclear movement, and activists clambering onto coal excavators in the early 00s, to striking school children and folks gluing their hands onto roads. We find out what motivates activists and why they are willing to turn to increasingly radical means to force change. Episode #1: From Nein Danke Nuclear to Coal Isn’t Sexy Climate activists today are redefining civil disobedience, but how did we get to young Germans gluing their hands to busy autobahns and throwing soup at art? To understand that, Izzy and Anne-Marie take us back to Germany’s famously effective anti-nuclear movement. of Urgewald, a fossil fuel divestment organization, traces the anti-nuclear movement from the 1970s and climate journalist historicizes the climate movement’s modern-day tactics. By 2014, climate activists took the fight directly to the coal mines. This is how the group made the movement sexy, says German climate activist , by stopping “insane, apocalyptic machines” from pillaging the earth—even if only for a day. Being harassed and humiliated by cops during these occupations is what made forge ahead, growing and getting the attention of the German press. A new era of climate activism in Germany had dawned. Credits: Editing: Anne-Marie Harrison Producing: Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison Script: Izzy Choksey and Anne-Marie Harrison Technical Support: Daniel Stern Art Work: Daniel Stern Additional Support: Joel Dullroy Music: Tom Evans Listen: Support: Help us keep making podcasts and min-series!
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The War on Bikes Begins | Guests Wouter Bernhardt (DW & Co Enteignen) & Yonatan Miller (Berlin Tech Workers Coalition)
05/29/2023
The War on Bikes Begins | Guests Wouter Bernhardt (DW & Co Enteignen) & Yonatan Miller (Berlin Tech Workers Coalition)
Cyclists, get ready to ring your bells. The new city government wants to shrink bike lanes, and is turning car-free zones into roads. We hear about the new war on bikes under the CDU transport senator Manja Schreiner. What hope is there for the referendum that sought to expropriate apartments from big private landlords? We get an update about from our friend Wouter Bernhard. Do you work for a tech company in Berlin? Do you sometimes wonder if your startup boss is giving you all your rights? Do you know what to do if you think you’re being screwed? To tell us how tech workers can fight for their rights is Yonatan Miller from Berlin’s former top football Hertha have officially failed and fallen out of the top league. Our sports expert Jöran Mandik tells us about this epic sporting tragedy, and the incredible rise of Berlin's other team FC Union. This episode is hosted by Matilde Kaiser, Izzy Choksey, Jöran Mandik, Joel Dullroy and Daniel Stern. Research by Sebastian Filip. Edited by Trevor Silverstein. Thanks to our listeners who support us with a monthly donation via Steady! Check out now! Try AG1 completely risk-free with a 90-day money-back guarantee, and get a free year’s supply of Vitamin D3+K2 for immune support & 5 convenient travel packs with your first AG1 order! For health information about AG1 and what we have to offer visit: We stress the importance of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Keep out of reach of children. Not suitable for children and adolescents under 18 years, pregnant or nursing women. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake.
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Was Berlin's Election Stolen?
05/02/2023
Was Berlin's Election Stolen?
Berlin is about to get conservative. The Christian Democrats have taken control of our once lefty, greeny, progressive and mismanaged city. The new CDU mayor is Kai Wegner, and he’s already off to a bad start. Berlin's parliament took an unprecedented three rounds of voting to elect him, despite his coalition having a majority. That means some within his own ranks aren't happy with him in power, and could cause trouble by refusing to pass legislation. Was the New Election Justified? How did the CDU come to power? They won 28.2% of the vote in the February 2023 re-election. They invited the SPD (which won 18.4% of votes) to join in a coalition. Together the CDU and SPD have 46.6% of votes and 82 of 159 seats in parliament. But the previous coalition of SPD, Greens (18.4%) and die Linke (12.2%) together had 49% of votes and taken 90 seats. Put simply, the old R2G (or G2R) coalition could have continued, and would have represented more voters. Why did the 2023 election happen at all? Joel read the court decision which overturned the previous 2021 'marathon' election and found few facts to support the claim that it was terminally flawed. You can read the verdict for yourself here: Joel's take: The 2021 election shouldn't have been re-run, and the 2023 coalition isn't democratically supported. How Berlin is Becoming a Psychedelics Hotspot Several major medical trials are underway at Berlin's Charite hospital using psilocybin and MDMA to treating depression and PTSD. And plenty of Berliners are conducting their own experiments with micro-dosing. Our guest is Anne Philippi, host of podcast, which dives into the emerging field of psychedelic therapy. Try Athletic Greens! Check out now, try AG1 completely risk-free with a 90-day money-back guarantee, and get a free year's supply of Vitamin D3+K2 for immune support & 5 convenient travel packs with your first AG1 order! For health information about AG1 and what we have to offer, visit: Reference is made to the importance of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Keep out of reach of children. Not suitable for children and adolescents under 18 years, pregnant or nursing women. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake. Episode Credits This episode was recorded live at Selina Mitte: Hosts: Joel Dullroy, Izzy Choksey, Dan Stern. Producers: Anne-Marie Harrison, Sebastian Filip. Thanks to our listeners who support us with a monthly donation via Steady!
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Get Help Berlin: Part 2 - The Magic Word
04/14/2023
Get Help Berlin: Part 2 - The Magic Word
Jöran and Matilde outline the underground market which is making it difficult for psychotherapists to treat patients under public health insurance. But, there’s a work-around to getting psychotherapy covered! Find out what this magic word is on this episode, and read all about it in the current cover story for . Want to share your story? Write to us here at [email protected] or Terminology: Bedarfsplanung: formal coverage plan made to ensure sufficient health service coverage across Germany, according to the need in each region. Gesetzliche Krankenkassen: Statutory health insurance funds, Germany’s publicly-mandated privately-run insurers, covering around 90% of residents. They fund some mental healthcare costs for members. Kassensitze: An insurance-funded therapy license for therapists. Kostenerstattungsverfahren: cost reimbursement procedure. Sprechstunden: Trial sessions. Types of Therapy: Psychoanalysis: The original Freudian analysis. Tiefenpsychologische fundierte Psychotherapie: Classic talk therapy, finding out where patterns and issues come from. Verhaltenstherapie: Cognitive behavioural therapy, working on changing your behaviour. Systemische Therapie: A combination of talk therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. EMDR: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, especially for PTSD. Show Notes: Jöran tried Berlin Institute for Psychotherapie and Psychoanalyse (BIPP): Others went straight to a Hausarzt (a general doctor). But you can get an initial assessment appointment by calling: 116 117. Credits: Get Help Berlin is created, written, and presented by Matilde Keizer and Jöran Mandik. Production, writing and editing by Anne-Marie Harrison. Voiceovers by Dan Stern. Music is by and Tom Evans. Artwork is by . This is a production of Radio Spaetkauf, Berlin’s news podcast. Please support us with a one-off or monthly donation!
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Middle Aged Guys | Guests Jonny Tiernan & Drew Portnoy
03/29/2023
Middle Aged Guys | Guests Jonny Tiernan & Drew Portnoy
Recorded Live on Sunday, March 27, 2023. Support from AG1 - link for our listeners here: Guest host Drew Portnoy of takes us through some political tidbits, his terrifying adventures in Frankfurt, and his thoughts on who shouldn’t be allowed topless in Berlin pools. We talk with Jonny Tiernan, the new editor in chief of , about changes at the Berlin English language institution. Stories include King Charles III’s visit to Berlin, what scientists are doing with our pee, the transportation strike, and some fond Corona lockdown memories. Learn about Berlin’s efforts to #freethenipple, baby eels in our waterways, and an update one the Berlin judge involved in last year’s coup attempt. Plus, Dan shares what he really thinks about Berlin landlords. Sign up for Drew’s 20 % and follow him or on Jonny Tiernan on Insta: Thank you to everyone who listens. We appreciate the audience and the community. Become a monthly supporter or make a one time donation at . Thank you. This episode was produced by Anne-Marie Harrison and . Editing by Sebastian Filip. Script by Anne-Marie Harrison. Hosts: Matilde Keizer, Anne-Marie Harrison, Daniel Stern, and guest host Drew Portnoy. Additional contributions by Jöran Mandik and as always the support of Joel Dullroy. Assistance from Recorded live at . Check out now, try AG1 completely risk-free with a 90-day money-back guarantee, and get a free year's supply of Vitamin D3+K2 for immune support & 5 convenient travel packs with your first AG1 order! For health information about AG1 and what we have to offer, visit: We stress the importance of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Keep out of reach of children. Not suitable for children and adolescents under 18 years, pregnant or nursing women. Do not exceed the recommended daily intake.
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Under A Mirrored Ceiling | Live at Babylon Berlin
01/26/2023
Under A Mirrored Ceiling | Live at Babylon Berlin
Recorded Live at the Cinema in Mitte on Sunday, January 22, 2023. A brand new year brings Berlin fresh cringe from mayor Franziska Giffey and a reignition of the annual fireworks debate. We look at how racism and feminism might play a role in that conversation. Berlin vs. Hamburg? 25 percent of Germans found Hamburg the “most likable” German city, but which city-state do Radio Spaetkauf hosts prefer? The answer may shock you! (It probably won’t). This episode was sponsored by . Visit and get a free year’s supply of Vitamin D3+K2 for immune support, 5 convenient Travel Packs and a starter kit with your first AG1 ! Fresh scandals and new posters leading up to the election redo, who stands to gain and do any deserve us? We chat with , author of “” about the election and some of the Berlin actors in the recent coup attempt. His book is published by and his tours can be found at Our second guest Yevhenii Surniaieva, is a board member of IWEK e.V. (), one of the associations that founded the . He gives us some perspective on the new Ukrainian experience of Berlin and Ukraine as well as suggestions on how to help those displaced and suffering because of the Russian invasion. Links here: Berlin will, at long last, send Nigeria ten artifacts know as “Benin Bronzes”. Hopefully the return of these stolen artworks signals a better reckoning with Germany’s colonial past. The online portal queer.de has been sued for “disparaging the memory of the deceased” because of an article they wrote describing the now-deceased Joseph Ratzinger, AKA Pope Benedict the 16th, as being queerphobic. However, the head of the journalist union says there is no violation of the press codex and no obvious insult against the former pope. In transportation news, it was recently made public that the BVG fired their security company Pütz in November after an assault on a passenger was “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” according to BVG sources.It’s hard to believe, but there’s actually some good economic news to kick off this year. Berlin’s economic output rose by about 2.5 percent last year, above the average for the rest of the country.Berlin Fashion Week kicked off with Mayor Giffey’s embarrassing hype line of “Hey, where are all the Berliners?!” and was later trolled by activists “The Yes Men” who infiltrated the Adidas RealityWear show with models in fake blood “literally wearing the toil of workers on [their] sleeves.” Thank you to everyone who listens. We appreciate the audience and the community. Your financial support will help keep this project viable. Become a monthly supporter or make a one time donation at thank you. Join Izzy February 4th on a walking tour of Berlin covering social movements. has a new weekly stand up show called “Slingshot” at Two Fellas in Pankow. Info and reservations at Matilde is a frequent performer at Comedy Cafe Berlin, catch her there! This episode was produced by Anne-Marie Harrison and . Editing and additional research by Sebastian Filip. Writing by Anne-Marie, Matilde Keizer and Izzy Choksey. Hosts: Matilde Keizer, Izzy Choksey and Daniel Stern.Additional contributions by Joran Mandik and as always the support of Joel Dullroy. Assistance from and technical help from Recorded live at Babylon Cinema in Mitte - a wonderful place to see thoughtfully curated film: thank you to their wonderful staff!
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Something's Fishy | with GEW Union and Zossener48
12/20/2022
Something's Fishy | with GEW Union and Zossener48
In our second installment of the Brews and News winter tour we recorded at the Vagabund Brewery in Wedding from Kesselhaus. 1,500 fish died after the giant fish tank in the Radisson Blu exploded out into the street next to Alexanderplatz. We talk through an interesting transport proposal from Green Senator Bettina Jarasch to let bicycles park in car spaces, and another by the Berlin government to ease up immigration laws that could have huge consequences for listeners wanting to become Germans. And we share our best Christmas tips and tricks for those spending the holidays in Berlin. Happy first day of Hanukkah one and all. We check in with pal of the show Ryan Plocher, active with the , who came on to let us know about the most recent teacher’s strike in Berlin.Twitter: @gew_bund And came on to tell us about how she (and her neighbors) hatched a plan to snatch back the sale of her house from an investor - by buying it but not owning it themselves.
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Support Your Local Bar, Not Qatar | Konrad Werner & Lea Beckmann
11/20/2022
Support Your Local Bar, Not Qatar | Konrad Werner & Lea Beckmann
Its official! Berliners will have to return to the voting booths. Berlin’s constitutional court ruled on Wednesday, that the Senate and Bezirks elections will have to be redone completely. Parties now have 2 months to get their ducks in a row and mount a sort of Sprint-Campaign before the re-election on February 12. Here to tell us all about the ramifications of this decision is friend of the show, frequent Radio Spaetkauf guest and co-host of the wonderful podcast Megan’s Megacan, Konrad Werner. Climate activists are keeping busy in Berlin and celebrated a big success this week. Letzte Generation have joined forces with Ende Gelände and Extinction Rebellion to block off traffic to BER and the Klimaneustart 2030 initiative managed to collect around 262,000 signatures—way more than the 170,000 required to get a referendum going! Will we get to vote for decisive climate action on February 12 as well? We speak to Lea Beckmann, a lawyer and anti-discrimination expert for the Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte, to understand how Berlin law enforcement and Germany’s judicial system are failing people with disabilities in cases of gendered harassment and violence. And we discuss how Berlin is reacting to the criticism of the football World Cup in Qatar and what the Berlin Senate is doing about skyrocketing raccoon populations… This episode was sponsored by Athletic Greens. Visit and get a free year's supply of Vitamin D3+K2 for immune support, 5 convenient Travel Packs and a starter kit with your first AG1 order! This episode was recorded live at Two Fellas Brewery in Pankow, so you might hear a little extra background noise. Stop by one of our Brews and Berlin News Winter Tour locations. Our next show will be on Dec 18 at Vagabund Brauerei in Wedding. Register for tickets here: Hosts: Izzy Choksey, Jöran Mandik, Matilde Keizer and Daniel Stern Producer: Anne-Marie Harrison If you like what we do and want us to keep making the show, please support us by subscribing or donating:
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All the F**ks | DW & Co Enteignen, BürgerBegehren Klimaschutz & Turnt Up
10/09/2022
All the F**ks | DW & Co Enteignen, BürgerBegehren Klimaschutz & Turnt Up
One year ago Berliners voted overwhelmingly in support of the Deutsche Wohnen & Co Enteignen referendum to buy back corporate-owned apartments and communalize them. What's happened since? Friend of the show and host of the DW Enteignen podcast “Von Menschen und Mieten” Wouter Bernhardt gives us an update with some exciting news. More here: Temperatures are falling and fears about heating are on the rise. What if Berliners took control of their district heating system? Michael Efler from BürgerBegehren Klimaschutz e.V. tells us about plans to communalize Berlin’s energy network. They’ve got 14,148 signatures so far. Sign the petition here: Lucy Alice Thomas tells us about Loom’s Turnt Up Musik Kamp for FLINTA youth aged 16-27 taking place October 24-29. Learn about Turnt Up here: Check out the great work Loom is doing here: Hosts: Izzy Choksey, Jöran Mandik and Daniel Stern Producers: Anne-Marie Harrison and Sebastian Filip If you like what we do and want us to keep making the show, please support us by subscribing or donating:
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Smurf Patrol | Guests: 9EuroFonds & Klimaneustart
09/13/2022
Smurf Patrol | Guests: 9EuroFonds & Klimaneustart
Maisie Hitchcock returns as special co-host for an outdoor episode recorded at Floating Berlin. The €9 public transport ticket is dead, but what if Berliners make their own cheap ticket scheme? We meet Mario from 9EuroFonds, a collective ticket insurance system. So far they've raised over €10,000 to pay members' transport fines. More at Some Berliners are freaking out about the low-heat winter ahead, due to the gas supply crisis. But what should the city really be doing to phase out fossil fuel use entirely? Klimaneustart wants Berlin to become climate neutral by 2030. That's 15 years earlier than the city's current plan. Organizer Jess tells us about the challenges of trying to trigger a referendum. Sign up at Hosts: Maisie Hitchcock, Joel Dullroy, Matilde Keizer, Jöran Mandik and Daniel Stern. Producer: Sebastian Filip. If you like what we do and want us to keep making the show, please support us by subscribing or donating:
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Live at Lakeside Film Festival 2022
08/11/2022
Live at Lakeside Film Festival 2022
Synopsis: A weekend of escapism turns into a confrontation with reality for a group of Berliners, who leave the city to find the countryside is a scary place. Location: A camp ground in the forest next to a lake. Cast: 500 film fans plus Joel, Dan and Michele Guido: Special Guest: Director Alexandra Semkina. Insta: / FB: / Film school:
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Gummi Suit Summer|Guests: Pansy, Letzte Generation, Ryan Plocher
07/18/2022
Gummi Suit Summer|Guests: Pansy, Letzte Generation, Ryan Plocher
It’s pride month in Berlin but a virus outbreak is highlighting how policy makers keep failing the LGBTQi community and shows we learnt nothing from the last pandemic. People are being stigmatized and shamed, the vaccine program is slow - sound familiar? This time it’s monkeypox. We talked to queer activist Pansy about how it is affecting the gay community. Pansy is hosting an actual DRAG RACE on Tuesday, July 26th in Hasenheide. Find more infos via Pansy’s instagram: Meanwhile a new database has been launched to make it easier for all queer people to find the sexual health services right for them. Our new editor Anne-Marie Harrison went out to interview founder Anna Wim about her platform Fluide BLN Correction: In the recording, Anna Wim is incorrectly referred to as “she.” Anna identifies as nonbinary and uses “they/them” pronouns. We apologize for the error, and many thanks to Anna for speaking to us about their important work. Also: You might not know it if you don’t drive a car, but the past few weeks Berlin’s roads have become the site of an incredible youth-led protest movement. Hundreds of young people of the Letzte Generation movement have been putting their bodies and clean criminal records on the line by blocking traffic, in some cases glueing their hands to the road, to draw attention to the dire threats of climate change. This has enraged drivers, who have physically attacked the protesters, with police often standing by and doing nothing to stop the assaults. We’ve met one of these incredible activists. https://letztegeneration.de/ And: Berlin schools are in bad shape, there aren’t enough teachers and the ones we do have are overworked. Now international teachers in Berlin are being left out of a scheme to offer better pay and pensions. We talked to Ryan Plocher, a US teacher and active GEW union member, who is helping to plan strikes to try to get better conditions in Berlin schools. We’ve recorded this episode live at the wonderful Podfest Berlin, organized by our very own Dan Stern. It was a blast! If you missed it - all recorded podcasts will be published before long. To find out more, head over to
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Get Help Berlin: Part 1 - The Saddest City
07/08/2022
Get Help Berlin: Part 1 - The Saddest City
Jöran has just started looking for a therapist and can’t believe how impossible it seems. Matilde is in therapy and still gets anxiety recalling her search. On this episode they swap stories and explain the basics about Germany’s mental health system. They talk to several people who’ve done it all before. And they explain the first steps to take. Want to share your story? Write to us here at or Show Notes: Georg switched health insurers to get timely access to care (he’s now with BKK-VBU). He also frequently called the Berliner Krisendienst: Jöran tried Berlin Institute for Psychotehrapy and Psychoanalyse (BIPP): Others went straight to a Hausarzt (a general doctor). But you can get an initial assessment appointment by calling: 116 117. Credits: Get Help Berlin is created, written, produced and presented by Matilde Keizer and Jöran Mandik. Additional production and writing by Joel Dullroy and Anne-Marie Harrison. Music is by and Tom Evans. Artwork is by . This is a production of Radio Spaetkauf, Berlin’s news podcast. Please support us with a one-off or monthly donation!
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More time for sex & grandma
06/07/2022
More time for sex & grandma
This episode was recorded in the dying summer light of the in Berlin; a location that is neither a university nor floating. Luckily, we had Jöran on site to explain the history of this fascinating location. As everything gets more expensive, could Berlin make life more affordable by offering a basic income of over €1000 a month? This episode features the organisers of an attempt to start an experiment to do just that. Also, you’ve heard of community gardens. What about a community food forest? We meet a group trying to plant an edible biosphere on Tempelhofer Feld. Energy prices are starting to bite and inflation is starting to eat into everyone’s weekly budgets. To combat this the federal government brought in the 9 euro monthly public transport ticket at the beginning of the month. It will run till the end of August. Who’s against it and who’s for it? And why should we all be getting on regional trains to an island in the north of Germany called Sylt. Also on the topic of shortages and price hikes, Mathilde reveals her deep knowledge of beer glass in a welcomed presentation on the current bottle crisis faced by Berlin’s breweries. We welcome Laura Brämswig from the campaign to come and talk to us about why we should all sign the petition for another Volksentschiedung giving Berlin the chance to test out a Grundeinkommen. Freya Grote and Liz Eve from the collective joined us to explain more about their project to create a food forest on the Tempelhof Airfield. More Links: Podfest Berlin: Social Movements of Berlin (tour guided by Izzy Choksey): Too Many Cooks (hosted by Mathilde Keizer): ) Donate to Radio Spaetkauf!
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Cheap Trains and Cold Pools | Guest: Nathaniel Flakin
05/02/2022
Cheap Trains and Cold Pools | Guest: Nathaniel Flakin
What’s left of revolutionary Berlin? On our outdoor May Day special, we ask author Nathaniel Flakin whether there's still enough activists to keep Berlin interesting. On a weekend when Berlin's mayor Franziska Giffey gott egged, activists squatted an empty hostel and thousands of people joined big marches, Nathaniel says May Day isn't dead yet. Ask your bookshop to stock his new book As Russia's war rages in Ukraine, Berlin's Green Party wants the city to prepare our U-Bahn stations to use as bomb shelters. But some tunnel experts say the stations aren't deep enough, while old WWII bunkers are now art galleries. Get ready for a summer of train travel with the €9 nationwide Monatskarte, valid on all local and regional trains. Izzy says the three summer months are usually known as 'car season'. She hopes the experimental period will deliver data to convince politicians to permanently reduce public transport ticket prices. This episode was recorded outdoors in the Tempelhof community garden in the afternoon of May 1, 2022. Hosts: Izzy Choksey, Matilde Keizer, Jöran Mandik and Joel Dullroy. Support us with a donation! Go to:
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Billionaire in the Basement
04/04/2022
Billionaire in the Basement
Berlin has welcomed 30,000 new residents as Ukrainian refugees fill the city. We meet Mimi, a volunteer from Wir Packens An. They send boxes to refugees - not just from Ukraine, but those forgotten in other parts of Europe too. You can help by volunteering to fill boxes for a day: How is the war affecting Berlin, a city that runs mostly on Russian fossil fuels? Our energy bills are going up, we're getting cheaper public transport, and may soon live under an iron dome missile shield. As coronavirus rules disappear, are Berliners ready to give up their masks? So far many are opting to keep covered up in shops. Right to the City for All, the English speaking arm of the DW Enteignen campaign for an update on what has happened since the referendum. Email: We meet , who has written a book on the clubbing culture in Berlin since the 90s. We ask what it means when one of the world's richest men is now hanging out in Berlin's basement bars. His book here: Support us with a donation! Go to:
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Kunsthalle Catastrophe | Guest: Zoe Claire Miller
02/15/2022
Kunsthalle Catastrophe | Guest: Zoe Claire Miller
The BVG has reinvented the concept of time. Ticket checkers emerge from undercover. Tempelhof art show boycott explained. A huge art exhibition inside Tempelhof airport has gained millions in public funding. But Berlin artists say it’s suspicious. The so-called Kunsthalle Berlin is sponsored by big property investors, won public money without an open process, and doesn’t include Berlin artists. We talk to Zoe Claire Miller about the controversy behind the exhibition. Dog owners in Berlin are terrified of a possible poisoner after at least one dog died in suspicious circumstances. Jöran is among the worried. There’s not one but two apps for people to report possible poisonings - Dogorama and GiftkoderRadar. A climate change protest group called Letzte Generation has been causing traffic chaos in recent weeks by occupying autobahns. Some glued their hands to the asphalt. Angry drivers and BSR rubbish collectors attacked the protesters, then police arrived and charged them with crimes. They’re campaigning for food security, pointing out the risk to humans of climate change. The BVG has altered the concept of time. Instead of displaying ‘mins’ to the next train on digital signs, it’s using the prime symbol: ′ (not an apostrophe). The BVG said it needed to make space for a wheelchair symbol. But does everyone recognize the prime as a sign of the time? Also, BVG ticket inspectors will no longer work undercover, but will wear blue vests to be clearly identified. It’s the end of an era for Berliners trained to spot suspiciously dressed passengers with large pouches. How reliable is your COVID-19 test? Possibly zero percent, according to a website to compare Schnelltests. Matilde and Dan spent the past weeks analysing their analysers: Gym members who were charged during the pandemic could get some of their money back. A group lawsuit is suing fitness centres for failing to offer refunds. Join in at: This episode was presented by Izzy Choksey, Matilde Keizer, Joel Dullroy, Jöran Mandik and Daniel Stern.
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First Class U-Bahns
12/29/2021
First Class U-Bahns
Would premium class service encourage more rich people to take public transport? Housing activists score a temporary victory trying to squat an empty building. Why do the moving sidewalks at BER airport not move?
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Two Ways to Steal A House | Guest: James Jackson
11/29/2021
Two Ways to Steal A House | Guest: James Jackson
Confusion in the club queues as new 2G+ rules start. Does the plus mean mask, test or both? Berlin’s prolific Twitter curator James Jackson @derjamesjackson unloads on Germany’s herbal medicines. How do you steal an entire apartment block in Berlin? You can fake paperwork, like a group of fraudsters did, or you can use the courts to kill off the government’s Vorkaufsrecht, or right of first purchase, as some greedy investors have just done. We explain both robberies.
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RS Podfest: Destroy This Company
10/25/2021
RS Podfest: Destroy This Company
Should we use or boycott Gorillas? We meet the delivery riders struggling against the multi-billion dollar Berlin delivery startup. Also: how does it feel to win the battle, but lose the war? Wouter from Deutsche Wohnen und Co Enteignung tells us what the housing activists plan to do to force politicians to respect the referendum. And: why buy clothes when you can swap? We meet Jenna from Berlin Clothing Swap.
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RS Election Special: Yes But No
09/28/2021
RS Election Special: Yes But No
Berliner voters want more left-green politics and a radical state take-over of property - but the new mayor may ignore those demands.
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RS Live: 2G or Not To Be
09/20/2021
RS Live: 2G or Not To Be
Berlin's likely next mayor wants to build on Tempelhof and finish the A100 autobahn. Can we use the highway as an urban farm instead? And why Humboldt Form is ugly inside and out. We meet cultural workers who want to turn it into a museum of colonialism. Hosted by Matilde Keizer, Joel Dullroy, Jöran Mandik and Daniel Stern.
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