The Cycles of Squatting in Berlin (1969–2016)

Abstract

This chapter reconstructs the development of squatting practices in Berlin from 1969 to 2016. It shows how squatting is related to the general political circumstances and to the strength of the political movements. The authors discuss to what extent urban struggles facing renewal policies and the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 influenced the squatters’ movement. The location of the squats, intensity and strength of the movement, and their social composition over time are discussed. Moreover, the chapter examines the consequences of the legal regulations and the criminalisation of squatting in Berlin.