KIEZ WERKSTATT
„Dig where you stand!“ was the motto of several grassroots movements that, forty years ago, began confronting local history from the ground up. Our project KIEZWERKSTATT (neighborhood workshop) takes this idea as a starting point to rethink how people can reappropriate urban spaces.
Through an open format adapted to the different Kiezes of Berlin, we invite participants to dig deeper and experience their neighborhoods from a new perspective. Rather than experiencing the city solely as a place for consumption, we aim to provide an opportunity for neighbors, both old and new, to collaborate on creating something together: an open conversation but also a living archive of the present.
To kick things off, we are hosting a pilot event during the Buttmannstraße Street Festival on July 5 titled „Resistance in Wedding.“ This neighborhood has seen multiple waves of social movements led by individuals and groups who stood up against the Nazi dictatorship, as well as against labor exploitation, housing shortages, and racist violence. Traces of these struggles are still visible today in street names, memorial plaques, and in the continued efforts of current residents to make their voices heard.
In a cozy living room setting, we will share memories, experiences, and thoughts about how Wedding’s history can inspire us today. Our aim is to create a living archive by translating these conversations into a shared visual language: through zines, collages, and postcards, which will be made and displayed during
our workshop.
When? Saturday, July 5, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Where? Buttmannstraße under the red umbrella.
Who? Everyone is welcome! No previous knowledge is required.
What? Stories of struggle and strength – from neighbors to neighbors!KI