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| To Berliners, terror was something that happened elsewhere. Not any more To Berliners, terror was something that happened elsewhere. Not any more | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church, situated in the heart of West Berlin, is known to Berliners as the Gedächtniskirche. Its tower was damaged in an air raid in 1943. The building was deliberately preserved as a ruin to commemorate the war and serve as a symbol of peace. | The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church, situated in the heart of West Berlin, is known to Berliners as the Gedächtniskirche. Its tower was damaged in an air raid in 1943. The building was deliberately preserved as a ruin to commemorate the war and serve as a symbol of peace. |
| On Monday, a lorry sped past that very church and deliberately drove into a busy Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz, killing a dozen people and injuring many more. It’s the most deadly and violent incident seen here in decades. Other European capitals have been subjected to vicious terror attacks. Berlin, for some reason, had remained unscathed. Until Monday, that is. Now, many Berliners who’ve witnessed the transformation of a high-security cold war town into a tolerant, fun and multicultural city, wonder whether this atrocity signals the beginning of yet another chapter in the city’s history. | On Monday, a lorry sped past that very church and deliberately drove into a busy Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz, killing a dozen people and injuring many more. It’s the most deadly and violent incident seen here in decades. Other European capitals have been subjected to vicious terror attacks. Berlin, for some reason, had remained unscathed. Until Monday, that is. Now, many Berliners who’ve witnessed the transformation of a high-security cold war town into a tolerant, fun and multicultural city, wonder whether this atrocity signals the beginning of yet another chapter in the city’s history. |
| I grew up in Berlin in the 1970s, when the western part was encircled by barbed-wire fences and a massive concrete wall. Although the threat of a nuclear war was real, West Berlin had a strangely cosy feel to it. Thousands of US, French and British soldiers were deployed in the city’s three sectors and they provided a sense of protection. And with the Stasi and the Soviet army all over the place in East Germany, daily life behind the iron curtain was tightly controlled. So, presumably, citizens loyal to the regime felt pretty safe there, too. | I grew up in Berlin in the 1970s, when the western part was encircled by barbed-wire fences and a massive concrete wall. Although the threat of a nuclear war was real, West Berlin had a strangely cosy feel to it. Thousands of US, French and British soldiers were deployed in the city’s three sectors and they provided a sense of protection. And with the Stasi and the Soviet army all over the place in East Germany, daily life behind the iron curtain was tightly controlled. So, presumably, citizens loyal to the regime felt pretty safe there, too. |
| Then the wall fell. Many people here, now in their 40s and 50s, nostalgically remember how the city opened up. True, Berlin was suffering economically back then. Unemployment was high, and the city remained deeply divided for years. But to the young Germans of the 1990s, central Berlin seemed like a giant playground. Rents were low, and vast public spaces – vacant buildings and empty lots – made themselves available for whatever came to mind. | Then the wall fell. Many people here, now in their 40s and 50s, nostalgically remember how the city opened up. True, Berlin was suffering economically back then. Unemployment was high, and the city remained deeply divided for years. But to the young Germans of the 1990s, central Berlin seemed like a giant playground. Rents were low, and vast public spaces – vacant buildings and empty lots – made themselves available for whatever came to mind. |
| Bulgarian artist Christo wrapped the Reichstag building. The Palace of the Republic, the old seat of the East German parliament, was flooded so that visitors could go in with rubber rafts. Thousands of party people dressed up in eccentric costumes for the so-called Love Parade, a techno music festival on wheels. | Bulgarian artist Christo wrapped the Reichstag building. The Palace of the Republic, the old seat of the East German parliament, was flooded so that visitors could go in with rubber rafts. Thousands of party people dressed up in eccentric costumes for the so-called Love Parade, a techno music festival on wheels. |
| Even when the September 11 attacks happened and then, a couple of years later, the London and Madrid bombings, the city and its inhabitants seemed comparatively unperturbed. The good life went on. Al-Qaida was elsewhere, not in Berlin. | Even when the September 11 attacks happened and then, a couple of years later, the London and Madrid bombings, the city and its inhabitants seemed comparatively unperturbed. The good life went on. Al-Qaida was elsewhere, not in Berlin. |
| Starting in the mid-2000s, young people from all over the globe flocked to Berlin. They were attracted by the same thing that had drawn young Germans a decade earlier. They liked the mix of affordable housing, a heavily-subsidised culture scene and lots of lively clubs and bars. In spite of Berlin’s history as the capital of Nazi Germany, thousands of Israelis were among those who came. They felt that Berlin was like a better version of Tel Aviv: hedonistic, liberal and tolerant, but without the looming threat of terrorism. | Starting in the mid-2000s, young people from all over the globe flocked to Berlin. They were attracted by the same thing that had drawn young Germans a decade earlier. They liked the mix of affordable housing, a heavily-subsidised culture scene and lots of lively clubs and bars. In spite of Berlin’s history as the capital of Nazi Germany, thousands of Israelis were among those who came. They felt that Berlin was like a better version of Tel Aviv: hedonistic, liberal and tolerant, but without the looming threat of terrorism. |
| Germany’s increasing economic and political power has attracted the attention of Islamist extremists | Germany’s increasing economic and political power has attracted the attention of Islamist extremists |
| Berlin has a long and eventful history. Socialist, Nazi, Wilhelminian and Prussian classicism-style buildings are scattered all over the place – and many tourists come here just for the architecture. Even so, the city feels much younger than, say, Paris or London. That’s because so much was built in the 1990s when Berlin was Europe’s biggest construction site. The dominant style, back then, was playfully postmodern, and it bears witness to an era of boundless optimism. | Berlin has a long and eventful history. Socialist, Nazi, Wilhelminian and Prussian classicism-style buildings are scattered all over the place – and many tourists come here just for the architecture. Even so, the city feels much younger than, say, Paris or London. That’s because so much was built in the 1990s when Berlin was Europe’s biggest construction site. The dominant style, back then, was playfully postmodern, and it bears witness to an era of boundless optimism. |
| The German government moved to Berlin in 1999. The architects responsible for the so-called Regierungsviertel, or government district, mostly built unassuming glass structures in the midst of generous public spaces, lawns and walkways. They wanted the government to come across as friendly, open and transparent. Security was not the biggest issue back then. | The German government moved to Berlin in 1999. The architects responsible for the so-called Regierungsviertel, or government district, mostly built unassuming glass structures in the midst of generous public spaces, lawns and walkways. They wanted the government to come across as friendly, open and transparent. Security was not the biggest issue back then. |
| In the past couple of years, though, the atmosphere in Berlin has gradually changed. Germany’s increasing economic and political power has attracted the attention of Islamist extremists. Berlin, the capital, is on the map now. Some argue that last year’s influx of refugees has heightened the risk of attacks. Most recently, in October, these arguments were bolstered when a Syrian refugee allegedly scouted Berlin’s two airports for bombings. (Luckily, he was arrested.) | In the past couple of years, though, the atmosphere in Berlin has gradually changed. Germany’s increasing economic and political power has attracted the attention of Islamist extremists. Berlin, the capital, is on the map now. Some argue that last year’s influx of refugees has heightened the risk of attacks. Most recently, in October, these arguments were bolstered when a Syrian refugee allegedly scouted Berlin’s two airports for bombings. (Luckily, he was arrested.) |
| Minor incidents of public violence over the past couple of months have added to a collective sense of anxiety. Many friends and acquaintances now say they no longer feel as safe using public transport at night. Others decided that this year they wouldn’t visit any Christmas markets – a possible target of terror attacks. It’s far from reassuring that the perpetrator struck where people feared something might happen. | Minor incidents of public violence over the past couple of months have added to a collective sense of anxiety. Many friends and acquaintances now say they no longer feel as safe using public transport at night. Others decided that this year they wouldn’t visit any Christmas markets – a possible target of terror attacks. It’s far from reassuring that the perpetrator struck where people feared something might happen. |
| Now what? In the coming days, we’ll likely see a lot more “Je suis Berlin” traffic on social media. Many Berliners will claim that they won’t change their habits because of a single attack. “We shouldn’t let it ruin our lives”, the state-run broadcaster RBB said in a commentary. But in the long run, attacks like this one tend to leave their mark. There’ll be more police, more surveillance, more anxiety, more violence – and much less of that freewheeling spirit that made Berlin somewhat unique among western capitals. One day, looking back, we’ll probably say that something was lost during these years. | Now what? In the coming days, we’ll likely see a lot more “Je suis Berlin” traffic on social media. Many Berliners will claim that they won’t change their habits because of a single attack. “We shouldn’t let it ruin our lives”, the state-run broadcaster RBB said in a commentary. But in the long run, attacks like this one tend to leave their mark. There’ll be more police, more surveillance, more anxiety, more violence – and much less of that freewheeling spirit that made Berlin somewhat unique among western capitals. One day, looking back, we’ll probably say that something was lost during these years. |