Michalina | iHeartBerlin.de

The Virtues of Moving to Berlin During the Pandemic

photo: Roger Sabaté.

Berlin has been unrecognizable to its long-term inhabitants ever since March 2020. Lockdown after lockdown has gradually changed our carefree reality into an enduring nightmare. What’s the allure of the free-spirited capital when its clubs, bars, and cultural institutions are closed off for an indefinite time? And yet, even in those dire circumstances, some brave souls still sought to make Berlin their new home. How is moving to Berlin in the pandemic different than what most of us ex-pats have experienced?

7 Awesome New Books from Berlin

by Michalina | Books

A great way to support your local artist community and look smart at the same time is investing in some books! In this post, you’ll find an assortment of recent publications from or about Berlin, representing all kinds of genres – some will broaden your knowledge about the city, while others are simply too fun to miss. Prepare to impress your visitors with a cool Berlin book on your shelf (once dinner parties are a thing again!).

Lockout Not Lockdown: An Outcry of Berlin’s Club Culture

by Michalina | Pandemic, Party

photo: Keith Telfeyan.

While the effective vaccine rollout has already brought back some normalcy to people in the UK, Germany is still struggling with the pandemic and tries to tackle it with various new restrictions. These change so often that they’re sometimes hard to keep track of, and according to some, they’re not exclusively targeting the riskiest behaviors. That’s the view of Clubcomission Berlin, which, in their latest statement, criticizes the ban on organized open-air events.

Artist to Turn Halle am Berghain into Immersive Prehistoric Wetlands

by Michalina | Art

artwork: Jakob Kudsk Steensen.

Berghain as we know it has been closed for over a year now. But the corona-imposed lockdown restrictions have transformed it into an occasional art gallery, much to the chagrin of some local hipsters. This summer, Berghain will yet again open its doors to art lovers and anyone who’s always wanted to see the halls of the famous club but never made it inside.

This Berlin Short Film Speaks for Womxn Who Are Tired of Being Harassed

by Michalina | Videos

We’ve just celebrated International Women’s Day when it is customary for our social media feeds to start filling with messages of female empowerment. But obviously, celebrating being a woman should not happen merely on an annual basis. And what is more, the joy over how far we’ve come should not eclipse the work that still has to be done. We need more awareness about issues of intersectional feminism in our day-to-day lives. One such issue is the fact that womxn still cannot always feel safe in the streets of Berlin. “I’M BORED”, a short film by Chelsea Herbert and Alex Newton, is an honest and ultimately hopeful reflection on street harassment by a girl who’s grown tired of it.

Learn How to Complain Like A German

by Michalina | Stories

It’s been a while since we last published a feature from our ongoing series “Learn Deutsch with iHeartBerlin”. In fact, you haven’t got any German tips from us since you were introduced to the “10 German terms that describe complex personalities in one word”. But now, we’re back, and taking it a step further: here’s not just a few new words, but actual sentences! And might I add: extremely practical sentences, since Berliners have always been somehow notorious for their complaining. So if you want to bridge the gap between a tourist and a rightful dweller of this city, you better learn these by heart.

A Haunting in the Plattenbau: The New Horror Show Hausen

by Michalina | TV

If you’re a fan of horror and looking for some binge-worthy German series for the upcoming lockdown 2.0, we just might have a recommendation for you. Check out “Hausen”, the new horror series available on Sky – especially if you agree that giant East German apartment blocks have something monstrous about them.

ENTER THE CLUB: A Playful Virtual Reality Experience of Berghain

by Michalina | Art, Party

illustration: Virginie Kypriotis.

Berlin’s nightlife has served as inspiration for many art forms. Multiple illustrators have managed to convey the atmosphere of the wild parties that go on for days, among them Virginie Kypriotis with her fantastic visions of Berghain. The new project ENTER THE CLUB has made her work even more enthralling by turning it into a virtual reality experience.

Behind the Tree: The New Streaming Platform from Berlin is like Netflix for Arthouse Movies

by Michalina | Movies

photo: The Invisible Frame.

If you have the impression that you’ve already watched the entirety of Netflix three times since the first Corona lockdown, we have exciting news for you! Behind the Tree is a new streaming platform made in Berlin with arthouse movies and short films.

The website offers a variety of independent movie genres, including documentaries, horrors, and animes. Many of the films are in German, but most have English subtitles, so it can also be a great way to get some language practice going. The website features some international productions as well, like the movie “The Invisible Frame”, in which Tilda Swinton explores Berlin’s recent history.

How to Turn your Hobby into a Career in Berlin

by Michalina | People

Because of the corona pandemic, many Berliners were forced to adjust or even completely rethink their careers. Having their professional opportunities or carefully devised plans suddenly wrecked, some might be considering taking matters into their own hands and going freelance. But what’s it really like to turn your art or hobby into a career? We’ve collected some expert advice from people who’ve made it happen before Corona hit and are now established in their respective fields. Read on to find some words of wisdom and inspiration from a wide array of Berlin-based creatives with fascinating careers, including a ceramic artist, a belly dancer, and a tarot card reader.