Economist.com Cities Guide: Berlin Briefing - September 2005

News this month

A taxing poll

Germany's federal election on September 18th failed to produce a clear result. After a lacklustre campaign, Angela Merkel, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) opposition, bucked expectations and failed to trounce the Social Democrat (SPD)-Green coalition government, led by Gerhard Schröder, Germany's chancellor. Still, the CDU (with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union) got the biggest share, with 35.2% of the vote, marginally ahead of the SPD, which got 34.3%. The business-friendly Free Democrats managed almost 10%, the Greens 8.1% and the Left Party, formed to protest against Mr Schröder's economic reforms, pulled in an astonishing 8.7% (including 16.3% of votes in Berlin).

The lack of an obvious winner hasn't stopped both the CDU and the SPD from claiming victory—Mr Schröder even boasted that he had a mandate for a third term as chancellor. In reality, the results seem to preclude a strong coalition. Adding to the confusion, one district in Dresden has yet to vote, after the sudden death of a candidate late in the campaign. By law, a new parliament must sit by October 18th; negotiations could well stretch until then, with some suggesting a “grand coalition” between the CDU and the SPD. Such an arrangement is hardly ideal, concedes Klaus Wowereit, Berlin's Social Democrat mayor, but “the parties have to find a way to create some sort of government.”

The price of success

Less than six months after opening, Berlin’s spectacular and moving Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is having problems. The foundation that runs the memorial, which has a €2.09m ($2.5m) annual budget provided by the federal government, is running short of cash. It now has a deficit of €550,000.

Insiders blame the shortfall on the opening ceremonies in May, which were costlier than expected. It also appears that the memorial is a victim of its success—visitor numbers at its site, near the Brandenburg Gate, are soaring and the foundation has had to increase security patrols considerably. But as admission is free, the greater numbers have not led to increased revenue. As a result, the foundation is cutting costs by closing the museum beneath the memorial on Mondays.

Return of a queen

In August, Berlin's Museum Island saw the return of one of its greatest treasures. The famous bust of Nefertiti, an ancient Egyptian queen, was evacuated from the island, in East Berlin, at the start of the second world war. After hostilities ended, she was housed in West Berlin's Egyptian Museum, which closed earlier this year. Now on display in the Altes Museum, she will move once more—to her original home on the island, the Neues Museum, once its restoration is complete in 2009.

The 3,300-year-old limestone sculpture of Nefertiti (whose name translates as “the beautiful woman has come”), just 50cm high, was discovered in 1912 at Tell el-Amarna, Egypt, which served as the royal retreat of her husband, the Pharaoh Akhenaten, possibly the father of Tutankhamen. When she first went on display in Berlin in 1923, she was dubbed the “Mona Lisa of the ancient world”. These days, her graceful features, swanlike neck and mysterious, penetrating eyes have become iconic in Berlin, attracting thousands of admirers every year. With such a beauty in its possession, the Altes Museum is taking no chances—Nefertiti is protected by a 12-foot-high reinforced glass case.

Shock in the suburbs

Berliners were shocked by the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old boy in late August. Adding to the horror, a 16-year-old boy, who had known the victim for years, has confessed to the crime. The teenager gave no explanation for his actions other than “frustration”. Investigators suspect sexual assault was also involved.

The two boys lived in Zehlendorf, a Berlin neighbourhood with a family-friendly reputation, where parents think nothing of their children disappearing for hours to play together. Now residents are nervous and angry, particularly as it has emerged that the teenager, who was being raised by his grandparents, has a long criminal history. He had been awaiting trial for a previous assault at the time of the murder, but a judge had opted not to put him in detention, despite his grandparents' pleas that they could not control him.

Whipping up a frenzy

Berliners are used to controversy from Klaus Wowereit, the city's flashy and openly gay mayor. But he caused quite a stir when he zealously welcomed a sado-masochism festival in early September, which drew thousands of leather- and chain-clad revellers. Mayor Wowi not only gave a nod to the Folsom-Europe festival (inspired by the more famous San Francisco fest), he even penned the programme’s official greeting.

Conservative members of the city's parliament expressed outrage. The mayor shot back that his critics were “narrow-minded”, explaining that Berlin must, above all, be tolerant. Berliners appear to agree; the event attracted 10,000 people, although the mayor himself did not attend.

Catch if you can

October 2005

New York Underground: Paintings by Rainer Fetting

Until November 12th 2005

In the heart of the Mitte gallery district, this show displays recent neo-expressionist works by Rainer Fetting, one of the leaders of “Junge Wilde” (Wild Youth), an artistic movement founded in the 1980s that approached the cityscape with a brash, punk sensibility. Now not so young (b. 1949), Mr Fetting has drawn inspiration from a recent sojourn in New York. He seems particularly intrigued by the city's subways, which he captures with bold, colourful brush strokes.

Galerie Descher, Auguststrasse 61, 10117 Berlin-Mitte. Tel: +49 (30) 283 3288. Open: Tues-Sat 1pm-6pm. See the gallery's website.

More from the Berlin cultural calendar