Initiative wants to fight for free space in the 6,000 square meter vacancy
State time? In the Bahnhofsviertel, things temporarily get down to business over the years: an initiative for open spaces in Munich will fight in a vacant space.
Munich – Where Landwehrstrasse and Schillerstrasse meet, an initiative wants to create new spaces for subculture in the state capital. Far beyond the station district. She wants to take the first steps quickly – between Christmas and the New Year. Scene of what happened: The former “House of Electrical Engineering” at Schillerstraße 38.
The building with its 6,000 square meters has been empty for around two years. According to their own statements, the makers are concerned with more than just this. And also by more than the initial five days on which the program is offered.
Does Munich ignore freelancers and subcultures?
For the time being it looks like a (quick) classic interim use. Organized from December 26th to 31st the “Initiative Freiräume” – an alliance of several groups and necessary – in the house workshops, lectures, discussions, exhibitions and here and there also music. The project is called “Forum for Freedom”. It is still unclear whether and how things will continue on Schillerstrasse afterwards.
But the group is dealing with very basic issues, as spokeswoman Lou Schmitz said Thursday (December 22) at a clarified press conference. “A lively urban society needs more free space for young people to enable them to develop themselves, become politicized and socialized,” she emphasized. According to the initiative, Munich ignores freelancers and subcultures. More access to space is needed in the expensive city – but also material and financial resources.
“In Munich there is not enough free space”
At the start of the project, Sub drew up a catalog of demands for the city. The call for “ending all vacancies” can be found in it, “protection and preservation of existing free spaces” and the “accessibility” of public space for young people. But also the end of thinking about temporary uses that might be useful for investment. This is considered, among other things, as a “permanence of designable public open spaces”.
The well-known conflict between culture and neighbors in Munich who need peace and quiet was also included in the catalog – for example, the group’s note to the city administration says “financing of noise protection funds and noise protection reports”.
“In Munich there is not enough free space. The unexpected support from the city administration leads to displacement and thus to fewer and fewer places for self-development,” warned “Freiräume” shortly before Christmas. What is needed are “places that can be co-defined and co-designed. It’s not just about where we can live, it’s also about how we live.”
Munich “free spaces”: No “party cellar” in Schillerstrasse – but a place of work
However, not only allegations should be made in Schillerstrasse. “The goal of the forum for free space is not only to denounce it, but to bring the topic of free space further into the discourse,” it says on the initiative’s website. Or also: “We declare our city to be our studio! And this should shine in all colors.”
It’s not the first serve on the subject of “free spaces”. As early as June 2021 there was a demonstration and a “Freiraum-Kongress”, supported by the district youth council of Munich-City, among others. Happened since then from the sides of the city, but nothing, so the criticism. By the way, there are no parties at the five-day event. At least not on Schillerstrasse – but in the Rote Sonne club. “We want to work here specifically, said and not that the place is in the public eye as a party cellar or consumption room”, “scene networker” Emilie Gendron the Southgerman newspaper. (fn)