Berlinology

It’s been almost a year after the last episode of Berlinology was published. A show that was completely dedicated to Hartz IV or the unemployed program in Germany. Little did I know that 6 months later, I myself would be on that program, looking out for jobs.

On the Hartz reforms, the welfare state and Germany's precarious labour sector.

A perfectly decent chat on capitalism. We visit the Museum of Capitalism in Berlin and attend a socialist demonstration. This is Walrus vs The Beast.

Checkpoint Charlie was one of the hotbeds of the Cold War. What sparked the 1961 tank stand-off between the Soviets and the Americans? And what's wrong with the former border-crossing today? Thanks to Caroline Marburger. Other voices by Georgia, Chris, Susan, Xavier and Rick. More information about the history of Checkpoint Charlie at www.berlinology.org Music by Mark Schilders, Denis Wouters and Svetnik. Image by Walrus

A conversation with Joel Dullroy on the airport that never seems to get finished. With material from the four-part series 'How to F#ck up an Airport". Original show aired on Radio Spätkauf. http://www.radiospaetkauf.com/category/ber/ Music by Denis Wouters and Mark Schilders.

Meanwhile on the mainland; 15.000 British citizens living in Berlin after Brexit. Thanks to David Sumner, Georgia Riungu, Ryan Balmer, Daniel Tetlow, Jon Worth, Jonny Whitlam, Zoe Noble, James Glazebrook, Bruce, Jane Golding and Esme Nicholson. Brits in Europe, The Three Million Group, Expath, Berlin.de, Article 50. Music by LY Foulidis, Mark Schilders and Svetnik. Image by Georgia Riungu.

An inebriated attempt to make sense of Berlin after dark. -- Thanks to Kai, Manus, Jesse, Ryan, Catherine, Becky, Oliver, Jon, Tom, Michla and Petrit. Places visited: Görlitzer Bahnhof, Kottbusser Tor, St. Bart, Circus Lemke, Morphin Bar, Bar Mama, Griessmühle. Music by Mark Schilders and Svetnik. Image by Manus Browne.

On the life of a deposit-bottle collector in Berlin. Thanks to Sebastian Moser and his dissertation ‘Pfandsammler‘, and Valerie and Armin for telling me about their experiences. Music by LY Foulidis, Mark Schilders and Svetnik. Image by Manus Browne.

A journey through a former Soviet military base. Co-host Ysanne Choksey. Many thanks to Ciarán Fahey. Introductory quote from the ‘Book of Symbols - City’ as read by Geoffrey John King Music by Mark Schilders and Svetnik, Soviet song ‘Kalinka’. Image by Walrus.

A behind-the-scenes look in the lives of Walrus and Otter. Co-host: Ysanne Choksey. Thanks to Mariette, Kai, William, Elodie, Mohamad, Peregrin and Leon Weintraub. ReMemory event and Refugee Voice Tours. Quote from ‘Book of Symbols – City’, read by Geoffrey John King. Mark Schilders and Svetnik, LY Foulidis, Svetnik. Image by Walrus.

When a bakery fights its eviction, things quickly get out of hand. Thanks to co-hosts Ysanne Choksey and Christian Conradi. Contributions by Konstantin Sergio, Claire d’Orsay, Daniel Spülbeck, Joel Dullroy and Christian Ströbele. Music by LY Foulidis, Mark Schilders and Svetnik. Image by Manus Browne.

Prussia, and one of the greatest vanishing acts of the 20th century. Co-host Ysanne Choksey. Thanks to Markus Colla, Steffen Bender of the Prussian Association Berlin Brandenburg, Stefan Görlich of the Association Berliner Schlosses Special thanks to Darren O’byrne, Ken Walsh and Hans Georg. Music by Mark Schilders and Svetnik, LY Foulidis, Svetnik. Image by Sbs-Hf (CC-BY-SA 4.0)

This episode is exactly one U1-ride long. Download the show, head to Warschauer Straße and press play as soon as the sign indicates 'three minutes left'. Board the train and enjoy the ride! Thanks to Beata Gontarczyk-Kramp a.k.a. Notmsparker. Music by Mark Schilders and Svetnik, LY Foulidis, Svetnik. Image by Manus Browne.

About full-fledged acrobatics and staple-tease. Thanks to Ysanne Choksey, co-host. La Viola Vixen and her Shimmy Shake School, Julietta La Doll, Le Pustra and his Kabarett der Namenlosen, Lolita Va Voom, The Diamond Dahlia. Music and sound by Denis Wouters, Isabelle Meyrignac. Image by Ivan Gonzalez (CC BY 2.0).

The history of Devil’s Mountain (Teufelsberg) stretches out almost 80 years. After WWII Albert Speer’s military academy was buried under the rubble of approximately 400.000 Berlin houses. On top of the ruins a ‘listening station’ was built by the western allies, later taken over by the NSA. Today Teufelsberg is a re-discoverd attraction, where people can walk among the former buildings of a spy station run cold.

Walking through a spy-station run cold. Thanks to Ysanne Choksey, co-host and MI6 agent. Ciarán Fahey of Abandoned Berlin. Chris Wunsch, author of 'Teufelsberg, a Berlin Ruinology'. Music by Denis Wouters, Mark Schilders, Svetnik. Image by Prasath Easwaranathan.

Creating your own döner kebab, vox-popping crowds and a party. Co-host: Geoffrey John King. Thanks to Ilker Halici from Meraba Neuland Döner, Mendy & Edeltraut, Mathijs, Ida, Joris, Jasper, Daniël, Max, Annelies, and the random French girl in the queue. Music by Svetnik. Image by Manus Browne.

Interviewing our Jewish contemporaries and their relationship with the city. Thanks to Ysanne Choksey, co-host and author of Monument Musing, Hanno Hauenstein, founder of Aviv Magazine, Yael Sherill, writer and curator, Max Czollek, poet and organiser of the Disintegration Congress, Tal Alon, founder of Spitz Magazine. Music by Denis Wouters and Mark Schilders, introduction by Sam Wiseman. Image (cc by) Flickr / Goodnight London.

Walrus and a tattoo-gun. Tattoo artists: Guen Douglas, Matthew Gordon, Jeffrey Lutz, Wendy Pham, Taiko Gallery. Thanks to Carrie McIlwain for giving me a shot at actual tattooing. Walrus jingle by Denis Wouters. Soundtrack created for this specific episode by Jonnybegood. Image and design by Guen Douglas.

New York City, the mother of all cities. Walrus swam across the pond and carried his weighty body across Brooklyn. He spoke with three non-natives; one he has known for years, one who wrote Walrus an email, and one he met in Prospect Park. Let the mini-Walrus commence.