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Commie cooking

From a new East German eatery in Mitte to a P-Berg GDR liquor store and an Ossi food haven on the city’s outskirts, culinary ostalgia is alive and kicking in Berlin.

Dec 7, 2011 by in Restaurants

Six Kreuzberg natives on Gentrification

Six homegrown Ausländer speak out.

May 2, 2011 by in Features

Midnight run

In this town there’s always a place to pick up a pack of smokes, a beer or even groceries at five in the morning: Spätkäufe, or Spätis as they're affectionately known. Welcome to an insomniac netherworld of underdogs, thugs and boozehounds.

Jan 17, 2011 by in Zeitgeist

Neukölln’s unwanted Gypsies

Within this political climate of "integration" concerns today, Neukölln’s Roma population struggles for acceptance amid Germany's goal to deport 10,000 Kosovan Roma – 4,000 of whom already have been.

Oct 11, 2010 by in People (9 Comments)

Return of the Kult

NOW ON AIR! Berlin’s one and only forum for “world music” – an expletive that doesn’t do justice to the city's vibrant music scene – is back, under a slightly different name. Hello, Radio Multicult!

Sep 1, 2010 by | in Culture

Interview: Eugene Hütz

In the 1990s, he spearheaded the Russendisko sound; now, Madonna's a fan. The frontman of Gogol Bordello talks about love and “Balkan Wave”. GB returns to Berlin on December 9 for a wild show at Huxley's Neue Welt.

Jun 1, 2010 by in Reviews & Interviews

A chat with... Ivana Stancheva

“An undiscovered revolution” is how Berlin’s Balkan Wave pioneer, musician/filmmaker Ivana Stancheva, describes herself. She's also one of the city's last diehard communists.

May 12, 2010 by in Film

Interview: Shantel

In the 1990s, electronic DJ Stefan Hantel (a.k.a. Shantel) followed his roots to Romania. Now, his "Bucovina Club" nights are legendary, he plays his Gypsy remixes to ecstatic crowds - and he's on the Borat soundtrack.

Apr 9, 2010 by in Reviews & Interviews (3 Comments)

Godfather of boxing

Izzet “Easy” Mafratoglu has a dream: to build up a new generation of amateur fighters. He is taking up the challenge at IsiGym Boxsport in Schöneberg.

Apr 1, 2010 by in Features