information

Housing in West Berlin is scarce, but whole streets in Kreuzberg and Schöneberg are being cleared of tenants. Once empty, the old buildings are to be torn down and new ones put up in their place. This destructive approach to urban development makes sense because the projects qualify for government subsidies.

Young families, unemployed people, non-conformists and students are hit especially hard by the lack of housing. Some decide to fight back by occupying empty buildings.

Anette Schill was one of them. In 1981 she and some friends occupy an old chemicals factory in Kreuzberg. She tells us about the early days of what would become known as the Rainbow Factory.

locations

• "Regenbogenfabrik" Berlin-Kreuzberg, Lausitzer Straße 22, 10999 Berlin

  showtime

  5

  latitude

  52.495585

  longitude

  13.426846

• Berlin-Schöneberg

  showtime

  1

  latitude

  52.484032

  longitude

  13.347041