Our trip through the city also aims to discover the real Berlin with its original charm. And that’s not that easy. But fortunately, there are people like Alexander Krüger. With his team, he occupied a special place and saved it for the Berlin cultural scene, the Alte Münze. Here, Mozilla celebrated its 25th anniversary.
THE REBELS
Saved might sound like an exaggeration, because after all, Berlin is still a cool city. However, everyone must admit that it has lost a lot of its charm over the last 20 years. Many iconic locations that once attracted people from all over the world to Berlin have been destroyed. Instead, expensive lofts and office buildings were built, all of which have one thing in common: they are unaffordable for Berliners and the artists who have made the city so popular internationally.
Therefore, the term “saved” is certainly justified. Because Alexander has often had to fight against windmills in the last 10 years. Until the Senate of Berlin finally realized that a place that is dedicated to art and culture, as well as cool parties, of course, is essential for the city. At least as long as one wants to preserve even the slightest bit of Berin’s creative, unconventional, and wild character.
So, the Alte Münze has developed into a cultural hot spot. Theater and exhibitions as well as many other creative events are offered here. If you want to quench your hunger or thirst before, in between, or after an event, you will find beautiful cafés, bistros, restaurants, and bars here.
And if you want to immerse yourself in the real Berlin nightlife, a visit to the Alte Münze club should be at the top of your bucket list. But be careful, things can get very sexy and erotic here.
MOZILLA CELEBRATES 25 YEARS & THE RISE25
Coincidentally, at the same time and in the same place during our visit, the US company Mozilla was celebrating its 25th anniversary. And, on this occasion, Mozilla selected 25 unique personalities who have made outstanding contributions to the Internet with their ideas, projects, and initiatives.
Mozilla is a non-profit organization that has been holding its own against major competitors for 25 years with its Firefox browser. The focus is on values such as openness, transparency, and security. And the latter on a wide variety of levels.
A SAFER INTERNET
Today, we users don’t just have to protect ourselves from viruses, Trojans, or phishing emails. In recent years, problems such as hate speech and bullying have become increasingly prevalent. In the anonymity of the World Wide Web, there are figures who, in their small-mindedness and little world, apparently see it as a certain form of satisfaction when they insult, threaten, or otherwise discredit other people.
The fact that sensitive people can break or become ill, that small business owners can lose everything they have built through hard work, or that shady lawyers can try to profit from it is a big problem. So far, Google or social media platforms have hardly made it possible to directly delete or even prevent violating entries.
It was, therefore, very inspiring and sometimes very moving to listen to the winners of the RISE25 Award give their speeches. The conversations with them and the guests during the after-show party were even more inspiring. So, we experienced a very intense, energetic day, in a place that is definitely worth a visit (or several).
Text & Images (unless otherwise stated): Marco Kokkot