How To F#k Up An Airport

Rain Clouds and Silver Linings.  Certain Futures host Daniel Stern walks through Milan, recording both hope and apprehension in the streets. His conversations with university researchers reveal forecasts and forewarnings that mirror the mood outside the ivory tower.  Certain Futures: What happens when a European demographic research project asks a Berlin podcaster from the United States to explore their findings?  In this episode Dan's journey into demography takes him to Milan, where he explores working, ageing, and dying with experts at Bocconi University, as well as a few Milanese out enjoying the evening. These anecdotes and expert insights reveal a few paths to building supportive networks and resilient, hopeful futures. This limited-series podcast is produced by Radio Spaetkauf in collaboration with the FutuRes Project. The FutuRes Project brings demographers and economists together with policymakers to advance what we know and how we plan for Europe’s ageing society. You can find all the FutuRes resear

What happens when a European demographic research project asks a Berlin podcaster (Dan from the RS team) to explore their findings? We find out in Episode one of Certain Futures: "Nine Months Per Year" Host Daniel Stern begins his journey into demography and takes a peek at what ageing might mean for himself, and for Europe. We find out the origins of demography and look at how the science has evolved. We also see how confronting ageing isn't just policy and percentages - it is also very personal. This limited-series podcast is produced by Radio Spaetkauf in collaboration with the FutuRes Project. The FutuRes Project brings demographers and economists together with policymakers to advance what we know and how we plan for Europe’s ageing society. You can find all the FutuRes research and other resources for understanding ageing and resilience in Europe on their website: https://futu-res.eu/ or also follow FutuRes on Linkedin. Thank you again to the guests in this episode: Professor Jakub Bijak: University o

"Saving Culture" is Season 2 of Radio Spaetkauf's Collaboration with the EAB - Europäische Akademie Berlin. In Episode two: "Everything is Culture" we discuss club culture, sports, comics, and video games are part of our cultural world. We reflect on the challenges of preserving diverse cultural spaces, the importance of inclusivity, practical ways to get involved and how expanding our definition of culture also means expanding our understanding of how we support cultural creators, spaces and communities. Host Daniel Stern is joined by a fantastic panel exploring the support and protection culture in all its forms, ensuring it remains accessible and vibrant for everyone. GUESTS: MATTHIAS OBORSKI Exhibition Director Computerspielemuseum Berlin   HENNA RÄSÄNEN aka HX  Comic Artist and Illustrator Portfolio Link KATHARIN AHREND  ClubcomissionBerlin e.V. DEESHYRA THOMAS Alba Berlin /  “Let’s get Down”   ➤ RSVP for our next LIVE TAPING on SEPT 13: Link for free tickets: https://www.eab-berlin.eu/ Notes: Recorde

"Saving Culture" is Season 2 of Radio Spaetkauf's Collaboration with the EAB - Europäische Akademie Berlin. In Episode one "Can We Support Subculture?" we look at the needs of independent artists, underground scenes, and freelance creatives. We examine the role of institutions, the state and individuals in ensuring that they survive and thrive and create without constraint. Host Daniel Stern is joined by a fantastic panel exploring the preservation of cultural diversity amidst funding cuts and other challenges.  GUESTS: Bianca Creutz - Project Leader at Prognos Pedro Ferreira - Multimedia Artist, Designer & Teacher Manuela Kay - Journalist & Publisher: L-MAG, Siegessäule  Erikah Vabaliukas - Cofounder of Panke   Our conversation covers a wide number of topics. Bianca sheds light on the precarious financial situation of solo entrepreneurs in the cultural sector. Read her report on the cultural sector here: LINK. Erikah explains how and why Panke became a haven for experimental and fringe creativity.

In this episode RSxEAB of  Radio Spaetkauf (our spinoff series recorded in collaboration with the Europäische Akademie Berlin )we focus on the future of urban living; asking the question, “What is the city of tomorrow?”. Host Daniel Stern is joined by architect Max Schwitalla and author Aiki Mira. The conversation begins with Max sharing how skateboarding background influenced his urban design approach, and with Mira reading a passage from their award-winning novel “Neurobiest” describing Berlin of the future topped by green rooftop communities. From there we discuss visions for the future: inclusive, polycentric urban design, mobility hubs, and discarding anthropocentricism to leave space for nature. The exploration of “The City of Tommorow” brings us to innovations (both real and imagined), micro-utopias, and proposals for infrastructure which is reusable, queer and adaptable.  Recorded Oct 17, 2024 at Podigee‘s Offices in Berlin Guest Links: Aiki Mira https://aikimira.webnode.page/ Aiki’s Podcast: Das War

Public space in Berlin is used for private profit. Does that rob or enrich the citizens? From business-run toilets to footpath vehicles and food sales in parks, we share our space with commerce. Can we also use private spaces like empty malls as public property? Radio Spaetkauf partners with the Europäische Akademie Berlin to invite an intelligent panel of activists and politicians to discuss the good and bad uses of public space for commercial gain.   Sophie Menzel is a big fan of public toilets. She raises awareness of the need for more and better toilets in Berlin through the group Buschfunk Bündnis e.V., with the slogan "Fair peeing for all!" Sophie says the current privately-run toilet system isn't good enough, and is especially failing people without penises. She wants to see more "missoirs" - feminized pissoirs (urninals). More at: https://buschfunk-buendnis.com/  Tuba Bozkurt is the Green party's member for Gesundbrunnen in the Berlin parliament. She is the Green Faction's spokesperson for industr

Recorded live in Grunewald, Dan is joined by guests Josefine Köhn-Haskins, Ryan Balmer, Júlia Mota Albuquerque and a handful of chirping birds to explore the significance of urban art in public spaces. In partnership with the Europäische Akademie Berlin. Support Radio Spaetkauf: https://www.radiospaetkauf.com/donate   Guests and Links: Josefine Köhn-Haskins, Journalist: Berlin Street Art Map Ryan Balmer, Tour Guide:  https://www.instagram.com/berlin_reguided Júlia Mota Albuquerque, Muralist: https://landofjulia.com/ Editing & Mastering: Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher recordedvoices.com Written, Produced and Engineered by Daniel Stern: sterndaniel.com With kind support of the Federal Foreign Office and EU (CERV) under the project “Europe Behind the Headlines” Join us live Aug 4 at House of Color: https://www.eventbrite.de/e/radio-spatkauf-tickets-967843655427 

Zombies in the GDR. Deutschrap. Heavenly lakes. Joy despite cancer. Days before her death, Maisie Hitchcock and I talked for one last time. In a hospital room in London, she shared her favourite memories from her years in Berlin - and revealed a few untold surprises. It's not all tears, because Maisie could be so funny. Her depth of knowledge about architecture, German history, music and culture is astounding. This is just a sample of her best moments from more than a decade of co-hosting Radio Spaetkauf. Make time for this. Take a walk. Listen until the end. Be prepared to laugh and cry. And maybe Maisie will convince you to change your life. I'm Joel Dullroy, and here I join with co-hosts Andrew Mason, Jöran Mandik and Daniel Stern to remember Maisie Hitchcock. Thanks to our fellow Radio Spaetkauf collaborators Izzy Choksey, Matilde Keizer, Anne-Marie Harrison and Sebastian Filip. Thanks to Radio Spaetkauf listeners for sending in your favourite memories of Maisie. More About Maisie Maisie Hitchcock was the

RSxEAB: "Sharing Urban Space". Radio Spaetkauf host Daniel Stern dives into a discussion of public spaces informed by three insightful guests. Johnny Whitlam (Whitlam's Berlin Tours) shares his passion for Berlin's history and hidden stories. Martin Aarts, the former head of spatial planning in Rotterdam emphasizes child-friendly cities and nature's role in urban design. Lea Fink (Strassenverlauf) offers a philosophical angle, stressing the need for accessible spaces that encourage learning and reflection. In this episode we explore the balance between historical preservation and contemporary needs, the transformation of places like Tempelhof and Potsdamer Platz. We discuss our personal and community connections to places like Alexanderplatz, the banks of the Landwehrkanal and the Comenius-Garten. We look at the dichotomy of planned spaces vs. the people-driven "organic" use of open areas. The is challenges of creating inclusive, community supported environments are acknowledged but common preconceptions a

The Berlin Mietendeckel experiment is finished. The city’s revolutionary attempt to freeze rental prices for five years, and reduce overpriced leases, has been killed off by Germany’s highest court. The decision has unleashed a political storm. Everyone is angry - but who will voters punish? The R2G parties who tried to regulate rents? Or their opponents, the CDU and FDP who successfully derailed the project? We make the case for why each side is to blame. There’s a big bill to pay, as hundreds of thousands of Berliners now face back-payments, higher rents and permanent shadow contracts. We’ll run the numbers on the potential local economic crisis that could follow. What hope is there left for affordable housing? And what can the rest of the world learn from Berlin’s short-lived rental revolution? The experiment is over. Now it’s time to analyze the results The Challengers The CDU and FDP took the Mietendeckel law to the constitutional court, where it was struck down. They perpetuated a false narrative - "bui

This month residents of Berlin should experience the biggest collective rent reduction in history. About 340,000 residents - one in six - may be eligible for a rent cut under the Mietendeckel, Berlin’s radical new housing policy. But landlords are doing their best to stop it. On November 23 landlords must reduce rents to regulation levels or face fines of €500,000. Tenants can check if they're paying too much at this website: http://www.mietendeckel.berlin.de And they can cheating landlords to the city government here: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/330040/ Anyone who gets a rent reduction should save the money, as they might have to pay it back. The Mietendeckel is being challenged in Germany's constitutional court, with a ruling expected in mid-2021. Jöran Mandik explains the court process - and the judges' red robes. Furnished flats are not exempt from the Mietendeckel. But some companies are offering a buy-and-lease-back service model to help landlords get around the law. Tenants are told they h

Every Berliner knows the new airport is about to open. But few know about the disasters that could happen next. We're here to explain. Masie, Joel and Jöran take part in a test of the new terminal and find it functional, if a bit dull. We meet the only hero in the BER saga - Engelbert Lütke Daldrup, the airport's fourth CEO, and the one who finally finished the job. He's a bureaucratic nerd who visited the building site on weekends to check on progress. And he has a penchant for prose when talking about his airport: "In the evenings, when the sun disappears behind the horizon, or when airplanes with their landing lights are touching down at Schönefeld... I don't want to call it romantic, but there are special moments." But just as BER was turning the corner, COVID-19 has slashed air traffic by 70% and put a huge hole in an already shaky budget. Critics say the pandemic is masking a passenger capacity crunch. Can the airport really handle all of Berlin's travellers? We'll only know after the crisis. How will B

How To F#€k Up An Airport team presents: Rent Freeze, a podcast about Berlin's rental revolution. Berlin's rent freeze has begun, but nobody seems to know what's going on. Landlords and tenants alike are confused about what to do next. Rents are now capped at the rate paid in June 2019 - all increases since then are invalid. New contracts can't exceed about €9.80 a square meter - half as much as many advertised prices. And landlords face fines of half a million euros for cheating. On this episode we go inside Berlin's parliament to hear the moment the rent freeze law was passed. Supporters and opponents gave fiery speeches in a rowdy session, which ended with politicians voting to suspend the free market for rental property for five years. We hear what landlords think about the new law. Some are devising ways to cheat - by renting to ignorant foreigners: "Those who screw their landlords are old Germans." Despite the threat of huge fines, some don't think the city has the resources to prosecute them. And what

Radio Spaetkauf presents our new series - Rent Freeze. What happens when an entire city of 3.5 million residents stops paying rent increases for the next five years? Welcome to Rent Freeze, a podcast about Berlin’s rental revolution. Berlin is about to introduce the Mietendeckel, a law that will freeze rents for five years, cap new rental contracts at a maximum price, and allow some tenants to claim a rent reduction. Supporters say it will be the best thing to happen to the city since the fall of the Wall But investors and landlords are outraged. They say the reforms will scare off businesses, leave houses unbuilt and in disrepair, and feed a grey market for off-the-books rental as desperate Berliners try to find a flat. On this episode we explain the basics of the law, and talk to Daniel Halmer of Wenigermiete.de about why the existing rent controls haven't worked. Produced and presented by Joel Dullroy, Maisie Hitchcock, Jöran Mandik and Daniel Stern. Music by Tom Evans and Ducks! Art by Jim Avignon. Rent F

A special live recording of the fourth and (maybe) last episode. Take a tour of all four of Berlin’s under-construction, out-of-use, falling-apart and over-capacity airports. Each has had a part to play in the story of how Berlin f#cked up an airport. At BER, we hear the airport company's side of the story: damn high regulations got in the way, they say. Tempelhof is closed, Tegel is operating precariously, and only socialist-built Schönefeld is muddling through. The end is in sight - October 2020. But even now Berlin is planning to double BER's floorplan and build a new government terminal. BER critic Dieter Faulenbach da Costa tells us the building is rotten to the core and should be scrapped. "I am convinced this airport can never open. They should pray for a miracle." We are joined on stage by Martin Delius, the former Pirate Party politician who led the Berlin parliamentary investigation into BER. Who was responsible for BER? All Berliners, he says. We ignored warning signs and re-elected incompetent pol

BER has been built twice - the first time incorrectly, the second time incompletely. We hear from Marco, an engineer who worked on site. Employees were busy stealing copper instead of fixing the fire system. Some managers got rich taking bribes. Informers had their coffee poisoned. Joel and Jöran drive out to the unfinished BER terminal to inspect the too-short escalators that end with stairs. They were just one of 150,000 mistakes discovered in an audit after the 2012 cancellation. Cables were stuffed together in overloaded enclosures - a fire risk. The sprinkler pipes too small to carry the required water. More than 600 fire walls had to be reconstructed. And the builders forgot to install lightning rods. Even when it's fixed, BER will need another overhaul: "As soon as they open it they have to modernize it," Marco says. "The technology is old standards. New airports are already building in a different way. This is going to be from the beginning an old airport." But finally, heads are starting to roll... t

Days away from the planned 2012 opening party, nothing seemed wrong at BER. What was really going on? On this episode, we look at how the airport managers and politicians were messing with the plans, even as construction was underway. They demanded a 70% increase in terminal space to add hundreds of extra shops, and requested special double story boarding gates for the supersized Airbus A380, even though no airline requested it. Instead of a working fire safety system, they planned to hire up to 800 people to act as human fire alarms. Despite multiple warnings, the airport board pushed ahead with opening party plans right up until May 8, 2012, when the first major delay was announced. We meet the man who put a stop to it all – Stephan Loge, the administrator of the Brandenburg building department. Also on this episode, Joel and Jöran visit the Schönefeld S-Bahn station in search of the empty train that runs nightly to the unfinished airport to keep air moving through the tunnels. Presented by Radio Spaetkauf

BER is the international airport code for Berlin Brandenburg Airport, nickname Willy Brandt. It has also become a signifier of failure, incompetence, corruption and Berlin’s general inability to get its act together. If you’ve flown to Berlin Schönefeld Airport in the last few years, you’ll have seen BER as your plane taxied along the runway. But despite outward appearances, BER is far from finished. It has been under construction for 11 years, blown through six opening dates, three general managers and two state leaders. Costs have ballooned from around €1 billion to at least €5.4 billion. Across this series, you’ll learn why the escalators are too short, why the lights are always on, and why the rooms seemed to be numbered by bingo. We’ll interview insiders and disgruntled workers, chase ghost trains running to the terminal, and go inside the unfinished airport. On this episode we’ll go way back to before any plans had been drawn, before even the Berlin wall had come down, to discover the foundational flaws