The beloved Griessmuehle had to close its doors in January 2020. Fortunately the club's restless team found a new venue and moved its operation to a new space called Revier Südost. The new club opened only for a very short time before being shut again by the second lockdown soon after. One of the club's employees, Jan Henschen, writes about the transition, about the new home and club's plans for a brighter future.
Many attempts were made to save the location, an extensive PR campaign was launched, which even made it into the New York Times, including a demonstration in front of the Neukölln Town Hall. But in the end, exactly a year ago, our club the Griessmuehle had to close abruptly. It became another victim in the wake of the constant gentrification disrupting Berlin’s club land.
Over the past eight years we were able to develop the area around Sonnenallee 221 in Berlin-Neukölln into a multifaceted subculture Mecca. Griessmuehle was located in an old warehouse and factory surrounded by a huge garden and a great stock of trees, an idyllic urban location between the S-Bahn tracks and the canal which was our playground and our living room. Seven days a week we could enjoy cinema evenings, art exhibitions, performances, workshops, markets and a varied music program that consisted of concerts and club evenings. We had a canteen attached and also a record shop. Together in one place, it was a cultural microcosm of sorts.
Griessmuehle
The program touched on all of Berlin's favorite sounds - house, techno, electro, wave, disco and also UK bass. The Cocktail D'Amore was a popular monthly weekender that rightly deserved its place as one of the best alternative LGBTQI+ parties in Berlin. Also, the participation on Christopher Street Day with our own truck in cooperation with Urban Nation was legendary. Both will stay in our minds forever.
Nevertheless, the end became inevitable and the last party happened on the last weekend of January 2020. Throughout the two wonderful final parties which lasted for over 6 days we were able to say goodbye to our beloved location for one last time. We have done so with many long-term colleagues and friends.
Without any break at all the fully booked Griessmuehle line up was rescheduled to an off location until Corona completely paralyzed cultural life in March last year. Then there were a few months of waiting and despite all the uncertainty, the new location "Revier Südost" opened in September during the pandemic. This time equipped with a long term contract, we found a new home on the site of the former Bärenquell brewery in the Niederschöneweide district.
Revier Südost
Despite the fact that we haven’t been able to carry out our full program in our new home due to the ongoing pandemic yet, it is pretty clear that the new Revier Südost will fit in well with the previous club.
A colorful and varied musical mix should be on the offer again and established party series such as Cocktail d'Amore, Synoid or Mother Finest will continue to exist. The club will also continue to work with its foreign partners as well as expanding its collaborations through the Gravity project. Our vision is to become one of the most prominent future creative districts in Berlin and in addition to the already existing club and beer garden, we will open some spaces – the upcoming market for instance, that will enrich the cultural programme with a focus on discourse, networks and exchange.
Our goal was and still is to create a place for intercultural exchange, an urban playground that reflects the cosmopolitan life and enriches the city of Berlin. In spite of the current world events we look to the future with joy and excitement.
