The absurd idea of erecting a fence around Mauerpark and charging admission left us speechless.

What makes Mauerpark attractive, what makes it special is the fact that it is a place where everyone can participate in cultural activities. It doesn’t cost anything. And everyone is welcome in Mauerpark: Berliners and visitors, rich and poor, young and old. We have always made sure no-one is excluded because they don’t have enough money. That bucks the gentrification trend that can be observed in so many other places in the city.

We were clearly not alone in vehemently rejecting this absurd idea. A number of key players in the community also rejected it: Sören Benn (Major of Berlin Pankow), Matthias Zarbock (leader of the Die Linke party in Pankow district council) and Roland Schröder (leader of the SPD party in Pankow district council).

We cherish Mauerpark as an internationally important place for people to meet, a venue for cultural activities, a place that celebrates diversity and what brings people together rather than keeping them apart. It is unique and we will continue to protect that uniqueness.

Pankow Tourism Concept (German): Tourismuskonzept Pankow 2018+

In the News (German):
Der Mauerpark bleibt eintrittsfrei – Tagesspiegel 31.05.2019
Mauerpark soll kostenlos zugänglich bleiben – RBB24 31.05
Touristen sollen Eintrittsgeld – Tagesspiegel 31.05.2019
Streit um Tourismus-Konzept – Berliner Zeitung 31.05.
Muss man im Mauerpark bald Eintritt zahlen? – BZ 31.05