May Day isn’t the most exciting festival in Germany. Official marking Labour Day, it’s a time where trade unions and the Social Democrats organize rallies and protests, often fueled by cheap beer, hearty German food and long speeches. However, in the German capital, they kick this tradition up a notch with massive leftist demonstrations, with oceans of people dancing at open-air parties and an incomparable energy of rebellion, chaos and anarchy. Kreuzberg is the original stomping ground for the day, with the SO 36 district and the Kottbusser Tor area turning into a war zone as protesters clash in violence with police. Much of this revolutionary attitude was born out of the historic events on May 1, 1987.
On this day, the atmosphere in leftist groups was already tense because of a series of crackdowns by the government and police. Initially, the May Day celebrations were peaceful, until the police forced new social groups, mainly those who were perceived as extreme-left, to leave the trade union’s demonstration. A riot broke out, and the police were forced to retreat from the SO36 area, as protesters overturned an empty police car. They then used construction vehicles and parked cars to create barricades in the entire area, which were then set on fire. Anti-fascism and anarchy engulfed the area, marking a turning point in the city’s history. Today, the atmosphere is subdued in comparison, however, there is still an energy of rebellion, violent protest and anti-establishment in the air.