A., computer scientist, 29
“New cultural milieus and spaces emerged, but so did new difficulties. These are problems you can’t solve overnight. This is why I say that Berlin is dynamic, it’s changing, mostly for the better. There is always something new. Berlin is too occupied with itself to say whether it’s stopped developing or soon will.”
G., beverage retailer, 55
“The Turkish side was a shock. I mean, it didn’t use to be like that. Karl Marx Strasse was a bumpy street with cobblestones. It was so run down it was scary. The windows were broken and repaired with newspapers. That was West Germany, West Berlin, and it looked like Russia.”
J., social worker, 28
“The smells reminded me of Poland. I think moving here awakened childhood memories. I don’t know. I think I learned to appreciate living in urban spaces.”
