Lifelong friendship from inside Berghain, Berlin : Travellers’ Tales

The intimate spirit amongst the revellers of the clubbing scene in Berlin has been forged on a cultural wave of progressive thinking. However, inclusivity and a sense of openness have always hallmarked the city’s clubbing culture.

 

I experienced something of a rarity in November 2018 in Berghain. The infamous techno temple is well known for being extremely difficult to get into. The internet is filled with various theories about how to stand the best chance of getting past the famously strict door policy.

 

On this particular night, I was lucky enough to be granted entry into the hallowed halls. Once you’re inside, it’s possibly the most indulgent environment you could imagine.

 

But there is an incredible atmosphere created by the acceptance that pretty much anything is tolerated inside the former East German power plant walls.

 

And it was in a dark and dingy stairwell that myself and my associate met a couple there to celebrate their 42nd birthday.

READ: Best things to do in Berlin

 

The conversation started with the friendly gesture of offering them a piece of chewing gum, for no reason other than it was a nice thing to do for someone looking a bit worse for wear after 10hrs in Berghain.

 

So we all got chatting as we walked down the stairwell on the way to the coat check. It was -3 degrees outside, so there were a few layers to put on while chatting.

 

Now, usually, this would be the end of a brief nightclub meeting with strangers that you hadn’t even asked the names of yet.

 

But this story is not one of those. Without any of us releasing, we were still chatting away when we had walked outside and to the train station. At which point, we all looked at each other and introduced ourselves.

 

Introductions out of the way I asked them what their plans were while they were in Berlin. The reply was that we just got here last night and are staying another two nights before returning home to the UK.

 

So then, seeing as I was also there for another couple of nights, it only made sense to throw any plans out the window and spend the day recovering from the night before together.

 

So that’s exactly what we did. Before we knew it, we had spent the entire long weekend partying together as a group of four. It’s not something that happens all that often these days. So to meet two strangers and spend a 3-day bender together entirely out of the blue.

 

The friendship has lasted far beyond a long weekend in Berlin. We have kept in touch and met up every few months to share our enjoyment of electronic music.

 

So my advice to anyone that does go to Berghain in Berlin. You never know who you’ll meet in a random stairwell. It could potentially be a lifelong friendship.

 

READ: Berlin during the Cold War

 

Author Bio  

Mathew is a music festival and travel lover living in Mallorca. He writes about unusual boutique music festivals and off-the-beaten-path travel experiences at On The Beating Travel.

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