Berlin

All the latest on Berlin: articles, analysis and ongoing coverage from Lost in the Jungle.

World

Gabriele Stötzer, East German Dissident Artist, Wins 2026 Goslarer Kaiserring

Gabriele Stötzer, an artist from Erfurt, Germany, will receive the Goslarer Kaiserring in October 2026—one of the world's highest distinctions in contemporary art. According to Die Zeit, the award honours a career marked by resistance to the East German regime: at age 23, Stötzer spent 12 months in prison for protesting against the Biermann-Ausbürgerung. A major retrospective of her work, titled "Dabei sein und nicht schweigen" (Be Present and Do Not Stay Silent), is on view at Berlin's Gropius-Bau through December 6, 2026.

4 August 2026 at 11:18

World

Hamburg CSD draws 300,000 as police double security after Berlin attack

Approximately 300,000 people participated in Hamburg's Christopher Street Day (CSD) on August 1, 2026, one week following an attack in Berlin on July 25. Hamburg police deployed double the number of officers compared to the previous year in response. The CSD, the term used in German-speaking countries for LGBT+ pride marches, takes its name from Christopher Street in New York, home to the Stonewall Inn, where riots that sparked the gay liberation movement began in 1969.

1 August 2026 at 16:51

World

Berlin: Evers (CDU) plans to convert unused offices and shops into housing

Stefan Evers, the CDU's top candidate (Spitzenkandidat) in Berlin, proposed on August 1, 2026 to convert unused offices and commercial spaces into housing, at least temporarily. In statements made to Berliner Morgenpost and reported by dpa, Evers called for creation of an "Umbauagentur" (transformation agency) to assist property owners in converting their real estate. Building height increases were also identified as a mechanism to expand Berlin's housing supply. Evers explicitly rejected expropriation of real estate companies.

1 August 2026 at 10:20

World

Berlin automatically flags rental listings suspected of exceeding legal rent limits

Berlin is automatically analysing property listings on major platforms to identify possible breaches of rent-control rules. According to Handelsblatt, 4,539 listings were assessed in June after duplicates and properties outside the scope of the reference rent index were excluded. The system flagged 2,102 listings, or 46%, as potentially non-compliant. Landlords concerned receive a letter identifying the listing and the automatically calculated excess. They are asked to check the advertised rent and adjust it if necessary. The analysis, based on Berlin’s 2026 reference rent index, is initially scheduled to run every month.

1 August 2026 at 09:13

World

Berlin's Treehouse at the Wall, symbol of Turkish immigration, faces demolition threat

In Berlin's Kreuzberg district, the Treehouse at the Wall—a rundown two-storey structure built around an adult tree in the former Berlin Wall no man's land—faces demolition by municipal authorities. Built from 1983 by Osman Kalin, a Turkish worker who came as part of Germany's post-war Gastarbeiter (guest worker) program, this building has become a symbol of Turkish immigration. Since Kalin's death in 2018, his son Mehmet maintains it. Supporters are campaigning to have it designated a memorial to immigrant workers.

1 August 2026 at 06:46

World

Berlin CSD attack: assailant was enrolled in a deradicalisation programme

Abdul B. killed one woman and injured 29 people in an attack at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day (CSD), an event supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. He was enrolled in a deradicalisation programme run by the Violence Prevention Network (VPN), a German NGO focused on preventing extremism. Two advisers met him twice in the days before the attack. They described him as polite, friendly and reserved, and detected no warning signs. Thomas Mücke, the organisation’s director, said the advisers had been unable to establish meaningful contact with him. Abdul B. did not mention his Islamist ideology during the meetings.

30 July 2026 at 17:41

World

Gunther von Hagens, inventor of plastination, dies at 81

Gunther von Hagens, the German anatomist nicknamed "Doctor Death" and inventor of plastination, died on July 24, 2026 at age 81 following a prolonged and serious illness. His family and the Plastination Institute confirmed his passing. Von Hagens developed this body preservation technique in 1977 at Heidelberg University. His Body Worlds exhibitions have been visited by more than 58 million people worldwide. His own body will be plastinated, in accordance with his wishes.

27 July 2026 at 14:08

World

Woman killed in van attack on Berlin Pride march, suspect shot dead

According to Le Monde, a man drove a van into participants of Berlin's Pride march on the evening of July 26, 2026, in Tiergarten park, killing one woman and injuring 29 people. The targeted event is Christopher Street Day (CSD), an annual celebration of LGBTQ+ rights—Berlin hosts one of the largest pride parades in German-speaking regions. The suspect, Abdul Ballout, was shot dead by police on July 27, 2026, in the Spandau district after a lengthy manhunt. This information comes from a single source and has not yet been independently verified.

27 July 2026 at 04:11

World

Berlin CSD Attack: Abdul B., 21, Still Fugitive After Ramming Crowd

On Sunday, July 26, 2026, Berlin police issued a wanted notice for Abdul B., 21, suspected of deliberately driving a rental vehicle into the Christopher Street Day (CSD) crowd near the Brandenburg Gate on the evening of July 25. The suspect is known to police and linked to Berlin's Islamist scene. He allegedly also attacked victims with a knife. Multiple people were injured. Abdul B. remained at large at the time of publication.

26 July 2026 at 08:11

World

Berlin: 1 dead and 16 injured in vehicle attack at Christopher Street Day

A vehicle rammed into the crowd at Berlin's Christopher Street Day (CSD) on Saturday evening, July 25, 2026, killing at least one person and injuring 16 others. Police issued a wanted notice on Sunday for suspect Abdul B., 21, whom authorities linked to Islamist circles. The vehicle was found abandoned in Tiergarten Park. Over 2,200 police officers had been deployed to secure the event. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner and Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attack as an assault on democratic values.

26 July 2026 at 06:41

World

Berlin's Christopher Street Day 2026: First Two-Day Edition, Mayor Wegner Takes Stand

Berlin's Christopher Street Day (CSD) takes place over two days for the first time on July 25, 2026. Mayor-Governor Kai Wegner (CDU) participated in the event and stated to news agency dpa that "in these times, it is important to take a stand." Wegner characterized Berlin as an open, cosmopolitan city—a "city of diversity and freedom."

25 July 2026 at 14:49

World

Rapper Ikkimel Opens Berlin's Christopher Street Day at Brandenburg Gate Before 8,000 People

Rapper Ikkimel opened the Christopher Street Day (CSD) weekend in Berlin with a concert at the Brandenburg Gate on Friday, July 24, 2026, in the evening. Before the show began, police counted approximately 8,000 people gathered at the site. From the stage, Ikkimel stated that the queer community had made her who she is.

24 July 2026 at 20:34

World

Germany: Merz reshuffles cabinet and CDU leadership following Spahn's resignation

Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on July 24, 2026, in Berlin, a major restructuring of his government and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party leadership, triggered by Jens Spahn's resignation as leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. Nina Warken, previously Health Minister, has been appointed head of the Bundeskanzleramt (Federal Chancellor's Office). Carsten Linnemann, CDU Secretary General, succeeds her as Health Minister. Philipp Amthor becomes Federal-Länder Commissioner at the Chancellor's Office. Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder's future remains unclear. Merz indicated further changes will be announced.

24 July 2026 at 17:37

World

AfD leads Berlin polls for first time with 19% of voting intentions

For the first time, the AfD party leads polls for Berlin's regional parliament elections with 19% of voting intentions according to a survey published on July 24, 2026. The CDU and Die Linke — "The Left," a German political party founded on June 15, 2007 — follow in equal second place with 18% each. The electoral vote takes place in less than two months. Despite this result, forming a government coalition remains described as difficult for the AfD in Germany's capital.

24 July 2026 at 12:07

Climate

Berlin emergency services saw 23% surge during June-July 2026 heat wave

During an extreme heat wave in Berlin from June 24 to July 2, 2026, emergency services responded to 23% more incidents than typically expected for the period, according to research from the Free University of Berlin (Freie Universität Berlin). The extreme heat cost more than 4,000 lives across Germany in late June 2026, according to estimates. Researchers established their comparison using data from June 4–17, 2026, as a baseline period representing normal conditions.

19 July 2026 at 16:30

World

Berlin's transport senator calls for responsibility with e-scooters

Berlin's transport senator Ute Bonde (CDU) called on July 17, 2026 for greater mutual respect among road users. Speaking to the Berliner Zeitung, she highlighted electric scooters as a prime example of irresponsible behavior. Bonde emphasized that all modes of transportation should remain accessible to all Berliners, yet e-scooters are frequently left abandoned in public spaces, creating dangerous obstacles for pedestrians. Her remarks were carried without editorial modification by Die Zeit via the dpa news agency.

17 July 2026 at 19:51

World

Thunderstorms and severe weather expected over Berlin and Brandenburg: DWD alert

Germany's national weather service, the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), has issued an alert for potential thunderstorms and severe weather over Berlin and Brandenburg on Friday, July 16, 2026, with disruptions expected in the following days. The alert was distributed via the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) news agency and automatically picked up by Die Zeit. The precise intensity of the expected weather phenomena has not been specified in the available sources.

16 July 2026 at 07:10

World

Friedrich Merz Delivers Mid-Term Assessment at First Summer Press Conference in Berlin

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) held his first summer press conference on July 15, 2026, in Berlin. Declaring the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition "has found its rhythm," he acknowledged reforms progress more slowly than expected. Merz defended increased federal borrowing citing Russia's war against Ukraine, reaffirmed categorical refusal to cooperate with the AfD or Die Linke ahead of eastern regional elections, and admitted poor polling with no current electoral majority. Regarding constitutional debt brake reform, an expert commission will present proposals, but constitutional change requires unified coalition consensus and broader parliamentary support—both currently absent.

15 July 2026 at 14:23

World

Berlin and Brandenburg: 30°C heat and severe thunderstorms forecast for July 15, 2026

The Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), the federal German meteorological service with headquarters in Offenbach am Main, forecasts temperatures reaching up to 30°C on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 in Berlin and Brandenburg. This summer heat will be accompanied by violent weather phenomena: precipitation up to 20 l/m² in a short time, storm gusts, thunderstorms and hail are expected in the same regions. The day will show a variable profile: cloud banks will settle, alternating with long periods of clear skies and local showers.

15 July 2026 at 07:20

Berlin

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