Lady under the Engine Hood

Yesterday, I rediscovered Berlin’s hippest district: Kreuzberg. Initially, this post was solely dedicated to interesting bookstores in Kreuzberg, but on my expedition through the streets, I came across a lot more than just bestsellers and second-hand books.

Let me begin with a brief recapitulatation of Kreuzberg’s history. Kreuzberg, which means “cross-mountain“, is divided into two area codes. During the time of the Berlin Wall, three quarters of the southeastern part, also known as SO36, were closed off from the rest of Berlin. In this rather isolated area, the people living here cultivated their own culture. The majority of the people were foreigners, embracing the new symbiosis of Turkish, Persian, African and German culture. Today, more than 180 nationalities live in Kreuzberg, which makes this district a rare melting pot. On my search for interesting bookstores, I discovered a retro garage, a Persian candy factory and, of course, books en masse.

It was a sunny afternoon and I walked down the well-known Oranienstraße, a street you must see when visiting Berlin. The first bookstore that caught my attention was the Dante Connection, a store that specializes mainly in Italian literature, but also offers a broad collection of African, Asian and South-American novels. Only a few books and authors seemed familiar, many names I read for the first time. The lady at the front then explained that they primarily concentrate in special edition productions. Upon asking her if they sell the highly discussed German bestseller Axolotl Roadkill by Helene Hegemann, she tells me that they try to avoid anything mainstream, but at the moment they indeed have one copy in stock.

Philosophical / Sociological Book Store

I leave the store and continue on my journey, where a couple houses further, I notice a small sign on a gate, that reads: Metal Werkstatt, (metal garage). After I ring their doorbell, I enter through the gate into a world of metals and hammers and grey and silver tools. The owner of the garage tells me that his shop was established some 20 years ago. Here, he repairs old things or designs new objects. Since a few years, he lives here on a permanent basis. As I walk through the garage out into the backyard, I see a beautiful blue old-timer car, with a unique drawing under the engine hood. He mentions that he usually does not repair cars, but his “Baby“ needed some treatment.

I pick up my journey and enter a second-hand bookshop. Packing boxes serve as a table, a few people are rummaging inside the boxes and in the bookshelves. The young man at the desk explains that the bookshop focuses on philosophical and sociological books. Since the store buys books directly from their customers, most books are used and in a vintage state. He shakes his head when I ask him if they have “Axolotl Roadkill” - “This does not belong into our collection, I am sorry“, he says.

Persian Candy

I pursue my journey and run into a Persian candy factory. Oh my, all these sweet things look so very delicious. A woman tells me that this shop exists since the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is a family business and all ingredients are imported directly from Iran. She lets me taste some amazing chocolate-drops. After I let my mind devour every single piece of candy in that shop, I decide to continue with the bookstores.

My last stop is the Videodromshop, a store with popcultural reads. With a large range of entertaining coffee table books, it also offers an immense collection of old-school vinyl records.

Videodromshop

After having been to three bookstores, where two offered to order the number one novel I was looking for, I realized that the bookstores on Oranienstraße are all very special. Many books you have a hard time finding in regular bookstore are easily found here.

Next to a candy factory, a metal garage and many other stores, I think everyone will have some sort of success in finding a book they enjoy.

I will report more about books next week in reference to the Leipzig Bookfair.

Till then