The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Norbert Bisky: "I feel reminded of the darkest GDR times"

2020-10-25T14:44:51.702Z


Norbert Bisky is one of the most important German painters. Here he talks about the gay nightlife in Berlin and the new emptiness created by the protective measures.


Icon: enlarge

Artist Bisky in his studio:

Forget yourself for a while

Photo: René Lohse / DER SPIEGEL

Bisky's studio is located near Boxhagener Platz in Berlin's Friedrichshain district, usually a center of night life.

But even if many of the pubs and cafés in the area are open: At night there is now a strange calm in the streets.

Bisky, 50, grew up in Leipzig and East Berlin, his father Lothar Bisky was rector of the Babelsberg film school from 1986 and an influential politician of the Left Party after reunification.

Norbert Bisky studied art with Georg Baselitz and is one of the most important German painters.

SPIEGEL:

Mr. Bisky, alcohol has not been sold or served in Berlin after 11 p.m. for two weeks, for the first time since 1949. Do you still recognize your city?

Bisky:

To be honest, no.

Actually there is always something going on here in the Kiez.

Now the barricaded Spätis and empty streets are more reminiscent of Magnitogorsk than Berlin.

I miss the people.

SPIEGEL:

When was the last time you went out?

Bisky:

On the weekend.

I was in a bar there.

SPIEGEL:

That sounds rather moderate.

Bisky:

You mean when I was really partying?

Read more with Spiegel Plus

More perspectives, more understanding.

Your advantages with SPIEGEL +

  • Icon: Check

    DER SPIEGEL as a magazine

    as an app, e-paper and on the e-reader

  • Icon: Check

    All articles on SPIEGEL.de

    Exclusive texts for SPIEGEL + readers

  • Icon: Check

    Try one month for free

    Cancel anytime online

    A price

    only € 19.99 per month

One month for € 0.00

Try now for 0.00 € Buy nowArrow to the right

Already have a digital subscription? Register here

Restore iTunes subscription

SPIEGEL + is processed via your iTunes account and paid for with a purchase confirmation.

24 hours before it expires, the subscription is automatically renewed by one month at the current price of € 19.99.

You can cancel the subscription at any time in the settings of your iTunes account.

In order to use SPIEGEL + outside of this app, you have to link the subscription to a SPIEGEL ID account immediately after purchase.

With the purchase you accept our general terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Source: spiegel

All life articles on 2020-10-25

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.