growing up

born 1957 (!) in berlin, germany i grew up in spandau, one of the quarters of berlin. "going to the city" meant the city of spandau, heading for the city of berlin we'd say we'd "go to berlin." spandau became part of berlin in 1920 only and many residents consider themselves different from the berlin townsfolk.

wikipedia: spandau (old town)

my father was a local politician, not rich but well-to-do, my mom a typical german housewife. i went to a higher secondary school, called gymnasium in germany, but left before the final examination, abitur, which would have enabled me to study at university. i was 17 or 18 years old at the time and well into a life of constant party and drug abuse (alcohol, cannabis).

early youth

when final examinations took place i found it necessary to help occupy a forest in spandau where a thermal power plant was to be constructed, sacrificing huge swaths of forest. we actually succeeded, the power plant was canceled, and afterwards i moved with my co-conspirators into shared quarters in berlin kreuzberg, one of berlin's more central districts, housing mainly immigrants and blue-collar workers at the time.

[work in progress...]