demusic1-8, Exercise 3: The Wall and the clubs

Model answer (check the details):

How the fall of the Wall helped: after 1989 East Berlin had many empty and half-used buildings, in the former border zone and elsewhere, and for a time few rules about using them. Young people from both halves of the city, and from abroad, held parties and opened clubs in them. Techno, which had come to Europe from Detroit, suited the energy of the time, and the city became a centre for it. Tresor, opened in 1991, is a well-known example.

One reason for controversy: the scene has been debated for noise, drugs and the pressure on nightlife as property values rise, and some clubs have closed under that pressure. Another is the Love Parade of 2010 in Duisburg, which ended in a fatal crush and led to legal action (check). Any of these is a valid answer.

A balanced view notes both the creative gains and the real costs.