Ackerstraße 169 in Berlin-Mitte: From Occupied House to Housing Project

Ackerstraße 169

From Chocolate Factory to Subculture

The building at Ackerstraße 169 was constructed in 1881 as a residential tenement and is exemplary of the close connection between living and working that characterized late 19th-century Berlin. This typical “mixed-use city” structure, with front-house apartments and commercial use in the backyard, was widespread in the growing industrial city but is now only rarely preserved in Berlin-Mitte. While apartments were built in the front buildings, the property was given a new industrial function in 1911: the chocolate manufacturer Julius Stullgys took over the site and established a chocolate factory there. In the following years, the production buildings in the courtyard were expanded. Chocolate production continued there until 1971, turning Ackerstraße 169 into a place where residential life and industrial production coexisted directly for decades.

The Spirit of the 1990s: Occupation and Awakening

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Ackerstraße 169 was occupied in the summer of 1990 and turned into a housing and cultural project. From this occupation, the “Schokoladen” emerged in the early 1990s as a self-managed cultural venue. In a time of profound social change, a free space was created here, jointly developed by residents and cultural practitioners. The goal was to create alternative housing and cultural structures and to preserve a place that could function independently of commercial interests.

Ackerstraße 169 Today: A Surviving Jewel

While numerous housing and cultural projects of the post-reunification era disappeared, the “Schokoladen” managed to endure. At the time, the project was on the verge of eviction and thus faced the possible end of its use as a self-managed cultural space. Only through lengthy negotiations between the property owner, politicians, and the Edith Maryon Foundation could the continued existence of Ackerstraße 169 be secured. A decisive contribution was made by the purchase of the property by the foundation in 2012. This agreement is now considered one of the most well-known successes in the struggle to preserve self-organized cultural spaces in Berlin.

Over time, the building has developed into a vibrant, non-commercial cultural venue in Berlin-Mitte. At the “Schokoladen,” concerts with a wide musical spectrum take place regularly; bands such as Die Ärzte, Fontaines D.C., and Beatsteaks have also performed on its stage. The cultural offering is complemented by the former factory buildings in the courtyard, which today provide space for artists and creative work. In addition, the site includes rehearsal rooms, event spaces, and various initiatives, and is also known among many Berliners as a cultural ensemble with theatre, studios, workshops, and literary projects.

An Important Reference Point for Berlin’s Urban and Cultural Scene

In a district that has changed significantly over recent decades, the building has remained an important reference point for many within Berlin’s urban and cultural scene. It is a reminder that Berlin’s character is not only shaped by large construction projects and investments, but also by people who collectively create, use, and preserve spaces. While many of the well-known housing and cultural projects of the post-reunification era disappeared or were commercialized, the Schokoladen remains one of the few that still exist today. It is therefore often regarded as one of the last visible witnesses of the alternative cultural movement of the early 1990s.