A fatality occurs during the police clearance of squats
The 1970s to 1990s saw a wave of squatters occupy vacant buildings in cities across West Germany without the permission of the owners. Whilst some of the squatters just wanted an affordable place to live, others sought to give expression to an ideology that rejected a society based on property ownership and driven by the profit motive. Starting predominantly in West Berlin, the movement reached its peak in the early 1980s. In response, the Berlin Senate sought to come to an arrangement with those already occupying a property, but clearing new squats within 24 hours of their establishment.
Eight houses in various Berlin districts were cleared as part of a large-scale police operation on 22 September 1981. Unfortunately, a 19-year-old man was killed in Schöneberg when he was hit by a bus during protests. The squatters blamed the police for the incident, which led to further protests and violence. However, the squatter movement in Berlin soon became increasingly divided. Whilst one group rejected all compromise and sought to continue their campaign as part of the wider “class struggle”, others opted to negotiate and concluded rental or lease agreements with the owners. Overall, the number of squats declined significantly. After reunification, the policy developed in West Berlin was also applied to squats in East Berlin.
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