Zapfhahn88 at Konrad-Wolf-Strasse 88 was considered one of the few retreats of the extreme right in Alt-Hohenschönhausen since the closure of Wearwolf Streetware in 2008 [1] right next door (89). The BFC fan pub was the venue for the monthly meetings of the Lichtenberg NPD. Already on July 8, 2011, the bar served the NPD camouflage association “Pro Berlin-Lichtenberg e. V.” as a location for their meeting [2]. A little later, about a dozen neo-Nazis around Manuela and Dietmar Tönhardt met here every second Thursday of the month, supplied themselves with NPD material and usually went off afterwards to plaster stickers or damage civil society projects in the area [3]. Around 2015, actions against refugee accommodations and solidarity projects in the neighborhood were organized and carried out from here. Neo-Nazis photographed each other giving the Hitler salute during the NPD meeting or posed masked with pyrotechnics. All this happened with the knowledge and in the presence of the landlady [4][5].
After the racist mobilizations, the NPD quickly ran out of steam in the district. The activities of the Hohenschönhausen neo-Nazis were increasingly no longer carried out in the name of the local association, as is also shown by the sticker tours that continued to take place. Now, for example, propaganda of the Identitarian movement was increasingly being stickered. What remained of the NPD meeting place was a pub that continued to function as a retreat for Neo-Nazis from Berlin, as became apparent in 2019. The neo-Nazis of the NPD’s “Schutzzonen” campaign met here after standing guard elsewhere for the “Dienstagsgespräch” (regular event of fascist Hans-Ulrich Pieper with changing location). The bar was not open at the time, the group had a key [6].
The extreme right-wing activities that originated from the location had consequences. For this reason, we want to briefly summarize the antifascist interventions that we know about:
04 April 2008 – first mention as a target of antifascist attacks.
The Zapfhahn88, as well as the neighboring store Wearwolf, are attacked with paint bottles [7]. From a letter claiming responsibility it is clear that the Zapfhahn was already a target of antifascist actions before [8].
15 Feb 2017 – Attack with stones, paint & butyric acid [4][9][10]
While the pub was in business, hooded people threw stones & glasses filled with paint and butyric acid against the windows as well as into the pub.
16 Aug 2019 – Antifascist visit in the run-up to the commemoration of Rudolf Hess [11].
Within a week, several neo-Nazis were visited at home and their pubs were attacked in order to make it difficult for them to participate in the upcoming neo-Nazi march. One of the targets was Zapfhahn88.
21 April 2020 – Paint attack
Several bags of black and red paint were used to mark the pub again. The “AFA” on the wall next to the door is still from the last attack.
29 Aug 2020 – Attack in the run-up to the march of the III. Weg in Hohenschönhausen [12].
Again, glasses of paint end up on the facade. In addition, the window of the entrance door behind the shutters breaks. On the sidewalk in front of the bar is written “03.10 Nazifree!”. The action is part of a series of attacks in the run-up to the march of the III.Weg in Hohenschönhausen. [13] [14] [15]
31 Oct 2020 – Another attack and/or beginning of the closure.
The sign above the window is demolished and the house number 88 has disappeared. It is unclear if there was another attack or if the upcoming closure is making itself apparent here.
29 Nov 2020 – On Facebook, the Zapfhahn88 announces the closure [16].
The cause of the closure was not specified. What is certain is that no repairs (aside from some duct tape here and there) have taken place since the April 21, 2020 attack. Needless to say, the pandemic will also have played its part in the financial meltdown.
Alt-Hohenschönhausen has thus been freed from a well-known neo-Nazi meeting place through years of antifascist efforts. It remains to be seen whether the owner Sybille Wczassek will appear again, what will become of the store and how right-wing activities in the neighborhood will develop as a result.
Antifa works!
Sources: [1] Motiv Rechts Spezial [2] Unscheinbarer NPD Tarnverein [3] Fightback 06 [4] "Zapfhahn 88" Familienkneipe mit Nazianhang - Pt 1 [5] "Zapfhahn 88" Familienkneipe mit Nazianhang - Pt 2 "NPD Lichtenberg" [6] Die Köpfe der Berliner "Schutzzone" [7] Aktionen gegen Neonaziläden [8] Farbe für Naziladenfassade [9] Facebookpost des Z88 nach dem Angriff [10] RBB Beitrag über den Angriff [11] Nazigedenken wirft Schatten! [12] NPD Kneipe "Zapfhahn88" demoliert [13] Kanzlei von Nazi-Anwalt Carsten Schrank angegriffen [14] Kanzlei von NSU-Anwalt Wolfram Nahrath Besuch abgestattet [15] Nazikneipe "Lokal 18" in Naumburg angegriffen - III. Weg zerschlagen! [16] Facebookpost zur Schließung