Dance music fans know Berlin has long been a hotbed for world-class clubbing. But now, it’s official: Techno in the German capital has been officially recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), following a campaign to protect its status as a vital part of German culture.
Announced yesterday, techno landed on UNESCO’s annually updated ICH list alongside five other German cultural touchpoints, including mountaineering in Saxony, fruit wine, and Kirchseeoner Perchtenlauf, a Bavarian new year’s parade.
“From the DJ culture that emerged in previous years, techno became the soundtrack of the spirit of optimism after reunification,” reads UNESCO’s updated ICH directory. “The freedom created helped to establish the techno and club scene that is so present in Berlin. Sound and sound productions are closely linked to the city and developed their special character in the context of German reunification.”
Over the last decade, key figures in Berlin’s club scene have led the campaign to see Berlin techno added to UNESCO’s list, including the Berlin Clubcommission and Rave The Planet, the non-profit in charge of a yearly street party dreamed up by Matthias Roenigh, otherwise known as DJ Dr. Motte, the founder of the city’s original Love Parade.
“Congratulations to all the cultural creators who have shaped and contributed to Berlin’s techno culture,” reads a Rave the Planet Facebook post. “A big thank you to everyone involved who has been with us on this journey since Hans Cousto’s initial idea in 2011.”
“This is another milestone for Berlin techno producers, artists, club operators, and event organizers,” Berlin’s Clubcommission added on X, formerly Twitter.
According to German news outlet Der Spiegel, the recognition could bring social and economic advantages to Berlin’s nightlife scene. These advantages come at a good time, amidst reports that around 100 clubs in Berlin have closed over the last decade, per Sky News.
While Berlin’s techno scene has been officially recognized, Detroit—widely regarded as the birthplace of techno—has not yet been recognized by UNESCO. The Warehouse nightclub in Chicago, house music’s birthplace, earned cultural landmark status from the City of Chicago last June.
Featured image from Rave The Planet. Credit: Chris Bellvue.
