The Left Berlin Newsletter, 16th April 2026
Support the Ulm 5 at Their Trail This Week!
Welcome to this week’s Left Berlin Newsletter.
On Monday April 27, the trial begins in Stuttgart of the Ulm 5. The Ulm 5 have been in pretrial detention for 7 months. We want to show them that they are not alone, that we stand by their side even beyond the prison walls, and that we will not give up the struggle for a free Palestine and a world without oppression, no matter how much repression tries to intimidate us.
Buses have been organised to take Berliners to the trial, leaving Bahnhof Südkreuz at 10am on Sunday 26th April and returning late on Monday night. After an overnight stay in Karlsruhe, protestors will be drive together to the courthouse in Stuttgart together, where there will be a rally Monday morning. Please bring a sleeping pad and sleeping bag!
Bus tickets are donation based (€5–30 per trip) and can be ordered by sending an e-mail to common_journey_court_watch@systemli.org. Please say how many tickets you’d like to reserve. You can also pick up tickets from L5 Späti (Lenaustraße 5 - open daily from midday to midnight), or at the Solidarity Fundraiser for Palestine in New Yorck at Bethanien on Saturday, April 18th. At the Solidaity Fundraiser, there will be a Trial Observation workshop at 3pm and a letter writing session to the Ulm 5 at 5pm.
Theleftberlin.com will continue our coverage of the Ulm 5 this week with an interview with Zo’s lawyer Nina Onèr, and an article suggesting other ways you can support the 5. The people united will never be defeated! Palestine will be free!
This week in Working Class History - 20 April 1914: Ludlow Massacre
112 years ago this week, striking workers in Ludlow, Colorado, were attacked by the National Guard, who were using machine guns. At least 18 strikers and their families were killed. The massacre provoked a fightback, which led to the introduction of new labour laws. Read about what happened here.
Demonstrations in Berlin
Tomorrow at 5pm, Free All Palestinian Prisoners, Zickenplatz
Saturday at midday, 15 Years Fukushima. 40 Years Chernobyl, Brandenburger Tor
Saturday at midday, Defend Renewable Energies, Invalidenpark
Saturday at 6pm, Stop the Execution Law, Oranienplatz
Sunday at 2.30pm Hands off Lebanon, U-Bahn Turmstraße
This week’s Events
This evening, the Amnesty International Berlin, Israel/Palestine Group, is showing the film Put your Soul on your Hand and Walk in Sputnik Kino. The film starts at 6pm and will be followed (around 8.20pm) by a discussion on Israel’s AI and data-driven war in Gaza. We published an interview with director Sepideh Farsi about the film on theleftberlin.com this week.
Also this evening, Malek and Ido introduce you to Marxism - What is it, and how is it relevant for struggles today? - a presentation and discussion on the most fundamental concepts of Marxism and a conversation on how they are relevant to activists. The meeting starts at 7pm in the Casino for Social Medicine, Sonnenallee 100.
On Friday at 7.30pm in Lettrétage, Bridges Magazine is organising a Reading concert and magazine presentation to support people in Palestine. The event contains music and song by Valerie Suty, texts and poems, an online conversation with Palestinian activist Issa Hares and Israeli activist Noa Feldmann, and a presentation of the new edition of Brücken magaine.
On Saturday, from 2pm until midnight, there’s a Solidarity Fundraiser for Palestine in New Yorck / Bethanien. Join us for a full day in community and resistance raising funds for families in Gaza. There’s a soli market (come and visit the Left Berlin stall) in the day time, with an evening programme containing a film screening, live music, and home cooked food.
On Sunday afternoon, it’s the latest Political Walking Tour from The Left Berlin - Marzahn, the Wild Wild East. Starting in 1979, an entire neighborhood for 150,000 people was built in less than a decade, relying on the unparalleled efficiency of East Germany’s planned economy. Come and listen to Marzahn’s history, starting at 2pm at S-Bhf Springfuhl, on the train platform in the middle.
On Wednesday at 11am, the NOlympia campaign has its official kick off by collecting signatures for the referendum: “For Berlin - against Olympia. We say no to Berlin’s application to host the Olympic games in 2036, 2040, and 2044!” With a colourful demonstration and speeches, they will symbolically collect the first signatures against the Olympic Games in Berlin in front of the Rotes Rathaus.
There is much more going on in Berlin this week. To find out more about Events we organise, please look at our new-look Events page where you can choose between viewing All Events or just the ones organised by us. If you would like to recommend other Events, please contact us on team@theleftberlin.com.
News from Berlin and Germany
In News from Berlin, activists hold conference against Big Tech.
In News from Germany, Bremen declares the Interventionistische Linke a “threat to democracy”; AfD come third in election for Schwerin mayor; a large majority of Germany does not believe that the current government has reduced bureaucracy; liberation of Buchenwald concentration camp commemorated; Bundeswehr says military aged men can travel after all; and government reacts to energy crisis by reducing tax on oil.
Read all about it in this week’s News from Berlin and Germany.
New on theleftberlin.com
Gabriel Helfenstein looks at a further weakening of the Freedom of Information Act in Berlin
Nadja Vancauwenberghe talks to Iranian film director Sepideh Farsi about her film Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, which is being screened in Berlin this evening
Dahlia Flowers celebrates Giorgia Meloni’s defeat in an Italian referendum but bemoans the lask of a credible left opposition
The Czech Elbit 10 ask for your support
As Jeremy Corbyn’s Your Party expels socialists, Dave Gilchrist argues that the need for a strong left is greater than ever
Justice for Palestine calls for German signatures against the EU-Israel Association Agreement
Video of the Week
This week saw the millionth signature for the European Citizen’s Initiative (ECI) calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. It also saw a big push to build the campaign in Germany, where fewer people have been involved so far than in other European countries.
In the Video of the Week, Tamam Abusalama, strategist of the ECI Justice for Palestine tells you why you should give your signature and support the campaign. Justice for Palestine is our Campaign of the Week.
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Keep on fighting,
The Left Berlin Editorial Board