The Left Berlin Newsletter, 30th April 2026
All Eyes on Stammheim! Support the Ulm 5!
Welcome to this week’s Left Berlin Newsletter.
The Ulm 5 case started in farce this week with the 5 - on trial for non-violent property damage - forced to sit in a glass cage in Stammheim high security court. When their lawyers were not allowed to sit with their clients, the lawyers first staged a walkout, then occupied the cage. Read our eye witness accounts from inside and outside the court here.
The trial continues on Monday. Once more, transport is being planned from Berlin. If you would like to travel, or would like to support the UIm 5 in any other way, you can read our quick guide on how you can concretely support the Ulm 5 which we published last week.
Meanwhile, tomorrow is international workers’ day. There’s a series of demonstrations which you can attend tonight and tomorrow, listed below and on our Events page. The biggest are likely to be the trade union demo at 11.30am, and the revolutionary 1 May demo at 6pm.
In the afternoon, it’s the annual festival at Mariannenplatz in front of the Bethanien buildings. As usual, The Left Berlin will have a stall between midday and 6pm. Please come along and say “Hello!” Even better, if you’d like to help sit on the stall or give out our new leaflet, we’re always looking for extra help.
This week in Working Class History - 1-3 May 1929: Blutmai (or “Bloody May”)
97 years ago this week saw the single bloodiest episode of police violence in Berlin’s history. Chief of Berlin police and SPD member Karl Zörgiebel banned all May Day demonstrations. When workers defied the ban, armed police shot into the crowd - and into neighbouring houses, killing over 30 people, particularly in Wedding and Neukölln. Read more about what happened here.
Demonstrations in Berlin
Today at 4.30pm: Blood May 1929, Martha-Ndumbe-Platz
Today at 8pm: Take Back the Night. Zickenplatz
Tomorrow at 11.30am: Trade Union Demo. Strausberger Platz
Tomorrow at 1pm: MyGruni Action against gentrification. Johannaplatz
Tomorrow at 1.12pm (13.12) Feminist 1 May demonstration. Henriettaplatz
Tomorrow at 6pm. Revolutionary 1 May Demo. Oranienplatz
This week’s Events
This evening at 6pm, Shir Hever will be speaking in Room 0007 of Hausvogteiplatz 5-7 in the HU. The subject of Shir’s talk is Complicity in Israel’s Crimes – the greatest constitutional challenge in postwar German history. The discussion will focus on Germany’s historical and legal responsibility to stand against racism and genocide. The meeting is organised by the Palestine Solidarity Forum HU, who are our Campaign of the Week.
This evening is the next Left Berlin Reading Group. Tonight we’ll be talking about Feminist 101 Survival Kit. You can find some suggested reading here. You don’t have to read everything, but if helps the discussion if you at least look at the primary readings. The Left Berlin Reading Group takes place on the final Thursday of each month starting at 7pm in Agit, Nansenstraße 2.
Every year, The Left Berlin has a stall at the 1 May festival at Mariannenplatz in front of the Bethanien building, where you can meet us and buy merch. This year, as ever, we’ll be there this Friday between midday and 6pm. Come along. Say “Hello”. Get involved. If you are interested in helping out on the stand, please contact us on team@theleftberlin.com.
Today also sees the opening of the photo exhibition Cruising the Countryside – Rural Queer Lives. The exhibition is framed by historical materials and contemporary artworks that explore barnyard vibes, mountain blues, pastoral creativity, and provincial kings. The opening is at 7pm in the Schwüles museum, and the exhibition continues until 2nd November.
On Saturday, it’s the latest Left Berlin Radio Programme, online at Refuge worldwide. You can also join us at the studio in Niemetzstraße 1. This time we’ll be talking all things Palivison, as well as talking to people who were in Stuttgart for the first Ulm 5 court hearing. Please note that this time, the radio programme will be between 3pm and 4pm - a little later than usual.
The next Left Berlin Coordinating meeting is this Monday at 7pm in Ferat Kocak’s office, Schierker Straße 26. We will hear report backs from our different working groups, and organise our next actions. Anyone who is interested in our activities is invited to join the meeting. In particular, we’ll be talking about the Palivision event on 16th May for people boycotting Eurovision.
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.
The Left Berlin in April
As usual, The Left Berlin is organising a number of Events in May. Here’s where you can find us. It is possible that we will be organising extra events short-notice. To stay up-to-date, keep checking our page of Left Berlin Events.
Friday, 1st May, midday – 6pm: Visit our stall at the 1 May Festival. Mariannenplatz in front of Bethanien
Saturday, 2nd May, 3pm – 4pm: The Left Berlin Radio Programme – Palivision special. Refuge Worldwide, Niemitzstraße 1 or live on https://refugeworldwide.com/
Monday, 4th May, 7pm – 9pm: The Left Berlin Coordinating meeting. Schierker Straße 26
Saturday, 9th May, 2pm – 3pm: The Left Berlin On-boarding. Agit, Nansenstraße 2
Sunday, 10th May, 2pm – 4.30pm: Walking Tour – (Anti)Colonialism in Berlin. Meeting point – Akademie der Künste on Pariser Platz
Saturday, 16th May, 7pm – late: Palivision 3. New Yorck im Bethanien
Saturday, 17th May, 4pm – 7pm: Editorial Board face-to-face meeting. Agit, Nansenstraße 2
Saturday, 23rd May, 6.30pm – 8.30pm. Film Club - The Black Panthers of Algeria. Refuge Worldwide, Niemetzstraße 1.
Thursday, 28th May, 3pm – 4pm: The Left Berlin Radio Programme. Refuge Worldwide, Niemitzstraße 1 or live on https://refugeworldwide.com/
Thursday, 28th May, 7pm – 9pm. The Left Berlin Reading Group. Agit, Nansenstraße 2.
News from Berlin and Germany
In News from Berlin, Berlin culture senator resigns after “clearly illegal” antisemitism funding scandal; further cuts threatened in Berlin’s culture sector; Reza Pahlavi visits Berlin; and judges rejects classification of the Jüdische Stimme as “extremist”.
In News from Germany, Hessen prepares draft law criminalising opposition to Israel’s right to exist; German army prepares for war scenarios; Germany has fourth highest military spending - after the US, China, and Russia; and far right attacks on housing projects and a synagogue in Cottbus.
Read all about it in this week’s News from Berlin and Germany.
New on theleftberlin.com
We talk to Nina Onèr, lawyer for Zo - one of the Ulm 5
Interview with Annemarie Jacir, director of Palestine 36
Zsofi Bognar looks at Hungary post-Orban
On the eve of their trial, Roser Garí Pérez talks to families and lawyers of the Ulm 5
Gabriel Helfenstein examines the violent history of Elbit Systems
Our team of writers, photographers, illustrators and video makers report from the first day of the Ulm 5 trial
Video of the Week
In the Video of the Week, journalists Hebh Jamal and Judith Schyett report from outside the Ulm 5 trial at Stammheim prison in Stuttgart.
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Keep on fighting,
The Left Berlin Editorial Board