Reasons in Berlin at “narrative time” and the central and state library (ZLB) | EUROtoday

People stand in entrance of a Mongolian yurt in Berlin-Kreuzberg. They are ready for the final time to inform within the youngsters’s and youth division of the America Memoral Library on World Stilling Day. Neongrüne stripes are glued to this system brochure: “Coated from 1.4.2025”. In the yurt, the creative path of this system speaks, Sabine Kolbe: “We are speechless – set to zero.” Then Marietta, Johanna, Kathleen, Soogi and Sabine play for 2 hours, as they are saying, “the smallest form of theater”, with voice, facial expressions, gestures and props from paper. The suction of the tales is powerful: the youngsters are actually sitting there with huge eyes, are requested whether or not they know this phrase and perceive that conclusion. A fairy story is a couple of king who desires to forbid the story, and from a rooster that crows till he permits it once more.

“Narrative time” has been a program of cultural training for 17 years. His 15 narratives go to Berlin and daycare facilities, but additionally to locations such because the Central and State Library (ZLB) and convey to youngsters about storytelling language, focus, intercultural competence, social integration. Since 2012, narrative time has been funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family, and in 2025 it was truly deliberate there with 193,000 euros.

Since November, when it was evident that there have been robust cuts within the Berlin finances, a minus of about 18 p.c had been assumed: “That would have been painful. Nevertheless, we were already considering how we could somehow catch it,” says Katrin Stahmleder program administration. In mid -December, “proportional cuts” had been nonetheless talked about in parliament. But in a press launch from the training administration, it mentioned: “Advance notices” just for the primary quarter of 2025. And that one reserves the “careful review of the effectiveness and effectiveness” of all promoted packages. “In mid-February, by email, we received the news that our funds would be completely deleted, we would have six weeks to handle.” Then narrative time started his protest, which others joined, for instance in a letter to Senator Günther-Lüsch, which ZLB workers additionally signed. It was not but clear whether or not there was nonetheless a contented ending for narrative time. The training administration didn’t reply to the questions of the FAS till the editorial deadline.

Narrative time and the ZLB are a great instance of synergy results within the Berlin cuts within the academic and cultural sector. The cooperation has existed since 2009, the narrative classes within the yurt of the ZLB happen twice every week, the financing is shared. On March 20, ZLB director Volker Heller says on the telephone: “Of course we also met by cuts in cooperation partners.” “Also hit” – as a result of the ZLB itself will get 2.2 million euros much less from one other Berlin Senate Administration, which can get 2.2 million euros much less sooner or later. Heller calls these cuts “a brutal process”. He additionally says: “The fatal is that a group of household politicians and finances was composed last autumn and simply put up cost lists without the professional participation of the corresponding house management”, which is “quite unusual in terms of procedure”. And: “The savings pressure in the Berlin household is large, which is known. It would be presumptuous. But if you want to shorten an area like the libraries, you need a goal and time to adapt.” So far, Berlin politics missed each. The debate “Where should Berlin’s cultural landscape develop?” get too little. And: “If we have to save even more, there is a crash.”

The cultural senate administration responds intimately to the request of the FAS, says, for instance, that it can not but present any details about the double finances 2026/27 within the present budgeticing course of. And emphasised: In November 2024, the proposed proposal for the ZLB nonetheless offered for a discount of 4 million euros, now the financial savings quantity was 1.6- “Expression of a cultural and educational policy focus and priorities through our house”.

Daniel Wesener, from 2021 to 2023 Berlin finance senator and since 2023 spokesman for cultural funds of the opposing inexperienced faction, says within the FAS dialog that the cornerstales for the upcoming double finances had been out there: “The budget of the cultural administration for 2026/27 provides for further cuts. This year it should be 135 million euros. That is almost a fifth of the Berliner in 2026 Culture promotion. ” That shouldn’t be a lot for Berlin’s complete finances of 40 billion. But for tradition they’re a catastrophe.