☀️ Guten Morgen, Berlin!
High: 15.6°C | Low: 9.9°C
Chance of Rain: 28%
Sunrise: 7:45 AM | Sunset: 5:56 PM
Here’s your quick update on what’s happening around the city on Wednesday, October 22 - from urgent alerts to stories in the subreddit. Today we went through 100+ articles, posts and events so you don't have to.
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🇩🇪 How dangerous dooring accidents for cyclists can be prevented
Berlin discussed how to stop “dooring” crashes yesterday. ADFC Berlin chair Eberhard Brodhage said the city sees about two such collisions daily and cited the recent death of actress Wanda Perdelwitz. He urged 2.5‑meter bike lanes under the 2018 Mobility Act, traffic calming, the Dutch Reach, 1.5‑meter passing, and door‑warning tech. (rbb24)
Infrastructure makes a measurable difference. A case‑crossover study of 690 injured cyclists found cycle tracks cut injury risk to about one‑ninth of the risk on major streets with parked cars and no bike facility. Bike lanes without parking and off‑street paths halved risk. Streetcar tracks tripled risk; downhills doubled it. (PubMed Central)
Vehicle technology is also advancing. Since 2023, Euro New Car Assessment Programme tests award points for “cyclist dooring prevention.” Maximum credit goes to systems that physically block doors until a cyclist passes. Tests simulate a bike at 15 kilometers per hour traveling one meter from a parked car, pushing manufacturers to add such features. (Euro NCAP)
🇩🇪 Friedrichstrasse as a focal point: between a lack of concept, ignorance and vacancies
Berlin’s Friedrichstraße is struggling. In an interview published yesterday, Mitte’s district mayor Stefanie Remlinger blamed failed traffic plans, fragmented ownership, and persistent vacancies. She cited empty landmarks such as Quartier 206 and the former Galeries Lafayette site. Talks with owners stall, and a promised master plan for the area seems buried. (Berliner Zeitung)
Real estate headwinds deepen the issue. Berlin’s office vacancy hit 8.2 percent in the third quarter of 2025, up from 6.3 percent a year earlier. Vacant space now exceeds 1.86 million square meters. Prime office rent stands at €46.50 per square meter each month, favoring top locations while weaker stock lags. (JLL)
Berlin's "City Center Traffic Concept" analysis reveals the Mitte district suffers from significant traffic congestion, and competition for space due to its high density of retail, restaurants, tourism, and residential use. High building density contributes to heat stress, noise, and air pollution, while overlapping transport networks and high parking demand require integrated solutions. (berlin.de)
🇩🇪 Asbestos in tens of thousands of homes
Berlin’s state-owned housing stock still contains about 29,000 apartments with asbestos. The most affected are Gewobag with 7,758 units, Degewo with 6,736, and Howoge with 6,678. Gesobau gave no figure; estimates reach 15,000. Last year, companies renovated only 66 to 2,322 flats each. A Green lawmaker called the numbers still too high. (Berliner Morgenpost)
Germany used asbestos on a massive scale. Between 1950 and 1985, consumption reached about 4.4 million tonnes, processed into more than 3,000 products. Although production and use were banned on October 31, 1993, many long‑lived materials remain in buildings and become hazardous when disturbed during renovations. (Umweltbundesamt)
The health toll persists. In 2023, German accident insurers recognized around 650 new cases of pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma as occupational diseases linked to past exposure. These cancers have long latency and poor prognosis, so early detection and strict controls during building work remain crucial decades after the ban. (DGUV)
⚡ Quick Hits
🇬🇧 'Completely new': What the first fine for excessive rent in Berlin means for tenants | Berlin’s first fine marks a new push to enforce rent limits.
🇩🇪 1600 new apartments: Start of construction for new urban quarter in Berlin-Marzahn | Groundbreaking kicks off Marzahn’s Konnekt, promising 1600 homes, half affordable.
🇩🇪 Berlin job market remains stable: best job prospects for skilled workers and nurses | Berlin's job market stays stable, craving skilled trades, care and young professionals.
🇩🇪 Berlin's professional clubs support the Senate's Olympic dreams | Berlin's top pro clubs back an Olympic bid—if sports facilities and grassroots benefit.
🇩🇪 Right-wing extremist in Berlin admitted to psychiatric ward after making threats | Berlin right-wing extremist arrested for alleged mass threats, now held for psychiatric evaluation.
🇩🇪 * Berlin university accepts students affected by Trump's US entry ban* | Bard College Berlin opens doors to students blocked from studying in the United States.
🇬🇧 ‘Ask your daughters’: Merz defends his call for large-scale deportations | Merz defends mass deportations, invoking parents' fears and provoking broad criticism.
📅 Events Today
🎟️ Film Restored - Film Heritage Festival | October 22 - 26, 2025 | €9 | Rediscovered cinema classics—restored, rare and long-lost—screened alongside panels, workshops and live-music silent shows. Action-packed, global program that makes film history thrilling again.
🎟️ This weekend: Holzmarkt Flea Market | October 25, 2025 | Free | Stroll, browse and bargain among vintage curios and well-loved oddities — perfect for late risers hunting treasures full of character and the unexpected stories behind second‑hand finds.
🎟️ This weekend: All Ages Karaoke Brunch | October 26 | Free | Monster Ronsons presents All Ages Karaoke Brunch at Brasserie Dandelion. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy great food, drinks and karaoke with family and friends. All ages are welcome! (submitted by our readers)
💬 What Berliners Are Talking About
🗣️ Seriöse und preiswerter Bestatter in Berlin gesucht. | Community offers practical tips and recommendations for affordable, anonymous Berlin funerals.
🗣️ Weekly Event Advisor - Upcoming Events that are NOT at Berghain | Weekly curated thread listing noteworthy non‑Berghain Berlin parties with submission guidelines.
🗣️ Berghain alternatives for nye | People suggest skipping Berghain for NYE—sleeping in or trying Haus der Visionäre.
🥓 Word of the Day: Kummerspeck | Literal: Grief bacon | Meaning: Weight gained from emotional overeating. | Example: Nach der Trennung habe ich fünf Kilo Kummerspeck zugelegt. (After the breakup, I gained five kilos of grief bacon.)
👋 That's a wrap! Thanks for reading Berlin News Daily!
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