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cold war and cold drinks:
HOW HEINZ ZELLERMAYER ABOLISHED LISCENCING HOURS IN BERLIN
Ravers, punks and the police (they also like to have a drink now and then), all
you dancing freaks and night owls - you should at least once mutter into your
glass the following: "Thank you very much, Heinz Zellermayer".
Without him night-life in Berlin would be as dull as in Bonn and as expensive as
in London. 54 years ago, in 1949!, Mr. Zellermayer did something which will be always
associated with him as is Ronald Biggs with the train robbery. Thanks to his personal
initiative we in Berlin can get drunk as often and as we like, and without restrictions as in
no other city in Europe.
In 1945 Berlin was only a pile of rubble and in the pubs there was little to
laugh about as there was nothing to drink except for an alcohol substitute
(Alkolat) and the pubs had to close at 9pm. The communists in the
eastern sector craftily prolonged closing time unilaterally to 10pm, to
attract the west-Berlin drinkers. This wasnÇt liked by the west commanders and so in reply
they followed suit. The Russians promptly added an additional hour to their already
extended closing time.
With this in mind, Heinz Zellermayer, at that time deputy director of the Guild of
Berlin hoteliers and restauranteurs, saw the chance to put the neglected pub
scene in the western sector of the city back on its feet. He went to the French
city commander and suggested the complete abolition of licensing hours in the
western part of the city. "Mon dieux", you'd better talk first to the Americans
and the British because nothing works without their agreement here in the
West.
The puritanical British did not even offer the brave Zellermayer a
seat. No chance, when it was already difficult for the victors in London to get a
drink whenever they wanted during the day, so why should the losers be allowed
to get sloshed all night long.
Finally he called on the American city
commander General Frank Howley. He also remained sceptical.
"No more licencing hours, no more security. Allright ?"
"Have you ever been in a pub?", Zellermayer asked the general. As the general almost
died laughing Zellermayer continued with the following words. "Problems start
only when the landlord shows the drunkards the door, and they start to riot
because they can`t get anything more to drink".
These words seemed to remind Howley about something. "The ball is in your court,
deputy director". At the next meeting of the Allierten Kontrollrat (allied
control council) the discontinuance of closing hours was on the agenda and the
British were out-voted by the French and the Americans. Howley called Zellermayer
at once and he immediatedly informed his publicans that from now on celebrations
round the hour could begin.
The exact date of this action has got lost in the
mists of post-war events. Mr. Zellermayer still recalls that it was the end of
June and on that day it was raining. A newspaper article names the 20th of June
1949. This would be a good date for an annual celebration.
All the
best, Mr. Zellermayer.
This city is powered by c2h5oh, cocaine hydrocloride, amphetamines , viagra and celluloid and nicotine
-kho
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