HOW HEINZ ZELLERMAYER ABOLISHED LISCENCING HOURS IN BERLIN
Ravers, punks, 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 Luetschen Buelten and as expensive as
in London. In 1949 Mr. Zellermayer did something which will flue on him, like with the Great Train Robbery in 1963 on Ronald Biggs.
Some people can play a ball over the net, others can drive a car very fast in a circle. But te impact of that action Zellermayer is responsible for, can't be estimated high enough for the development of a demicratic society in germany,the survival of the City of Berlin, that we can get a drink at any time of the day. Vive la liberté
A look back:
In 1945 Berlin was just 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 was't 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", youÇd 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. |
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