Berlin's Art: Graffiti
Let's for one moment put aside the endless discussions on whether graffiti can or cannot be considered a form of art, and just look at what is before us, Berlin, a city invaded by graffiti and which costs the German government up to 50 million euros every year. Berlin, the capital of graffiti?
Even so, and despite the actions taken against the graffiti artists, this art continues to be on the up in Berlin. Graffiti is a big part of the German capital, so much that you may even get used to it and stop noticing it. These paintings, drawings, stains on a city to some, can be seen on façades, roads, benches, trains, dustbins, almost every corner of the city has them. Although many are signatures or slogans protesting capitalism, sometimes they can be aesthetically quite pleasing.
The history of Berlin and graffiti is a long one. Wall-painting started in New York and reached European shores and Germany in the 1970s, where it was the West Berliners who started. It brought a new, colourful scenery and contrast to the homogenic grey on the other side of the wall. But graffiti, we can all agree, is a symbol of the freedom of expression, giving it even more significance in the divided Germany of the 70s. 
When the first international anti-grafitti congress took place in 2005, the mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, claimed that, "Graffiti is a threat to the urban countryside". That same year, the laws regarding graffiti were strenghtened. Meanwhile, the Berlin Senate was donating funds to the Graffiti as Art Convention, "Backjumps", an event which brought graffiti artists, or writers, from all over the world to Berlin.
As a result, laws against graffiti were hardened further after 2005. The Penal Code states through the clauses §303 and §304: Any graffiti which alters the façade of a builing will be penalised, disregarding the opinion of the owners of such property (unlike the previous law). The sentence can be of up to two years in prison if it is regarding private property, and up to three years if it was done on public buildings. But reality has another face, most graffiti artists hardly ever end up in prison, and instead are invited to participate in teams of urban cleansing of graffiti as well as having to pay a fine to the owners for the damages.
Speaking of numbers, graffiti is actually quite expensive. Of the national 200 - 500 million euros spent by the government to clear the country of graffiti, 50 million are for Berlin only. Karl Hennig, the President of Nofitti- the first european anti-graffiti organisation, set up in 1994- claims that graffiti can be found mainly in areas where there are young people, that is, Prenzlauer Berg, Pankow, and Kreuzberg/Friedrichshain. 
Graffiti isn't something you do in your free time, it's nature is subversive, graffiti is an act of rebellion. And since it can be penalised by the law, it involves risk and adrenaline rushes. According to the police, there are 200 to 400 continuous graffiti artists in Berlin who are usually part of a community or graffiti group.
But let's put aside the definitions and enjoy the graffiti! Here are some places where you can find some good quality graffiti:
In Prenzlauer Berg (what used to be part of East Berlin): walking down Schliemannstraße (look into the courtyard of Nr. 20) through the park until Stargarderstraße. Take a right down Duncker Straße and stop at Nr. 12 and Nr. 20, good representations of Berlin graffiti. Carry on and turn left on Raumer Straße, especially on Helmholzplatz, and then left again on Senefelder Staße. Cross and turn right on Hiddenseerstraße (Nr. 11), where there is a park on the other side. (This tour was part of the exhibition “Blickpunkt Fassade: legal Graffiti in Prenzlauer Berg, Pankow and Weissensee”, organised by ProKultur last year).
But there is actually somewhere in Berlin where graffiti is allowed and where you won't get in trouble with the law! Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg, the old Berlin Wall. Question is... is it still fun if it's legal?
For more info on graffiti:
Backjumps (International Magazine for Street Art)
www.stattreisenberlin.de
www.berlin-untergrund.com
www.graffitieuropa.org
