Skatehalle Berlin skatepark: Daniel Kalthoff interview

Arguably one of the best skateparks in Europe

In the heart of the German capital, in the hip-alternative district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, a derelict train yard built 140 years ago has made way for one of Europe’s best skateparks. More than just a place to grind some rails though, Skatehalle Berlin also boasts a beer garden and nightclub. It’s the ultimate skater hangout.

In the beginning

Getting the project off the ground wasn’t easy. “In 2003, locals got together and said 'okay, we need a skatepark which is for skateboarders by skateboarders'” says Skatehalle’s head of marketing, Daniel Kalthoff. “Berlin was always trying for a good skatepark, and there were a few around - but they were all below-par, like in old ice-skating halls, and closed down after one or two years. At first we tried to get public funding, but that didn’t work out, so we started in 2004 as a legitimate company.”

Skateboard boom in Germany

Skate culture came to Berlin in the '70s, when the now-iconic figure Titus Dittmann started importing skateboards from California. However, in East Berlin, cut off from the West by the Berlin Wall, the skate scene in neighbourhoods such as Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg was silent and underground. “People were smuggling stuff over the wall and they were building their own trucks and boards. Most skateboards back then were done by DIY,” says Daniel. “Some guys from that time are still skating and have just made a movie in Berlin about the skateboarding scene in East Germany called This Ain’t California.”

The road to success isn’t always a smooth one

Today, skateboarding is a visible part of Berlin’s contemporary culture. But the past still has a way of throwing up challenges; Skatehalle’s old industrial site needs regular repairs. “This is an industrial place and it has been decaying for 10 years or so,” says Daniel. “We’re re-building the whole place all the time and you can never be too sure of anything. We experienced burst water pipes at the first Adidas event. There is always work to do, which is the main difficulty.”

Having to get by without government support is another challenge. However, the skatepark recently started a project teaching school groups how to skate, encouraging a new generation to get into the sport. “We have pros such as Lennie Burmeister, Jürgen Horrwarth and Jan Kliewer doing workshops for the kids” he elaborates.

The future is bright

The next big project is the rebuild of the street course in 2012, with the aim to make it easier to skate and more fun. A new vert ramp has just been finished, which looks absolutely amazing. All of which shows that Skatehalle Berlin is in good hands. “Our mission is to try and make the best skatepark you can find,” says Daniel. It’s certainly one Germany can be proud of.