Berlin’s Famous Club Scene Faces the End of the Party

Berlin is synonymous with unbridled hedonism, throbbing techno and intense parties that go on for days. But the fun will soon be over for two of the capital’s most famous venues — Watergate and Wilde Renate — which are set to permanently close, in part due to rising costs.

Enterprising club promoters have long defied predictions of the techno scene’s imminent demise — there’s even a German word for it, “Clubsterben,” or club death. But Berlin shouldn’t ignore the plight of an industry that contributes around €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) annually to the local economy, is a magnet for young tourists, startups and creative types, and whose cultural significance was recently recognized by Unesco.