How did they render it useless? I don't know anything about this but I'm picking up "no one goes there anymore it's too crowded" vibes.
Hence, rendering it basically useless as a "park".
Just ... standing there as if to intercept you when walking by.
Yes, they can make a bad and for some an intimidating appearance, and make others mad, but "making the park useless" is a gross exaggeration... how often are you there, and where you from? Just curious..
Most of these people are not as bad, and while this film sure tells a story, I'd suggest to watch the modern version of "Berlin Alexanderplatz" just to get another perspective.
> you can even walk safely through the park at darker times when you stick to the big ways
You have no idea how crazy that sounds for someone that isn't acclimatized to Berlin culture.
> dealers don't even annoy you usually
is not that strong an argument.
I too have experienced this
You can get hard drugs delivered to your door faster than a uber eats.
I've lived in many places in which drug dealers where sketchy as fuck, Berlin isn't one of these.
This thread is full of people with no first hand experience and projecting way too much
But by that, and the other indications you are providing - "some are intimidating, some not... you can even walk safely at night if you stick to the large paths" are what I mean by falling fall short of the standards of what one expects from nice, decent and inviting city park.
As for the kids and families there during the day - it's not like they have much choice.
Where you from?
Let's just say I've lived in plenty of places in Europe - not necessarily 24-hour party people destinations like Berlin, but definitely not backwaters either - where one didn't have to think twice about taking a walk in the park at night.
I also remember a Berlin from not too long ago when it was ugly and decrepit (if in a beautiful way), for sure - but where one didn't need to be on one's guard in so many places, as now.
Yeah, that's where I want to take my kids, where the "drug dealers don't annoy us if we're not interested"... you must have very high annoyance thresholds.
This isn't skidrow with dozens of people injecting drugs 24/7 in the middle of the streets lol
The dealers are plainly obnoxious - and vastly more numerous than any funk food vendors. I don't see how one can begin to make a comparison.
You just have a bunch of people saying "hey do you want something?" when you get in/out. There even is a petting zoo inside the park, it's far from a no man's land. In summer it's full of people sunbathing &c.
It's kind of an open secret that police allows them here so that they don't proliferate everywhere else. This open secret contract means they're also mostly harmless and police are patrolling around the park very often.
I live 500m away and ride by on a daily basis