Berlin Commons Conference/ProjectVisits

The three project visits on October 31 have been an integral part of the International Commons Conference (ICC) - Constructing a Commons-Based Policy Platform in Berlin, (November 1/2 2010), organised by the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation in Berlin in partnership with the Commons Strategies Group.

These visits have provided an insight into different commons-based projects. They vary in many ways: in their scope, institutional rules and legal settings. They've built up different links to the market economy and are driven by different concepts of solidarity. But all of them exist and work according to their own values and rules.

The projects

Genossinnenschaft Schokofabrik eG (The visit to the Genossinnenschaft Schokofabrik has been offered only for women):

• Field of activity: A womens housing and working project
• Legal form: Cooperative
• Website: www.genossinnenschaft-schokofabrik.de

AKB - Ambulante Krankenpflege Berlin e.V.:

• Field of activity: Community based nursing as ambulant care
• Legal form: Association
• Website: www.akb-crellestrasse.de

Projektwerkstatt auf Gegenseitigkeit - Projektgruppe Karlshof:

• Field of activity: Non-commercial agriculture (NKL)
• Legal form: Foundation
• Website: www.gegenseitig.de/unsere-pag/projektgruppe-karlshof.html

Genossinnenschaft Schokofabrik eG

A women's housing and working project

When was the project founded?

The women's center in the district Kreuzberg of Berlin exists since 1981 as an association, the cooperative was founded in 2003 and bought the buildings (Mariannenstraße 6 und Naunynstraße 72) in 2004.

What motivated the founders and how did they realise it?

With the ending of the redevelopment area in the district Kreuzberg the rent control was also lifted. The imminent rental increase and apprehended sale of property threatened the very existence of the women's center. The idea to buy the houses themselves was then born.

A cooperative seemed to be the legal form which can be realised most easily. This bought the property which the women's center uses and other 5 flats as well.

What are the resources that the women's cooperative Schokofabrik manages at the community level?

The houses: with approx. 1.200 sqm project area of the women's center and the 5 flats for rent. Knowledge and contacts: both are brought in by the association and by the members of the cooperative.

Which legal form has the project and how are ownership and use (possession) of the resources regulated formally?

The registered cooperative "Genossinnenschaft Schokofabrik eG" makes the rooms available for the nonprofit association "Schokoladenfabrik e.V.".

The cooperative manages the residential property in the form of internal community of private apartments (WAY, german: WEG) by 14 women, who bought their flats in the houses themselves.

How is the project financed?

It was purchased with their own funds that was brought in by the members of the cooperative, through private loans and a bank credit.

The current financing is made possible through payments for use by the association and rental incomes from the tenants as well as through voluntary work by some members from the cooperative and association.

Who is involved and how many persons are participating?

The involved are exclusively women: - the cooperative has about 100 members. - some members of the association as well as 222 "Schoko Aunts" (and 4 "Uncles") donate money on a regular basis, - about 1.000 women visit the center every week.

Which products / services are generated at the community level and how are they distributed?

The association uses the spaces with a contract that is not terminable. If a flat becomes free, it is offered first to the members of the cooperative. The use is bound to a membership in the cooperative.

What are the elements of the management that don't follow the rules of the free market economy?

The rooms are given for rent exclusively to women. The user fee for the association is far under the market price and will not be brought into line with market price index. So far no profits are generated, therefore the members of the cooperative so far do not receive any dividends.

Which relationship does exist with the free market economy?

The rental market forms the framework, the housing rents are slowly brought in line with the market rents, new tenants have to pay the usual rents.

Does the state give any support (structurally, financially, idealistically…)?

The cooperative is not supported by the government, only the women's center association receives funds to cover running costs from the municipality and the European Union.

The project visit

6 women from Brasil, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany and USA visited the women's center Schokofabrik. Two members of the board of directors of the cooperative, Anna Homann and Carmen Mayer-Bohland, reported and answered the many questions of the visitors. The "Schoko" is Berlins biggest women's center with 1.200 sqm on 6 floors. It is providing a unique mixture of advice, formation, services and offers for recreation.

The center came out of the feminist movement of the 1980th with the aim to advance and encourage all women, lesbians and girls. The Schoko is still a place for contact and communication between women and for women. Women of every age, of different abilities, of each origin or sexual orientation are welcome in the Schoko.

The questions of the visitors are mainly:

• how to organise such a center?
• why are men forbidden to be there?
• what is the principle of the solidary economy?

One visitor gave a detailed feedback:

Most interesting: The cycles of reflection the collective did – to learn from what didn't work and what did work – how they kept evolving. How they listened to different stakeholders (e.g. the need of Turkish women for hamam – which gained the support of Turkish men because 'women-only' environment – which was eye-opening for radical feminists and lesbians involved that they could build bridges like this). It is an example of good 'commons' learning – building as you go along, learning in adaptive manner. New ideas: The power of squattering... private property is almost sacred is US – so helpful to see the power in claiming land in this way and the importance of land reform to open up alternative ownership/ access/ use structures.

What missed:

• I did wonder whether cooperatives are commons - need to think through whether this distinction matters – but would have been interested in debate on this.
• I was pleased that this fieldtrip brought out a lot of gender questions. My one big complaint re/ the conference was lack of attention to gender – since women often are linked to commons – especially when economically marginalized. And, the ideologies of commons and anti-commons have important gender dimensions.

The walk threw the center deeply impressed the visitors with the beauty of the buildings und their artful configuration. The rooms seemed to be very attractive and inviting.

A visitor wrote down: "Also, a very good field trip."

Tribute

This documentation was prepared by Elisabeth Voß, with the help of: Silke Helfrich: idea of the visits, discussions about the assortment of projects and questions for the presentation. The colleagues of the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation: - Arfasse Gamada: report about the project visit to Karlshof Potatoe-Café, - Lena Kunze: report about the project visit to Schokofabrik, - Tsewang Norbu: help with the English language. The visited groups Schokofabrik, AKB and Karlshof themselves. Some feedbacks from the participants of the project visits are incorporated into this report. Thanks to all of you!