DENMARK: Denmark plans changes to its hippie haven which residents say is 'capitalism at its worst'

Record ID: 569750

  • Title: DENMARK: Denmark plans changes to its hippie haven which residents say is 'capitalism at its worst'
  • Date: 14th November 2006
  • Summary: (EU) COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (RECENT) (REUTERS) CARSTEN JARLOV, HEAD OF PLANNING AGENCY, SPEAKING TO STAFF COPY OF PLANS FOR CHRISTIANIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) CARSTEN JARLOV, HEAD OF PLANNING AGENCY, SAYING: "We have called it an offer and the offer to the inhabitants is that they can continue living there on reasonable economic conditions, and they can also continue living in
  • Embargoed: 29th November 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Denmark
  • Country: Denmark
  • Topics: Domestic Politics,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVAD7OBJQ595QZEN4MYYZ93GZQT7
  • Story Text: The residents of Copenhagen's Christiania have to make a decision until Wednesday (November 15) if they are going to reject or accept the government's plans for changes to their 'hippie-haven'. Since 1971, 18th-century former naval fort has seen a major transformation and is now home to ageing hippies, artists, musicians, drug addicts, and stray dogs.
    What used to be acres of abandoned barracks is now a freewheeling community which advocates smoking hash in public, nudity and sometimes anarchy.
    For its estimated 650 residents, Christiania is almost like paradise.
    Residents pay for their own utilities, but rent is free. However, they pay a monthly fee of about 275 US dollars per adult which goes into funding the maintenance and upkeep of public areas.
    "The strength of having common ownership is so big that it turns the world apart. These are poor people. They're not even educated as well as the average Dane and we can still manage because the common ownership means that you have to cope with your neighbour, you have to talk with everybody around, you have to understand some kind the other person. You cannot just be yourself and you cannot just let the market decide who's going to be your next neighbour like the rest of the world," said Emmerik Warburg, a 54-year-old sound engineer who has been living in the community for the last 32 years.
    But Christiania also sits on prime real estate in downtown Copenhagen - one of the world's most expensive cities.
    And recently, the Danish government has proposed a new plan aimed at making Christiania more economically viable. Under the plan, residents would have to pay rent and allow outsiders to move in to the area.
    It also calls for the construction of about 200 new apartments, and the restoration of most of the original buildings and surrounding moats which means some houses along the water will be torn down.
    "We have called it an offer and the offer to the inhabitants is that they can continue living there on a reasonable economic conditions, and they can also continue living in their own way but with just a new framework," said Carsten Jarlov who heads the government agency responsible for mapping out plans for Christiania.
    Although the residents say they welcome some of the proposals such as the construction of new buildings and the entry of new residents, they generally reject putting a price tag on real estate.
    "It's like air. You need a place to live, you need air to breathe. you shouldn't put prices on air on water on the ground because we all need these. Nobody can live without it. And if you put prices on everything, it's the same as throwing some people away. We dont want that," said Warburg.
    But the government says the residents have very little choice.
    "The law and the actions we have been developing is based on the fact that the Christianites do not own Christiania. And we are are putting the whole construction on a new and legal footing," said Jarlov.
    The residents have found some support from the country's minority Socialist Party. But even they want some things changed.
    "The trade with hashish is very big and is getting a part of Christiania which is not a good part and which is not an integrated part and making its own life so you have a kind of society inside a society, that's not good," said Villy Sondal, head of Denmark's Socialist Party who espouses Denmark's anti-drugs policy.
    Aptly named "Pusher Street", it is a favourite destination for people who come to Christiania. On this stretch of road, hash is dealt and smoked openly. And residents see nothing wrong with this.
    "We dont believe that hash is worse than cigarettes or alcohol and so we have said hash is legal here within those yellow lines down in Pusher Street you can buy and sell hash only within those lines. And that has been respected by the Christiania people but not by the police, not by the rest of Denmark and so we are not equal on that point," said Warburg.
    Christiania residents have been given until November 15th to accept or reject the government's proposals.
    Until then, tourists will just have soak up whatever they can of this rare 'counterculture oasis' this part of the world.
    "It's kinda nice people just living without really caring about the outside world. they just live their own life," said Danish citizen Simon Corso.
    "It's very nice, very cool, very colourful, very unique. It's a good tourist attraction and i think it's a wonderful asset to Copenhagen as a city," said one British tourist who is visiting Christiania for the first time.
    "It's bullshit. It's very bad because this place doesn't bother anyone. They should keep it," said one Spanish tourist unhappy about the government's proposals.
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