Democracy Festival "Live Beautifully Without Nazis"

A District Democracy Festival with a Clear Stance

Marzahn-Hellersdorf has repeatedly had to defend itself against attempts by the extreme right to portray themselves as the "homeland" in recent years. The "Live Beautifully Without Nazis" Democracy Festival is the annual civil society response: a community festival that makes the diversity of the district visible and provides a space for initiatives, associations, and residents to celebrate and defend democratic values. Since 2009, the festival has usually taken place on the first weekend of September; the 18th edition is scheduled for 2026.

18th Edition on September 5, 2026

In 2026, the festival will take place on Saturday, September 5th, from 2 PM to 10 PM on Alice Salomon Square in front of the Hellersdorf subway station — a central location in the district, right in front of the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences. The exact program structure (stage acts, workshops, interactive formats) will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event on schoener-leben-ohne-nazis-berlin.de.

Over 70 Institutions and a Broad Alliance

The festival is organized by the Alliance for Democracy and Tolerance Marzahn-Hellersdorf, a broad alliance of political parties, associations, and civil society initiatives. More than 70 institutions from the district participate in each edition — from LGBTQ+ youth centers and church organizations to migrant self-help groups, sports clubs, and universities. The festival is supported, among others, by the Partnership for Democracy Hellersdorf within the federal program "Democracy Live!" and by the Marzahn-Hellersdorf Youth Office.

Stage, Information Booths, Activities for All Ages

The program is divided into three main areas: a main stage with live music, speeches, and performances; a dense area of information booths where participating initiatives present their work; and a hands-on area with interactive activities, workshops, and play stations for children and young people. Food and drinks are provided by neighborhood kitchens and solidarity food trucks; admission is free.

Hellersdorf — A Large Housing Estate with Its Own History

Hellersdorf is one of Berlin's newest large housing estates, built in the 1980s on the eastern outskirts. Today, around 70,000 people live in the district; Alice Salomon Square is its urban center. In the state of Berlin, within the Marzahn-Hellersdorf district, the Democracy Festival is one of the most important political district festivals, clearly positioning itself as a "Festival Against the Right" and establishing an alternative identity for the district through its self-representation.