International Barrel Organ Festival

Barrel Organs in the Heart of City West

The International Barrel Organ Festival – often simply called the "International Leierkasten Meeting" in German – is one of Berlin's most unusual summer festivals. For three days, around 130 barrel organ players fill Breitscheidplatz and the adjacent squares between the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Europa-Center, and Kurfürstendamm in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district.

An Old Tradition from Berlin's Backyards

The barrel organ – known simply as Leierkasten in Berlin dialect – is one of the acoustic hallmarks of Berlin's backyard and street culture. In the 19th century, barrel organ grinders roamed through the tenement buildings, playing folk songs, operettas, and popular tunes. The International Barrel Organ Festival revives this tradition every year in the city center – with instruments from more than ten countries.

Classical Concert in the Memorial Church

The festival's highlight is the grand barrel organ concert in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Classical pieces from Bach to Mozart, Berlin operettas, and folk music arrangements are played on up to twenty barrel organs simultaneously – a unique acoustic experience in the famous ruin church. Free entry, seating is limited.

Summer Festival Atmosphere at Breitscheidplatz

Around the fountain, in front of the Memorial Church, and between the Europa-Center and Bikinihaus, numerous barrel organs invite you to stop and listen. You drop a coin into the collection bag, the player cranks, and a dance, a march, or a Berlin song rings out. Food stalls, a beer garden, and the already vibrant atmosphere of City West make the festival a summer weekend you might stumble upon by chance.