As nightclubs are under siege by governments around the world in Australia, Chicago and London, Germany seems to be ready to protect some of their nightlife icons. A German court has ruled that Berghain techno is high art, much like classical music, and deserves the same protection as such.
According to Der Spiegal, via Fact Mag, the German tax authorities were going after Berghaim and its special tax status as a place of "high art." They were attempting to argue that the famous Berlin club was merely a place of entertainment and should not be held in the same esteem as concert halls that host classical music.
Tax officials claimed that dancing and having fun was "ruled by entertainment and not by culture." The club owners countered that the same could be said of classical music as well.
Berghain currently pays a tax rate of 7 percent, but if it had been re-classified as a place of entertainment, its rate would have jumped to 19 percent - with potentially disastrous consequences.
In the end the Berlin-Brandenburg fiscal court ruled in favor of Berghain, cementing its status as the same high art as classical venues.
One can see why the tax authorities might come after the Berghain for more tax receipts. Though the country has been held as a model of consistency in the turbulent Euro Zone, GDP growth has been relatively sluggish over the past few years according to the World Bank and with an aging, shrinking population, the government needs to find ways to keep its social safety net afloat.
The ruling comes in stark contrast to what is happening to clubs and nightlife around the world. Chicago's clubs are under attack from tax authorities who want to raise the rates on certain clubs because they don't meet certain arbitrary cultural requirements being laid out by old white men.
In London, nightlife institution Fabric was just shut down after the death of two individuals this year. The move has been sharply criticized by politicians and musicians alike. In Australia the battle over lock out laws continues to rage as they expand over the country.
