Given!

I have now, oh! Philosophy, law and medicine, and unfortunately also theology completely studied, with great effort...

Now our student is making his way home after 21 semesters in Berlin, to take over his father's meat processing business in Lower Saxony or to become the mayor of a university town in Baden-Württemberg. Swiftly, he moves all his belongings from the shared apartment onto the street, attaches a self-made heart with the inscription "for free" and off he goes with light luggage. On the way to the subway, Dr. Faust feels a pang in his heart. "It was a beautiful time. I didn't just study with great effort, I also celebrated. Although, the city undoubtedly has its downsides, for example, all the garbage everywhere, I won't miss that."

This story is of course fictional, but based on true events. How else can it be explained that Berlin is also the capital of creative, or rather charitable, waste disposal? Here, gift rubbish was conceived and perfected. The range extends from enchanting small arrangements of books and knick-knacks in matching cardboard boxes to messy stacks of filthy mattresses. The act of giving has now taken such a firm place in the consciousness of the residents that many no longer use the "for free" signs. It's obvious that the junk is available for free and not intended for garbage collection. The garbage collectors usually don't get involved until months have passed, during which time the treasures have reached the necessary maturity and have doubled in size thanks to helpful neighbors.

But let's also see the advantages. In reality, we have something like public welfare in private hands here. If a cruel fate leaves you completely naked and penniless somewhere in Neukölln, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain or Wedding, it's not the end of the world. Walking around naked initially doesn't bother anyone in Berlin. Soon, you will be able to cover yourself. Parks and green strips are still well-stocked with deposit bottles, especially coveted 25 cent cans and plastic bottles, if it's still early in the day. The necessary bags for collecting are often flying around in the vicinity of Turkish vegetable shops. Often the empties are also provided in handy bags, like charity deposits. Fifteen containers of the A-class are enough, and off you go to the next supermarket. They open at 7 am and have the most accommodating recycling machines. The proceeds are enough for two pre-made sandwiches and a cup of coffee at "Thoben".

A little tired? In the side streets, you will easily find suitable sofas or mattresses. A quick smell test separates the wheat from the chaff, or rather indicates whether the furniture was just given away last night or has already gone through several stages of decay and dirt. Do you enjoy reading something before falling asleep? Of course, nobody just throws away books. They can be found lovingly protected in disused phone booths or electrical boxes. Now you have the necessary weight and can place your book on a found nightstand.

You haven't mentioned that you have children with you on your adventure? That's no problem at all. For all age groups, you can find strollers, buggies, walking aids, tricycles, bicycles, skateboards, child bike seats, changing tables, cribs, and bassinets. The little ones grow up so fast, and the next size is needed. Whole walls of closets, disassembled or whole, are waiting for a new life.

But all of this only helps as long as the weather is good and you don't need a roof over your head. For the search for an apartment, you need a mode of transportation, maybe a bicycle? You can find examples everywhere in the various stages of being cannibalized. Fully usable complete bicycles are waiting, covered in dense, multi-year-old growth, to be awakened, or rather freed from their locks and pumped up. Some only need a saddle, others are only left with the well-preserved frame. So there is a complete spare parts depot in all quality levels.

Unfortunately, the electric scooters introduced two years ago are completely useless because you need electronic money for them. They stand in the middle of the sidewalk as if the users were sucked into space by the provider after the rental period ended. Especially beautiful but also useless are the rental bikes that have been recovered from the Landwehr Canal after a season and look like prehistoric artifacts embellished with shells.

Stop! The joke is over at the latest now. Of course, waste is only a very small part of lived solidarity. For the most part, it is a rampant, disgusting plague caused by completely stupid, reckless assholes who encounter apparently completely painless authorities and representatives in collective irresponsibility. And of course, the most useful bulk waste is completely useless if you can't find an affordable apartment to put it in. Berlin is currently losing what has set this great city apart from Paris, London or New York until now, namely that people with an income under 100,000 euros a year can also live here. (Yes, one of us has signed for the expropriation of Deutsche Wohnen and Co).

But before we complain ourselves into a coma, let's dream a little. Those golden shoes in the middle of the street. Where do the delicate tips point, which way did they lead? Did the owner happily walk barefoot in the sunset, hand in hand with his or her loved one, after kicking off the annoying footwear with a flourish, to only feel the sand under the pavement from now on.

We wish you the best, dear reader.

P.S. The pictured denim jacket lay on the ground and on the electrical box in front of our apartment for a week. It got wet and dried again, and we were about to stuff it into our trash bin. Then, on a Saturday afternoon, a thin figure (this is not made up!) swayed through Delfter Ufer with bare upper body, briefly stopped, picked up the jacket, inspected it professionally, shook out the dust and tree pollen, put it on and swayed on towards the Teltow Canal.

Yes, Berlin is magical.