408, Ungdomshuset lives

Description

Ungdomshuset (literally “the Youth House”) was the name of the building formally known as Folkets Hus (“House of the People”) located on Jagtvej 69 in Nørrebro, Copenhagen.

Ungdomshuset was build by the local workers movement to function as a base in the struggle of social justice. Here they had meetings and parties during the fight. In the 1950’s many labour unions build their own houses and the house was more or less empty until the 80’s. In the 80’s, the squatter’s movement grew, and it was in this very house that the Initiative for a Youth’s House met and formed their demands to the Town Council. Within two years of massive house squatting the Town Council gave up and gave Ungdomshuset to the movement.

Ungdomshuset, was a four storey political and cultural centre. It was the base of the radical D.I.Y. scene in Copenhagen, a venue for music and rendezvous point for varying autonomous and leftist groups from 1982 until 2007 when – after prolonged conflict – it was torn down. Due to the ongoing conflict between the municipal government of Copenhagen and the activists occupying the premises, the building was subject to an intense media attention and public debate since the mid-1990s.

The house had activities going on almost every single day, from Monday meetings and political debates to shows and cinema in the weekends. Furthermore, the house had different kinds of workshops and practise rooms for local bands.

Ungdomshuset was an alternative to a world causing conflicts between people. We knew that we were not able to make a perfect society within this world, as its laws and restrictions are pressuring us and because we ourselves are also manipulated by its ways. The primary difference between the surrounding society and us is that we constantly fight the structures that causes problems betweens people

– and you are still free to join us!

Ungdomshuset (literally “the Youth House”) was the popular name of the building formally named Folkets Hus (“House of the People”) located on Jagtvej 69 in Nørrebro,Copenhagen, which functioned as an underground scene venue for music and rendezvous point for varying autonomen and leftist groups from 1982 until 2007 when—after prolonged conflict—it was torn down. Due to the ongoing conflict between the municipal government of Copenhagen and the activists occupying the premises, the building has been the subject of intense media attention and public debate since the mid-1990s.

Police started to clear the building early on Thursday, 1 March 2007. Demolition began on 5 March 2007 and was completed two days later.

Ever since the eviction in March 2007, former users and supporters have held weekly demonstrations for a new Ungdomshuset, the demonstrations starting from nearby square ‘Blågårds Plads’ every Thursday at 5 p.m. and going to various places in Copenhagen. The starting point has recently been changed to Gammel Torv in response to the demonstrators saying they are getting closer to the politicians concerning a solution for a new Ungdomshus at an old school.

Faderhuset has, as of September 20, put the lot at Jagtvej 69 for sale at 15 million DKK.

In the summer of 2007, an initiative known as G13 announced that on the October 6 they’d stage a massive public attempt to squat an old public waterworks located on Grøndalsvænge Allé 13 in northwestern Copenhagen to be used as a new Ungdomshuset. The event, which gathered several thousands, was announced as non-violent, but was met with heavy opposition from the police who arrested 436 people and threw large amounts of tear gas. Recognizing that the event, which had received heavy public attention, had been carried out with peaceful means, on October 11 Ritt Bjerregaard—the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen—invited spokesmen from Ungdomshuset to have negotiations concerning a peaceful solution to the conflict. The new Ungdomshuset opened successfully on July 1, 2008 in North-West Copenhagen’s Bispebjerg area.