the most advanced political model: Gleic_hberechtigung, or equality. Notto say there are no leaders, nor.that everyone is identical, but that all people should be critical thinkers, and leaders in their own areas.. In these first years, .UFA members d~veloped the skills needed to 'renovate and maintain the grounds. Artists became·metal workers, electricians and carpenters. On the weekends, the men and women went public with their second natures as performers, creating colorful and pro- .' vocative programs that attracted great crowds to the ' UFA site. The UFA Fabrik-Circus has always been a strong focus for the commune. It was an important time in 1982 when an English tentmaker taught the community to make a The ~af e Theory of Squatt~ng stresses the value ofproviding a meeting place for squatters and their friends from· the "outside world." traditional circus tent. After many weeks spent creating the pieces, it was assembled and raised ove~ UFA' s circus ring, creating a home for their entertaining;-low-tech mix of variety, cabaret, music, and unserious magic. Contacts developed through decades of successft'.11 networking now enable Fabrik members to organize international projects, in addition to their locally-oriented theater, dance, music and cinema. In 1989 they coordinated the Mir Caravan [peace caravan], which started in Russia and travelled across Europe performing circus and street theater. Their Trans Europe Theater Festivals bring together in Berlin some of the best experimental performers from around Europe. People come to UFA for all kinds of special nourishment. After all, 'du bist, was du iftt [you are what you eat!] The first modem food co-op in Berlin was organized by the original Fabrik community,'in the Schoneberg district, to provide themselves with organic food. In the Fall of 1980 one of the first whole-grain bread bakeries in B~rlin started up at the UFA. The bakery now produces more than 3~000 loaves a week, along with pastries and othyr delicacies. UFA bread sells in the adjacent Bio-Laden (an organic At right, guest housing at UFA Fabrik. Visitors from around the worldflock to this exciting art community at the oldfilm studios. Film is still an active part of the site, with many independentfilmmakers and visitors using the facilities here. UFA has a number offilm programs, including a cinema cafe that's a m(ljor gathering place for aficionados, and theatres/or alternative and histor...ic film. foods store), in UFA's Cafe Ole, and other alternative shops around the city. Since the beginning, UFA members have worked in many ways to improve their "quality of life", meaning -also improvement in the quality of their ecosystem. Thjs prompted a number of pioneering efforts, including the food co-op's connection to local organic farmers. The UFA's intensively-used, small village design provides challenges and opportunities to develop a decentralized, ecologically sensitive infrastructure for community resources. UFA members experiment with demonstrations of solar energy, roof and fa~ade greening, composting, greywater recycling, bio-gas systems and windmills. They found building ecologically to be costly in the short-term, so they . developed systems th,at could be realized in small steps. With the security of a 35-year lease, UFA is now carrying out major ecological renewal projects, including extensive improvements in energy and water systems, fa~ade and roof greening, and recycling/composting programs. The community was fortunate to be selected as a demonst~ation neighborhood for s,uch iJJ.itiatives, receiving some financial help from the city and the European Community. ·An unusual machine supplied energy in the early years at UFA. The experimental co-generation system, built from a recycled diesel truck engine, produced electricity and heat for local use. To increase their energy independence, and further reduce resource consumption and emissions of C0 2 ·and other gases, two modem "block heati~g and energy power plants" (BHKWs) have been installed. These cogeneratio~ plants cover 80% of community electrical needs, and provide for all space and water heating. In addition, the Fabrik carries out many projects in building and pipe insulation, and energy and lighting efficiency. Water in Berlin is extremely costly. In an exciting new project, rain.water is collected from the village and stored in a cistern based in a re~ovated underground vault. A · "gFeen filter" built next to the cistern biologically treats this water in a pond with plants. From there it irrigates green roofs .and flushes toilets for countless thousands of UFA Fabrik visitors. A great volume of water is used in the cafe ,for washing dishes, and this will also eventually be collected, ,treated and reused for plants a~d toilets. HAIN Summer 1994 Volume XIV, Number 4 Page 11
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