Ping Pong in Berlin
When did tischtennis (ping pong) grow cool? Its roots in Berlin go back to 1899, when the first ping pong verein (club) was established. Members were of the "upper crust" and may have been cool. But the current ping-pong furor seems to be riding on the coattails (or legwarmers) of the 1980s fashion craze (or the upcoming Balls of Fury). "But the 1980s never went out of style in Berlin," you say? True. But in the actual 1980s, ping pong was for squares, something of an underground hobby played on ping pong tables in people's basements.
Then in the 1990s, those tables served as a repository for all the junk that got stored down there. Today the ping pong table is the social meeting point, the center of attention. The winner is the hero, gets the chicks, etc. Actually, the current cult of the ping pong is more than a fashion statement or fad. It's also a subculture that has combined hip with social consciousness and artistic aesthetic. The way the game is played reflects a larger philosophy: living honestly, openly, and culturally (i.e., something of a "life is art" motif). These bars and platzs are often venues for rousing ping pong parties. Stop by for a look at this unique counterculture, or joint a match yourself. If you didn't pack your own paddle, try renting a schläger (paddle) and bälle (balls) from the bar.
[Photo: TV Disko]
Comeniusplatz
Gubener Straße 48
10243 Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany
This platz is predictably rough around the edges, located as it is just outside of the hubbub around Warschauer Straße. But balls and paddles can be conveniently rented … from Café Sociale on the Platz. [link]
Zimt & Zunder
Rigaer Straße 96
10247 Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany
Events here are eclectic, attracting crowds across Berlin's colorful social spectrum. Stop by for a casual game or, for real fans, to attend one of the ping-pong … tournaments. [link]
Helmholtz Platz
Helmholtzstraße
10587 Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany
These tables are often meeting points, where neighbors stroll over with a beer to hang out. At other times, the tables serve as loungers for sunbathing dogs. But if you … catch a match there, you'll note that most of the players are "big kids," so you should fit right in. In addition to the tables in the middle of Helmholtz Platz, there are tables in nearby Kanzowstrasse, Pappelfriedhof, and Pappelallee. [link]
Lido
Cuvrystraße 7
10997 Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
This live music and party venue seems an unlikely place for ping pong. How do they see the ball in the dim rose-colored lighting? But competitive matches take place here … about once a month. [link]
Serene Bar
Schwiebusser Straße
10965 Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
The Wednesday evening matches aren't for the lightweight ping ponger. These games are played "Chinese Style," which has something to do with the way that the paddle is … held. [link]
San Remo Upflamör
Falckensteinstraße 46
10997 Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
Strategically located next to the Oberbaumbrücke and linking the trendiest corner of Friedrichshain to the most happening part of Kreuzberg, San Remo sets up a table at … times, though there's now often a serious crowd at this crossroads joint. [link]
Mysliwska
Schlesische Straße 35
10997 Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany
The indie music and old-school tables might give you déjà vu. Are you hanging out in your neighbor's basement after school? The hip, polished crowds that pass through … will remind you that you're actually in one of Berlin's edgiest, international nooks. [link]
Dr. Pong
Eberswalder Straße 21
10437 Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany
This American-owned place is where many ping-pongers take refuge when the weather and long, dark winters chase them from the ping-pong tables that litter Berlin's city … parks. [link]
The Art of Ping Pong Country Verein
Schönhauser Allee 172a
10119 Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany
Here's the heart of ping-ponging in Berlin -- the club that organizes parties throughout the city. Its "Golden Rules" read like the 10 commandments for atheists. …
Basically, be nice. Peace and good will are meant to reign around the ping-pong table. [link]
