Motte distanced himself from the parade, and the German government revoked its demonstration status in 2001. Before long, the city didn't need any help attracting visitors, and the authorities became more concerned about the damage and waste each Love Parade was leaving behind.įor many, the Love Parade didn't feel like a demonstration anymore. The techno floats became an icon of the party, and ravers wearing flamboyant costumes, as well as energetic, half-naked dancers writhing to the sounds of techno, were regular features of the parade – all of this without any judgment or intolerance from Berliners. With over a million partygoers arriving in Berlin for the Love Parade every year by the late 90s, every parade became a vibrant display of color, music and positive energy. Love Parade put Berlin on the map, and the authorities loved it, not only for turning Berlin into the techno capital it is today but also for making the city a cultural destination for the first time in decades.

Hundreds of people turned into hundreds of thousands in just a few years. Love Parade is back in Berlin this year on July 9 © Andreas Rentz / Getty Images Berlin: a techno capital of the world

Led by a car blaring techno, 150 ravers danced through the streets of West Berlin in July 1989 as a protest – and so the first Love Parade began. He called his demonstration the Love Parade, using the motto, 'Peace, Joy, and Pancakes,' with techno music as the means of communication to promote his message. This motivated Dr Motte, a DJ from West Berlin, to organize a demonstration for peace, tolerance and understanding. According to Berliners living here at the time, the city was dark, depressing and hopeless. The only outsiders who found a home in Berlin were artists looking for free housing and a place to express themselves. Even though the government offered affordable housing for those who relocated here, the city was still relatively empty. The Cold War was at its peak, and the wall dividing East and West was a source of trauma among Berliners. In the mid-80s, Berlin was considered a warzone.

Berlin has not always been the hip city it is today.

Brandenburger tor demo heute