UNGDOMSHUSET SQUAT info

 -the history of Ungdomshuset:

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 practice 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 between people

- and you are still free to join us!

 -informations about the new house (Dortheavej 61):
On the 11th of June 2008, it was decided in their city council to let us take over two buildings in the North western area of the city. 1st of July we started moving in...
The house and area The two buildings used to be a part of a communal social centre that we are now sharing ground with.
It's situated between Dortheavej and Rentemestervej in the North-western part of Copenhagen, approx. 2,8 km from Jagtvej 69.
The house consists of two buildings. We got the first on July 1st, "The annex" which is the smaller of the two with 600 m2. The second was given to us on January 1st 2009. The total of the two buildings is 2000 m2 which is the same area we used to have in Ungdomshuset.

The ground floor of the annex is the venue and bar "Dödsmaskinen" which holds about 200 people.
The 1st floor is the home of our book café, big kitchen and the room they share to have film screenings, debates and other arrangements.
2nd floor is dedicated to training and other active activities such as yoga and dancing. Bigger meetings are also held in this room.
The ground + 1st floor of the main building is the house' big concert space with a nice big balcony and room for about 400 people.
The 2nd floor, the various sized rooms are split up between a dozen creative workshops (like screen-printing, sewing and photography), different offices & meeting facilities.
The 3rd floor will have a bunch of rehearsal rooms for bands to practice in and a studio for recording music in.


We have established a solution where the foundation "Jagtvej 69" (which has been established together with the monday meeting. They are good people!) rent the premises from the city council. The rent will be given back in form of a monthly subsidy from the city council so that it all adds up to zero and we in practice don't have to pay rent. Apparently that's the way they have to do it to get around the communal bureaucracy!
The foundation is going to work as a formal juridical communicator between the house and the city council. The relations between the foundation and the city council has been manifested in a series of written agreements.
The relations between the foundation and the house has also been written down.
Bottom-line: We are still a basic democratic house with only one authority, the house meeting!

source: http://www.dortheavej-61.dk/