The Banana Bunker

The ability of Germany to transform itself is evident through the history of some of its cultural landmarks. The history of techno is interwoven with the rest of German cultural history and identity as the political, musical, and artistic scenes changed dramatically in the postwar and then the post-Wall era. The Banana Bunker of Berlin displays the varied history of Berlin and its dominant trends through its own use during the twentieth century. Built during the Second World War, it was originally intended as an air raid shelter and built by the infamous Albert Speer. When it ended up on the east side of the Berlin Wall, the Soviets used it as a prison for German soldiers. As the presence of the Soviet army diminished, the bunker came to be used as a storehouse for fruit imported from Cuba- hence the name "Banana Bunker". After the fall of the Wall, it became the city center for crazy techno raves until 1996. It stood unused until 2008, when Christian Boros decided to house his contemporary art collection, including works by Damien Hirst and Olafur Eliasson, there in a sort of museum. This transformation from utilitarian bunker to Soviet prison to fruit warehouse to techno party center to contemporary art museum reflects Germany's similar transformation in the latter half of the 20th century. The techno rave culture was an integral part of Berlin culture as Germans experienced the freedom of their own united state for the first time and felt free to experiment further with their music and the boundaries of their society. Techno was an important expression of cultural freedom to experiment.
Public Radio International piece on the Banana Bunker
Spiegel Online International article