Berliner Büchertisch

The Berliner Büchertisch in Bergmannkiez

The Berliner Büchertisch has its larger store on Gneisenaustraße in Kreuzberg’s Bergmannkiez. Marheineke Market Hall and Chamissoplatz are each about four hundred and fifty meters away, with Bergmannstraße just around the corner. For arrival, the Mehringdamm subway station (U6 and U7), approximately two hundred and fifty meters away, is recommended, as the closer Gneisenaustraße station is currently undergoing extensive renovation and accessibility upgrades. Driving is doubly inconvenient: Bergmannkiez is parking zone 61 with four euros per hour, and due to the construction site, parking spaces on Gneisenaustraße are temporarily unavailable.

Behind the store stands an unusual construction made of two beams. A cooperative operates the stores and the online shop, while a non-profit association carries out the literacy and educational work. The project has been active since 2004, with members ranging from 17 to 87 years old. In addition to Kreuzberg, there is a small flea market shop in Neukölln, whose selection is usually restocked, plus a drop-off point with a project room in the backyard of the same address.

Used Books for Literacy Promotion

The principle of the Berliner Büchertisch is a cycle, and the store is its visible end. People donate read books, a portion of which is sold here and online, funding the work, while another portion is given away for free. Approximately 40,000 books per year thus reach schools, daycare centers, and charitable institutions. The motto is ReRead ReLove. A box of books for institutions costs 30 euros, a mini-reference library with 25 thematically appropriate titles costs 60 euros, and book price fixing does not apply to used titles anyway.

Accordingly, the shelves do not hold a specialized collection, but rather a wide variety: well-preserved used books ranging from literature and history to children’s and foreign language titles, plus music CDs, DVDs, records, board games, and puzzles. Particularly charming for families is the “One Child, One Book” offer, where children up to sixteen years old can choose a book and take it for free during each store visit. The store accepts book donations, up to twenty books spontaneously, larger quantities by arrangement, and even with free pick-up within Berlin under certain conditions. For film, theater, and photo shoots, a dedicated props collection provides books by color, theme, and epoch.