The Dschungel (‘Jungle’) originally started in 1974 as a bar located at Winterfeldtplatz within the borough of Schöneberg. Today, the space it once occupied is home to the Slumberland bar.
In 1978, the Dschungel relocated from its original location at Winterfeldtplatz to Nürnberger Straße 50–55, quickly earning a reputation as a renowned hotspot within Berlin’s pulsating club scene, often likened to New York’s famed “Studio 54”. This nightclub remained a focal point of Berlin’s nightlife until its closure in 1993, drawing in notable musicians such as Frank Zappa, Nick Cave or Prince. Today, the former site has been transformed into Berlin’s Hotel Ellington.
The Dschungel, […] we used to go there often. I remember a girl I met there. On her shoulder sat a rat that was tied with a chain and it climbed all over her dress. That was pretty weird. […] I remember two guys we kept running into. They were bald and dressed as surgeons, complete with rubber gloves and a stethoscope around their necks. Also quite bizarre.
– David Bowie, Tagesspiegel, 2002
In his 2013 song “Where Are We Now?”, David Bowie paid tribute to the Dschungel, forever cementing the nightclub’s legacy in the city’s cultural history. While Bowie does reference Nürnberger Straße specifically, sources indicate that he frequented both locations regularly.
Sitting in the Dschungel
– David Bowie, “Where Are We Now?”, The Next Day, 2013
On Nürnberger Strasse
A man lost in time
Near KaDeWe
Just walking the dead
External links
- View on Google Maps (Winterfeldtplatz)
- View on Google Maps (Nürnberger Straße)
- Official Website (in German)