Report from Denmark (4)
The tale of Christiania
Today, we visited very famous FREETOWN of Denmark, Christiania. 30 years ago, a group of citizens knocked down the fence on the corner of an abandoned navy camp in Copenhagen. They wanted a playground for their kids and something green to look at. Then the tale of Christiania started.
The first group of inhabitants of Christiania wished that Freetown become an ecological oriented city, based on modest economy and extensive self-Government. Nonetheless, there were always illegal drugs, and other unpleasant things to authority involved. Christiania had been a serious problem for Denmark. The conflict with police and parliament became the spotlight in the past years. After tens years persistent struggles and dialogues between them, Christiania finally has its unique legal position. Denmark parliament turn the attitude of removing it to admit its existence and try to normalize it.
Since its birth, Christiania has been associated with rebelling against the prevailing system, and for just as long, the Freetown has experimented with new terms of democracy and ways of self-government. Based on an idea of as much freedom and as much power to the individual as possible, Christiania has organized itself into various councils: the common meeting, the area meeting, the economy meeting, treasure group, the busy-ness council, the cooperative worker’s meetings and so forth. All these meetings deal with various matters respectively. Decisions are not made by majority vote, or voting as it is normally known. Decisions are made in consensus, which means that everybody in principle has to agree on all decisions in order to carry them out. Everybody has the obligation to live by the decisions taken at the meetings and all Christianites has access and the right to speak at all meetings.
In the way that Christiania organizes itself to lie the real socio-political experiment. People can manage themselves by a direct people’s democracy based on common sense rather than laws. Christiania has no law, but they have together put up a series of bans, which are in force in the Freetown: NO HARD DRUGS NO WEAPONS NO VIOLENCE NO TRADING WITH BUILDINGS OR RESIDENTIAL AREAS
Walking about the corners of Christiania
Compared to a town, Christiania is too small. It looks like more a huge park. It is said that there are around 1000 people to live there. It is an open recreation area, which is filled with adventure. I am lucky enough to have a nice walk in it.The gate of Christiania looks poor and small compared to any gate of park. Entering into the gate, there is a big almost square area, where we find almost all the workshops, shops, bars etc. are situated. This part may be called city-like part. From this point the northern areas stretch out between Refshalevej and the moat (the narrow water basin), where ‘city’gradually turns into forest. On the other side of the moat lies Dyssen, which is also a green area with scattered habitation and hardly any businesses. This part may be regarded as countryside-like part. You almost can find all needs outside in it except school and university, such as gallery, cinema, concert hall, health-house (hospital), bath house, hairdresser, kindergarten, restaurant, bars and so on. The main industry of it is a factory to produce diverse beautiful heaters. Most inhabitants live in old apartments which were abandoned naval camps. The tallest building is five-floor-building. The rest are mostly low stone-made or wooden houses. There are some inhabitants scattering in many small cosy wagon-villages (as time has passed more do-it-yourself-built houses than wagons) along the canal. To be honest, the environment looks like primitive. All equipments are not well and modern enough compared to those of outside. Nevertheless, we still can’t deny well-protected ecology in the countryside part. When we walked around this part, the sun appeared, the bloom green trees looks so lovely after showering. Those wooden houses built above water or in the forest let you think of fairy tales of Andersen.
Obviously, not only people who live here like here, but also Christiania is very popular for those of outside. There is not any vacancy in it. New comer will not be accepted without permission.
Dove in Denmark
