By Lukas Gilbert
Hinz&Kunzt vendor Golem and social studies teacher Jenny Guttmann share a love of punk. What separates them is this: Jenny has been sober for several years; Golem is an alcoholic. They met at the Hinz&Kunzt building for a conversation about life with and without alcohol.
Hinz&Kunzt: What role does alcohol play in your lives?
Golem: Alcohol has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My father was a “quarterly” drinker. Every time we had a holiday, he would get smashed. My mother was drunk all the time as well. I would say that I came into the world drunk.
Jenny: For me, it started in adolescence. We used to meet in the afternoons and drink. Then we’d meet up in the evenings to drink, to party, to go to gigs. I never questioned it because that’s what we did, everyone drank, and at 15 or 16, my female friends had their first birthday parties with some sparkling wine or beer. Later, I hung out on the punk scene. There was a lot more drinking…
This article first appeared in Hinz&Kunzt, a magazine sold on the streets of Hamburg, Germany, by people who have limited other ways of earning an income.