Why become a comrade?
krakelee will be a cooperative (Genossenschaft / eG). Find out why you should join.
Legal structure
We have chosen the legal form of a cooperative because it allows for broad participation, which is in line with our collective values.
Bottom-up instead of top-down
Unlike corporations, which aim to maximise profits and typically operate under a top-down structure, cooperatives are required by law to focus on the needs of their members (as stated in the »Genossenschaftsgesetz«, GenG). This means that a cooperative involves working together to achieve shared objectives. The board of directors and supervisory board of a cooperative work on a voluntary basis. As a result, cooperatives have a »bottom-up« structure.
If someone decides to start or support a cooperative, it shows that they care about sustainability, the common good, and reject the idea of endless growth. They also prove that it is possible to conduct economic activity based on solidarity..1
stable, adaptable, future-proof, sustainable
Thanks to the annual, legally required audit by an auditing association, the grassroots democratic principles cooperatives are considered to be particularly stable and adaptable. The structure of executive board, supervisory board and general assembly and the associated »many-eyes principle«, ensures the pursuit of actually relevant goals and a correction mechanism. Risky or untimely actions, as can occur in corporations due to the arbitrariness of individual decision-makers, can be stopped more quickly in the case of a cooperative, since decisions require the approval of a majority.
krakelee eG, like many other cultural enterprises, will depend on progressing in the framework of social and cultural transformations. Through diverse participation and co-creation, new solutions can be implemented more quickly. By working together and sharing ideas, cooperatives are becoming increasingly important for the future. This is particularly significant given the challenges presented by the economic climate and climate change.
Investing in a cooperative is therefore also a particularly sustainable and future-proof investment.
No financial return, but benefit for the society at large
Even though investing in cooperatives can be considered safer than speculative investment opportunities, it means a comparatively low or even no return for supporting members. The return is not monetary, but idealistic; the »profit« is therefore a (urban) social one.
krakelee eG verfolgt primär kulturelle Ziele. Sie hat im Sinne des Genossenschaftsgesetzes (GenG) den Zweck, die kulturellen Belange seiner Mitglieder durch den gemeinschaftlichen Geschäftsbetrieb zu fördern. Das heißt, dass das wirtschaftliche Handeln der krakelee eG im Sinne der kulturellen Belange seiner Mitglieder erfolgt und erfolgen muss.
The cultural and idealistic interests of krakelee eG are bindingly defined in the articles of association and the mission statement (»Implementation of cultural and dance events«, cf. articles of association). For an amendment of the statutes and the mission statement, a general assembly and a vote with 2/3 majority is required. Ordinary members have a right to vote in the general assembly. Financing members have no voting rights in the General Assembly.
Die finanzierenden Mitglieder der krakelee eG fördern durch den Erwerb von Genossenschaftsanteilen die wirtschaftliche und kulturelle Tätigkeit von krakelee eG. Sie werden zu Fördermitgliedern der krakelee eG.
Those who back krakelee eG show their long-term commitment to promoting non-commercial culture in Cologne.2
Culture needs urban space
krakelee eG begreift sich auch als stadtpolitisches Projekt. In Köln mussten im vergangenen Jahrzehnt viele bekannte und beliebte Clubs schließen, darunter Jack Who, Barinton, Heinz Gaul, Stecken, Underground und viele mehr. Auch selbstorganisierte, soziokulturelle Projekte wie das Kaffe Güzel, das Wandelwerk oder der Kartoffelkeller mussten ihre Räumlichkeiten verlassen. Neue Räume wurden keinem dieser Projekte zur Verfügung gestellt. Kulturelle Projekte werden mangels Ausweichmöglichkeiten aus der Innenstadt vertrieben, um Platz für Großprojekte von Investor*innen zu schaffen. Dabei wurden die Clubs Anfang 2020 per Bundestagsbeschluss offiziell als Kulturstätten (Anlagen kultureller Nutzung) eingestuft.3
We are a cooperative club project working collaboratively and from the bottom up to shape the city. krakelee eG supporters are standing up against the death of clubs and advocating for them to receive the recognition they deserve as cultural venues in society. This is crucial as culture requires spaces, and it needs them in the city centers!
Cologne needs a diverse club scene
Of course, the role of clubs as location factors is more than insignificant for many clubbers themselves. Many alternative club concepts — of which there is a lack in Cologne — do not want to become a marketing tool and operate far away from the overhyped mainstream. Here, the paradoxical logic takes hold that many projects lose their charm precisely as soon as they gain popularity. How unconventional a project is »allowed« to be in order to enjoy the acceptance of urban society is a balancing act and depends on the respective urban context. Cologne’s offerings appear rather undifferentiated in this regard. An alternative club concept, such as the krakelee club, would be good for the diversity of Cologne’s club culture.
Those who back krakelee eG advocate for the variety of Cologne’s club culture and the inclusion of more unconventional ideas!
Additional unique club initiatives are necessary since several established locations are unsafe for numerous individuals. Nightclubs offer counter spaces to the performance and consumer society and give many people the opportunity to show themselves in a way that they are not allowed or able to do in everyday life. For those who feel uneasy in mainstream society, clubs can have a vital part in shaping their identity. They provide a safer haven to express social and cultural practices that are often marginalized. Nevertheless, as places of excitement, they are also prone to acts of aggression and prejudice. The opportunities and risks of nightlife are thoroughly examined during the development of the Krakelee Club:
krakelee eG setzt sich gegen Diskriminierungen ein und will es möglich machen, dass die Clubkultur auch in sich Krakelee eG strives to fight against discrimination and aims to promote diversity within club culture. Supporting krakelee eG means supporting the development of a discrimination-sensitive club concept, highlighting the significance of anti-discrimination practices in general. Therefore, anyone supporting krakelee eG is also setting a political signal.
Find more ways to support us here:
1 vgl. Giegold, Sven/Embshoff, Dagmar (2008): »Solidarische Ökonomie im globalisierten Kapitalismus«, in: Sven Giegold und Dagmar Embshoff (Hg.), Solidarische Ökonomie im globalisierten Kapitalismus, Hamburg: VSA.
2 meaning: not profit-maximizing
3 https://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2020/kw07-pa-bau-clubsterben-678530