The 81-year-old writer and literary critic Elke Heidenreich opens her latest essay “Ageing” with two different perspectives on her life to date.
Version 1: My life has failed: difficult childhood, divorce, illnesses. Version 2 : My life is wonderful: my friends, great trips, literature.
I liked the approach so much that I immediately made this assessment for my own review and put it down on paper. Life is often about perspective on events and decisions that we have made.
What does Elke Heidenreich have to do with Beckergrube in Lübeck? It’s easy for me to explain, because you can also approach this central Old Town street and the construction project currently being realized there from two sides. Version 1: Everything is terrible. You can’t get anywhere comfortably. Driving, parking – impossible. There were no trees there either. Is that even necessary? Version 2: That’s a really cool project. Yes, of course, it will take some time until everything is spruced up, but as soon as the work is completed, the Beckergrube will be a showcase project. Green and inviting. A place to linger, look around and stroll. Almost like Paris or Barcelona, where life is once again taking place in places that were previously just gray and noisy.
I definitely like version 2 better! Even during the renovation phase, the Beckergrube deserves a second look. So today I’m introducing you to seven of my favorite places.
7 towers – 7 tips
Fermenti – The pizza bistro
In his small pizzeria Fermenti in Beckergrube 90 , Germano Alfarano offers pizzas made from high-quality sourdough, which he prepares himself and allows to mature for three days. “A real slow food option,” says Germano. “The long fermentation time makes a significant difference to the taste. The acidification makes the flour more digestible.” Germano learned his trade from the famous Italian pizza chef Maurizio Capodicasa. In addition to wines from small wineries in his home country, he recommends northern Italian craft beers as the perfect accompaniment to pizza. My tip for you is the Fermentina Salvatore pizza with scampi and stracciatella cheese. Airy and crispy at the same time. Semplicemento perfetta.
ColeStreet
Colestreet , located directly at the Lübeck Theater at Beckergrube 18, is an interesting triad of café, bar and gallery. Owner Diana Mendlinger organizes a wide variety of events. Sometimes a photo exhibition, sometimes live music, sometimes a karaoke evening. Tattoo artists also regularly drop by for a session. And so there is something for everyone on the menu. Whether for a specialty coffee and freshly baked cake, a quiche or a fine rum liqueur: I enjoy stopping by because I really like the informal atmosphere. Cozy corners with table lamps and retro armchairs. Art on the walls. Sometimes there is an opportunity to spontaneously strike up a conversation with the performers after the end of a theater performance.
Kranzgenau
Hannah Sonntag and Sina Fischer have fulfilled a long-cherished dream with their dried flower decoration store at Beckergrube 59-61. What was once fashionable in the 1970s has now become trendy again and has – fortunately – evolved. Flowers are presented in glass or placed as branches in decorative vases – as small arrangements or solitaires. Hoops are incredibly popular. These handmade flower rings now adorn many doors and walls at home. At Kranzgenau, they are personalized according to your wishes for festive occasions such as weddings, births or school enrolments. The owners are happy to give advice, even spontaneously. If you have the time and desire to make a wreath or ring yourself, it’s worth attending a workshop. Hannah and Sina are really on top form. Even people who think they are not creative discover their talent under the guidance of the always cheerful Kranzgenau experts.
Langenkamp – the traditional bookshop
It’s hard for me to pass by the offer at Beckergrube 19. My love of literature and reading is nothing new. The Langenkamp bookshop is a Lübeck institution. It was founded in Königstraße back in 1894. In 2021, Michele Piroli – a career changer – took over the bookshop, which he rejuvenated and modernized together with his wife. This applies to the brightly colored premises as well as the product range. Michele has set up a play gallery at the back of the bookshop. As a young father, it is a matter close to his heart to familiarize children with books at an early age. Your young companions can play and browse through books while you look around. At Michele’s, you’ll find reading material outside the usual range. A fine, carefully curated selection of titles from small publishers. You’ll lose yourself browsing and leafing through. That much is certain.
Not only the many regular customers know that this store does an excellent job. In September, Michele receives the German Bookstore Award 2024. The German government awards this prize to bookshops that have made a special contribution to the social significance of books as a cultural asset and to local cultural life or that offer a particularly diverse or special range of books. The Lübeck bookshops maKulaTUR and Prosa also belong to this illustrious circle. The category in which Langenkamp will receive the prize is still a secret until the award ceremony on September 8.
MatutT – Stationery
The specialist store Erwin Matutt at Beckergrube 35/37 is undoubtedly one of these traditional stores. Mattut has been a family-run business specializing in stationery and office equipment since 1927. And for generations of Lübeck residents, it has been the place to go when it comes to expert advice, for example when purchasing a high-quality penholder. It’s all about writing, beautiful things and gifts. The range is huge.
Wo-Anders Record store
You can rely on vinyl. It crackles, rustles and unfolds a very special magic – the good old record. This magic comes to life in the record store “Wo-Anders” at Beckergrube 60-62. Here you will find a carefully curated collection of vinyl treasures that goes far beyond the mainstream. From rock and jazz to indie and classical music – the store’s shelves tell you stories from times gone by and offer discoveries for every taste. Rainer Marenke has been a fixture on the scene since 1998. Back then, he took over the store, where he already had a part-time job as a student. Record sales have really taken off in recent years. “People appreciate consciously listening to an album from start to finish without being interrupted by digital distractions,” explains Rainer. “It’s a moment to pause and enjoy.” I can’t suggest a link here. Wo-Anders is a place that you simply have to experience. In real life.
Les Téméraires – Crêperie and café
The daring one. The intrepid one. La Téméraire. That’s Seneka Wichmann. Her café at Beckergrube 39 is still quite new. “Eating is a need, enjoying is an art.” This quote from François de La Rochefoucauld could be the motto above the door of the small crêperie. Here, everything revolves around the wafer-thin, golden-brown delicacies from France. Seneka is no stranger to Lübeck with its exclusively vegan and vegetarian crêpes. So far, however, the new café owner has been on the move with her range at festivals and events. Including at the Lübeck Christmas market. Seneka has now boldly set about realizing her plan to delight her guests with savoury and sweet creations. She focuses on seasonal and regional offerings. You can be sure that every bite will conjure up a little piece of France in your heart.
