2023-04-22 11:04:51
Troya creators Jonas Bailly, Anna Müller and Friedrich Liechtenstein engage in a mysterious leek battle with a happy ending.Verena Brüning for the Berliner Zeitung at the weekend
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Friedrich Liechtenstein dips his fingers in a shimmering silver holy water vessel and crosses himself. There are two leeks on the counter behind him. LED laburnum runs down the old window panes from the Palace of the Republic and the DJ warms up. Transcendence fills space.
Liechtenstein dips his hand into the blessing water again. Now the holy trinity becomes an air kiss, like old-school connoisseurs do with particularly delicious food. You know how to vary with the holy water. That much is certain.
Liechtenstein smiles: “I brought the vessel from Vienna, from a flea market. It cost one euro.” The good piece has now found its place on the wall in the entrance area of the Troya Bar, which is celebrating its opening today and whose makers include the stylish Berlin entertainer. In addition to the publisher Anna Müller, daughter of the great GDR playwright Heiner Müller, and the Jung von Matt managing director Jonas Bailly. “The idea of a bar originally came from Jonas,” says Müller. He got to know Liechtenstein through his boss, the legendary advertiser and Jung von Matt founder Jean-Remy von Matt, and suggested the bar in the Berlin agency headquarters at Brunnenstrasse 20 to him. “Friedrich, in turn, suggested me as manager and so we quickly became a trio.”
Anna Müller at the Troya door on Brunnenstrasse. Directly next to the bar, a staircase leads to the U8 in the Berlin underground. The house belongs to Jean-Remy von Matt, who has an attic apartment.Verena Bruening
Previously, the Kim Bar had its trashy residence here; For 15 years, the guests there were able to feel what Berlin-Mitte was like after the turn of the millennium. It was also the Kim maker Philipp Bellinger who, like many restaurateurs, bought objects from the Palace of the Republic before it was demolished. Hence the reddish shimmering panes behind the counter, which now shine in the Troya Bar with a new lighting design.
Only money makes it possible
“The previous tenant didn’t open again after the last lockdown,” says Bailly. “I thought, now is our time. After that we immediately started to think about a concept for the premises.” The makers openly communicate that the financing is on the side of Jung von Matts, the bar name comes from the Trojan horse in the agency logo and the elegant “British Racing Green” , which the room is bathed in, is the JvM corporate color.
The implicitness with which the bohemians can be financed by the bourgeoisie in the Troya Bar is an indication of the new Berlin. The broken, which in the often temporarily designed clubs and bars has long been declared the aesthetic of the hour out of necessity, is now increasingly giving way to longer-term quality and solidity. The money that is necessary for this is no longer tampered with. Whether this has anything to do with gentrification, growing up or the search for constant values, the reader is welcome to deduce for himself. The fact that the rich and the beautiful mix wonderfully with this mental informality cannot remain hidden, even from the biggest critics of capitalism. A new field trial has started at the Troya Bar.
From left: Anna Müller, who was born in Berlin, Jonas Bailly from Stuttgart and Friedrich Liechtenstein, who was born in Eisenhüttenstadt.Verena Bruening
Friedrich Liechtenstein is now standing in the middle of the dark green room and is pointing to the individual areas. Counter on the right, spacious toilets straight ahead, on the left a bookshelf and photographs of artist friends on the walls, handcrafted brass elements, bouquets of flowers, behind him the DJ desk and lots of lamps upstairs. Also: no tables and chairs, only bar stools and upholstered benches all around. Some of the benches are stacked one on top of the other like a staircase. In the entrance area, this looks like a spectator stand, but there is also a reason that a sloping wall to the subway entrance, which leads through the house, had to be cleverly boarded up. So those who know that the best seat in a bar is right by the door don’t even have to stand. Brilliant. Incidentally, the architect Johannes Buchner, who was recently involved in the design of the telegraph office and the café on the new lake, was involved in this spatial concept.
Wild mix of people at the Troya opening
The opening night is slowly getting going. While the cowboy bouncer outside either shakes his head sternly or nods in a friendly manner, bartenders in 80s looks are making the final preparations. Müller looks at the laptop, Bailly stands around and gently greets the first arrivals. He has no problem leaving the stage to Liechtenstein. And he is in his element: “It’s one of the scariest ideas ever to spend a night with advertisers in a bar,” he now says into the music. “No one really wants that. That is only topped by teachers and actors. Now, advertisers here in the bar are the hosts and you know that the hosts are very reserved out of decency and do everything for the guests.” Uff, once again conclusively turned the corner. Everybody is laughing.
LED laburnum running down the old window panes of the Palace of the Republic. The benches covered in “British Racing Green” are reflected in the glass. Verena Bruening
The store fills up quickly. There are some familiar faces among the early guests. Economics Senator Stephan Schwarz appears in a well-fitting suit and tie. Entrepreneur Georg Kofler brings his blonde niece Isabel Grupp with him. The stylish Juliet Kothe, the inevitable Rolf Scheider and the black-robed Esther Perbandt also stop by, as does the competition in the form of bouncer legend and co-operator of the Georgia bar Frank Kuenstler. The writer Moritz von Uslar arrives and looks like Picasso in his 50s. And only later do the many beautiful, nameless party people arrive who keep the party going for a long time while the rich people are already asleep.
Even if the Troya Bar is primarily intended for drinking, there will also be a cultural program here. East Berlin’s bohemians can’t take that away. After all, Liechtenstein, who came to Mitte in the 1980s, is a singer, poet and actor. Born in Berlin, Müller comes from a famous intellectual family and is very connected to literature and film. Two program points are already certain: There will be a talk series called “Women explain the world” – because, according to Liechtenstein: “It used to be men, that’s why it’s now women.” There is also “Doomsday” on Thursdays then it’s about the end of the world. “We make an effort to have a bit of art happen every now and then. But at the end of the day it’s a bar,” he adds.
Now the leeks are torn, but so do tulips. Friedrich Liechtenstein with a silk shirt from Quasimi, a coat from Lacoste and glasses from Yun. Verena Bruening
The only question that remains is what the leek is all about. Pole vegetables are also a recurring theme in Liechtenstein’s oeuvre. “We were looking for something with which we could stand up to the cow that was thrown out of the helicopter,” the artist replies via voice message. “Throwing a cow out of a helicopter, you can’t do that anymore. We have opted for organic and vegan, self-flagellation with organic vegan leeks is the gesture of the hour. And another update on the holy water vessel: It was missed in the meantime, but turned up again after an intensive search. So there will still be the possibility of blessing at the entrance. The congregation is asked to appear numerously at Troy; with filled purses to preserve this holy place for a long time. Because even recruiters are not Samaritans. Amen.
Troy Bar. Brunnenstraße 20, 10119 Berlin, opening hours: Wed–Fri from 6 p.m., Sat from 9 p.m., prices: water 3.50 euros, Heineken 4 euros, glass of wine from 6 euros, cocktails from 13 euros, bottle of champagne from 90 euros
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