Graffiti
 

When did graffiti become so prevalent in Germany (not just here I realize, but in Austria, etc.)?

In addition to seeing a LOT of it last week, I saw very little effort to conceal or remove it.

Is this considered a problem in Germany?

RRZ

I have noticed it too and Germany seems to have more than most European cities.

MisterNice

The simple answer is that graffiti removal is expensive. In this context it is important to realize that graffiti is not in any way related to gang or other criminal issues (probably excepting parts of Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Berlin). Basically, while many people see it as an annoyance, a majority of the graffiti sprayers consider this some kind of an art form, so it doesn't often look so good, but it's mostly harmless...

Someone needs to make the point (that was so successfully made in New York) that out-of-control graffiti lowers the quality of life for everyone, and is a "gateway" crime. Not to mention embarassing.....esp. since the Germans have had such a pristine reputation for "neat, clean & orderly".

Since it's now so prevalent, it has undoubtedly escalated into an expensive problem, but dismissing it as art or nuisance is ignoring the larger problem, i.e. acceptance of a crime.

I noticed plenty in Germany.

The people who do it seem to stick the certain areas. They like to do it on the side of railway lines allot. And there is always abit of graffiti in a weird place that gets you thinking "how on earth did they get it up there"

Yes, and I am still waiting for the judge who orders one of these idiots producing this crap to remove it by using a toothbrush only.

German have been battling this phenomenon with technology and got pretty far as public transport is concerned. Railway sidings and bridges are left, and as things are repainted and renewed these will go away soon (our company among many many other things makes paint additives geared for that, so I know). Sadly the idiots are upgrading their arsenal and (especially in Berlin) move on to other non sense like scratching windows with patterns. (We have something for that too :) )

The NYC principle that graffiti sets the stage for other crime has been studied in Germany and proven not be the case. Sadly we are far too self policing. :rolleyes:

Do you have Graffit-e-Noses in Germany?

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s2412326.htm

no not really...
but it is a question of money, munich for example is able to remove the biggest one und the most one. berlin and hamburg aren't able because it is too expensive and it would last for maximum 2 weeks to start again. it is a problem with the inhabitants and the politics, but firstly the money.

Last summer I was in Italy and it was there as well. In the 70's/80's I spent a total of several years in Europe and returning it was sad to see it in places like Venice and Florence. Such beautiful places with such trash.

yes thats a mess, but at some cities the graffiti is part of the citylife, the image of he city.
at hamburg or berlin, there are a lot of graffitis which are (partly) very cool and real art.
but on the other hand, the "paintings" with curses, names, tags and so on are pretty anoying and useless because they destroy the look of a city.

My theory: Blame Berlin. For 30 years they had a Wall that was well painted on the unmined side. Socially acceptable to deface that commie concrete with democratic free speach. When the wall came down, taggers had no place to work, and since old habits die hard, the rest of the city became a free spray zone.