Chapter 7: Cybercafé, LAN gaming and techno culture: My world was born
In 1995, I started "gaming and working" in the city's first cybercafé. There wasn't much to do there, but we played LAN sessions in the café from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. We also cleared away other guests' glasses as the mood took us, asked for drinks, or acquired new guests for the café on the street, among friends, or at school. In return, we received respect and recognition, as well as a gaming flat rate in the café. I was able to make a name for myself by winning a few LAN tournaments, and with the gamer tag "|SNOX|" I became more and more accepted within the growing technology and techno community.
Friendships, bonds and a shared interest in the then new technology, computers and the emerging era of techno music quickly developed. Our inner circle of the cybercafé clique comprised 30 to 40 people and was a diverse mix - from teens like me to the owners, punks and hooligans to the businessman and a handful of girls.
We went to techno parties every weekend that were organized by friends, and in mid-1996 we started to organize our own techno parties in the area around Magdeburg. Disused GDR companies such as pig fattening plants or other former agricultural production cooperatives became our first locations. Later we had trance parties in the middle of the forest or underground events in old factory halls. There were locations everywhere back then - our friend and helper, the police, also made this oversupply of locations necessary, because we regularly had visitors at night.
The older ones among us, who were in their mid-30s and had the voice, so to speak, didn't just want to have fun at the parties, but also had economic interests and a vision of how everything should develop. During the endless cybercafé nights, we evaluated past parties, looked for solutions to problems, voted on a culture and values that the collective project, the company, should embody. Everyone was heard, everyone had a voice and opinion and could find their place. Listening to the older ones, what problems there were and how they tackled them, was another big development step for me, because event planning, organization, pragmatic solutions and empathetic communication were exactly "my thing" at the time. At 17, I was a bit ahead of some in the community and could make my contribution.
This period was marked by commitment, dedication and a sense of community. It wasn't just the music that brought us together, but also the willingness to create something bigger. Every contribution, be it wiring up lights and sound systems or cleaning up the locations, was appreciated. For me, it was a phase that showed me how much joy it is to be part of something that brings people together and offers them unforgettable experiences. I discovered not only my passion for techno music, but also my enthusiasm for organization and the sense of community that this scene offered.
