German events organisation Waldfrieden-Events GmbH has filed for insolvency, bringing an end to decades of operation from one of the country’s most beloved underground culture venues.
The filing, confirmed at the end of last week, follows a turbulent period for the organisation — most recently the collapse of their Hai in den Mai festival earlier this year, which failed to go ahead after authorities indicated that a preliminary species protection assessment may be sufficient, only for that assurance to fall through at the last minute.
That pattern appears to have repeated itself with their summer Wonderland festival, with the local district authority now stating that a full species protection assessment would be required — a process that could not realistically be completed before August. According to the organisation, it was this final regulatory blow that made insolvency impossible to avoid.
In a statement, the team expressed gratitude to the many staff, artists, partners, and community members who have supported Waldfrieden over the years, while being careful to draw a clear distinction between the GmbH and the wider Waldfrieden project.
Waldfrieden Kultur e.V., a separate and independent organisation, has confirmed it will continue to operate, with solidarity raves already being planned at the venue. The team have also left the door open for both Wonderland and Hai in den Mai to return in some form, stating they are optimistic about sharing positive news in the near future.