Ante Zelck
Encyclopedia
Ante Zelck is a German entrepreneur and hostel
pioneer.
to complete his Abitur as a second course of education. During this time he lived several occupied houses in the Berlin districts Mitte and Kreuzberg. After he studied social education at the First State Technical College for Social Education in Berlin and completed his studied in 1996.
Zelck is the father of one child.
.
In 1994 while he was still completing his studies he opened Berlin's first hostel, called The backpacker and could be found on the fourth floor of 44 Köthener Straße in Berlin-Kreuzberg
.
In May 1997 opened along with business partner Olaf Juhl Berlin’s Backpackers Hostel (today "baxpax Mitte Hostel") at 102 Chausseestraße in Berlin's Mitte
district. He gave up his job as a social worker in order to devote himself fulltime to the hostel. In 2000 the two opened the first hostel in Berlin's Kreuzberg district, baxpax Kreuzberg Hostel. In 2006 Zelck and Juhl opened their third hostel, baxpax Downtown Hostel Hotel, located at 28 Ziegelstraße. Located there are also the Bar Cosmo-Lounge and the Optica Club. All three locations, as well as the Lounge and Club, are still operated today by Zelck and Juhl.
Time and time again Zelck brings art into his hostels. In 2006 he converted a VW beetle into a hostel bed. In the same year he constructed the biggest hostel bed in the world in the courtyard of the baxpax downtown Hostel Hotel. The bed was over 5 meters long. In 2007 a 5 meter tall Superman statue, which is planted head first into the ground, was also a guest at baxpax downtown Hostel Hotel. All three hostels are regularly used as sites for exhibitions, art, and cultural events.
During 2010-2011 Zelck contributed to the discussion about streams of tourists in Berlin-Kreuzberg. He gave interviews was constantly advocating for individual tourists. As a result he incurred the discontent of local residents.
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
pioneer.
Life
Ante Zelck grew up in Celle, Lower Saxony. After finishing high school he completed an apprenticeship as a locksmith. In 1988 he went to BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to complete his Abitur as a second course of education. During this time he lived several occupied houses in the Berlin districts Mitte and Kreuzberg. After he studied social education at the First State Technical College for Social Education in Berlin and completed his studied in 1996.
Zelck is the father of one child.
Professional career
After his studies Zelck worked as a social worker for a youth welfare services organization Waschhaus and as a street worker for the outreach project in the Berlin district of Prenzlauer BergPrenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg is a locality of Berlin, in the borough of Pankow.Until 2001, Prenzlauer Berg was a borough of Berlin; in that year it was included in the borough of Pankow....
.
In 1994 while he was still completing his studies he opened Berlin's first hostel, called The backpacker and could be found on the fourth floor of 44 Köthener Straße in Berlin-Kreuzberg
Kreuzberg
Kreuzberg, a part of the combined Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough located south of Mitte since 2001, is one of the best-known areas of Berlin...
.
In May 1997 opened along with business partner Olaf Juhl Berlin’s Backpackers Hostel (today "baxpax Mitte Hostel") at 102 Chausseestraße in Berlin's Mitte
Mitte
Mitte is the first and most central borough of Berlin. It was created in Berlin's 2001 administrative reform by the merger of the former districts of Mitte proper, Tiergarten and Wedding; the resulting borough retained the name Mitte. It is one of the two boroughs which comprises former West and...
district. He gave up his job as a social worker in order to devote himself fulltime to the hostel. In 2000 the two opened the first hostel in Berlin's Kreuzberg district, baxpax Kreuzberg Hostel. In 2006 Zelck and Juhl opened their third hostel, baxpax Downtown Hostel Hotel, located at 28 Ziegelstraße. Located there are also the Bar Cosmo-Lounge and the Optica Club. All three locations, as well as the Lounge and Club, are still operated today by Zelck and Juhl.
Art and the Hostel Culture
From the start Zelck followed the idea to give the hostels an artistic orientation and with this conceived the first Design and Art-Hostel-Concept. He consequently implemented this idea for the first time in 2011 with the complete renovation of the baxpax Mitte Hostel. Since the renovation it is officially known as an Art-Hostel.Time and time again Zelck brings art into his hostels. In 2006 he converted a VW beetle into a hostel bed. In the same year he constructed the biggest hostel bed in the world in the courtyard of the baxpax downtown Hostel Hotel. The bed was over 5 meters long. In 2007 a 5 meter tall Superman statue, which is planted head first into the ground, was also a guest at baxpax downtown Hostel Hotel. All three hostels are regularly used as sites for exhibitions, art, and cultural events.
Criticism
With his provocative advertising campaigns Zelck has several times attracted the disfavour of the Berlin Hostel Branch. In 1998 he produced postcards on which the Park Inn Hotel was depicted with the label of baxpax Hostel Hotels. Written across the postcards was he phrase, “Only those with a vision will prosper”. As a result Zelck was accused by several authorities of having delusions of grandeur.During 2010-2011 Zelck contributed to the discussion about streams of tourists in Berlin-Kreuzberg. He gave interviews was constantly advocating for individual tourists. As a result he incurred the discontent of local residents.