Kraak
Kraak is a Dutch word with several related meanings. As a verb, kraken means to crack or break; as a noun, kraak denotes a crack or fracture, and can describe the cracking sound or the result of cracking something open. The term is also widely used to describe the act of occupying an unused building without permission: a kraak, and the building itself is called a kraakpand. This practice is associated with the kraakbeweging, a housing- and space-activist movement that emerged in Dutch and Belgian cities from the 1960s onward, aiming to address housing shortages and to create cultural and community spaces. During the 1980s and 1990s, many kraak sites served as social centers, venues for music and arts, and platforms for political organizing; a number were evicted or legalized as urban policies evolved. In contemporary usage, kraak remains a recognized, though controversial, form of urban activism, often discussed in relation to housing policy, urban development, and tenants’ rights.
Kraak also exists as a surname of Dutch or Germanic origin and may appear in place names
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