Germany's Vibrant Gay Club Scene

Forthcoming Occurrences in Berlin

A Glimpse into Berlin's Past and Its Homosexual Community

The origins of Berlin extend back over seven hundred and eighty years. By 1701, Berlin had assumed the role of the capital for the Prussian kingdom, and subsequently, in 1871, it became the capital of the German Empire. Despite Prussia being governed by a monarch who was homosexual between the years 1740 and 1786 (namely, Fredrick II), the development of Berlin's gay scene commenced a mere century afterwards. During the 1920s, a period famously known as the ›Golden Twenties‹, Berlin garnered a reputation as the European city boasting the most vibrant and progressive gay subculture. However, this flourishing era predictably ceased following 1933, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party seized control of Germany. (Notably, a memorial dedicated to homosexual individuals persecuted under the Nazi regime was finally unveiled in Berlin in 2008, an acknowledgment considered long overdue by over six decades.

Subsequent to the cessation of World War II in 1945 and the onset of the Cold War, Berlin underwent a partition, splitting into West Berlin (under the command of the Western Allies) and East Berlin (governed by the Soviet Union).

Despite functioning as an isolated enclave within communist-governed East Germany (G.D.R.), West Berlin re-established its status as the homosexual capital of Germany. This was attributable not solely to its populace of approximately three million individuals, but also, in part, to the exemption of compulsory military service imposed by West Germany (F.R.G.) upon males residing in West Berlin, a factor that drew numerous younger men to relocate there. Subsequent to the legalization of homosexual relations in 1969, the gay scene and the burgeoning gay rights movement within West Berlin experienced rapid expansion throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

The legal standing for gay men in East Germany proved to be the most favorable across the entire Eastern Bloc, surpassing even that in certain Western nations; however, within such an authoritarian regime, homosexual men and women were denied the fundamental right to establish themselves as a civil rights movement, thereby presenting limited avenues for fostering a vibrant gay scene and subculture. Towards the close of the 1980s, conditions began to ameliorate, culminating in the debut of the iconic film ›Coming Out‹ — an event that, by a twist of fate, occurred on the very evening the Berlin Wall collapsed in 1989.

The year 2001 saw Berlin elect an openly homosexual mayor, Klaus Wowereit, a representative of the Social Democratic Party. In an effort to preclude his forced disclosure by political adversaries during the electoral campaign, he proactively revealed his identity at a party convention, uttering the memorable declaration: ›Ich bin schwul, und das ist auch gut so‹, which translates to 'I'm gay and that's just fine'.

Historically, enclaves catering to the gay community have existed within the districts of Schöneberg and Kreuzberg (both situated in western Berlin), alongside Prenzlauer Berg (found in the eastern section). The preponderance of Berlin's gay-friendly hotels, bars, cafés, and retail establishments can be found in Schöneberg, a district that featured dance halls specifically for men as far back as the 1920s.

Key annual attractions and significant queer happenings in Berlin encompass, among other notable gatherings, the Berlinale film festival each February (which presents the esteemed Queer Film Award Teddy), the LGBTI street festival and the Gay Pride parade held in July, and Folsom Europe in September.

It will become apparent from our guide that a significant number of gay bars and nightlife venues do not specify official closing times. This phenomenon primarily stems from Berlin's abolition of fixed closing hours. Furthermore, Berlin's extensive public transportation network - comprising the urban railway (S-Bahn), underground (U-Bahn), trams, and buses - maintains operations throughout the entire night, ensuring services at intervals of no less than every thirty minutes on weekends.