Free Walking Tour Berlin

When: Every day 10am & 12pm every day
Where: The meeting point is in front of the ehemaliges Kaiserliches Postfuhramt Berlin, Oranienburger Straße, 10117 Berlin, Germany, next to the entrance.
Price: Free

Exploring the Rainbow: Unveiling Berlin’s Vibrant LGBT+ History

by | Oct 22, 2024 | Original Berlin

When it comes to LGBT+ history, few cities can rival Berlin. For decades, the German capital has been a magnet for queer individuals from around the world, offering a safe haven and a vibrant community. To truly appreciate the city’s rich LGBT+ history, nothing beats a walking tour. So lace up your shoes, grab a map, and join us as we take a journey through time, uncovering the hidden stories and iconic landmarks on this thrilling exploration of Berlin’s LGBT+ past.

1. Schöneberg: The Birthplace of LGBT+ Rights

Berlin tour starts in the Schöneberg district which can be considered the cradle of gay liberation movement. Schöneberg became a prosperous area for homosexual members to live and work during early twentieth century. Among the attractions of this district, the famous Eldorado nightclub, founded in the 1920s, can be distinguished, which became a shelter for queer people at a time when this was impossible. Today there is no such club, but its memories have remained, so we can see the streets where the active life of the LGBT+ people was once thriving.

Finding the El Dorado in Schöneberg

Today the club no longer exists, but the area is open for visitors to take a look at the place that once housed the Eldorado. This one is at Motzstraße 25 and here is where we are taken down memory lane of the Berlin gay glory days. When watching the space in front of the building, try to feel the joyous spirit of the place which was filled with music and laughter in the home of many queer people.

2. The Christopher Street Day Parade: Uniting and Celebrating

The Christopher Street Day Parade deserves a special word about the Berlin’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans history. This wonderful festival highlighting the equality of race, color, and gender Warmly fills Berlin each year as the people celebrates the city. In New York City, the Stonewall riots are remembered in a parade that occurred in the same year as the event-1969. It also participating in the parade is empowering and one gets to notice the unity of the overwhelmingly happy participants who are in thousands marching through the streets of Berlin.

Marching in Solidarity: The special event Christopher Street day Parade

If you have a chance to be in Berlin late in July but don’t have any plan where to go – it is high time you visit Berlin to attend annual Christopher Street Day Parade. L’hosting di questo felice evento é riguardante tutti, senza discriminazione di orientamento sessuali e identità di genere. This is your chance to be part of the parade, hold high your rainbow flag, and enjoy the singers and dancers emphasizing the philosophy of equality and love. It is not just a parade that is held out there, but it is a statement that brings a lot of meaning to it all reminding people the kind of progress that has been made and at the same time the kind of progress that still has to be made.

3. The Schwules Museum: Preserving LGBT+ Heritage

Continuing further, tourists will visit one of the most important places of the city – Schwules Museum of LGBT+ history. The museum is based in Kreuzberg area and its main aim is to gather, protect and exhibit the achievements of the LGBT+ people in history. From complex and meaningful shows to a captivating collection, Schwules Museum makes one understand lovers, victories and ordinary life of gays and lesbians in Berlin.

Exploring the Schwules Museum: Highlights and Exhibitions

The Schwules Museum contains a staggering amount of necessities and mementos to remind people of the discoveries that Berlin’s LGBT+ community makes. Some noteworthy exhibitions include “Homosexualities: These are “100 Years of Resistance” by AI and “Sex in the Museum.” Discover the story of the people fighting for their rights, find out how queer artists have been treated in the past, and how the perception of sex and gender has changed. Here, you never only learn, but also contribute to maintaining the historical memory of the gay community by visiting the Schwules Museum.

4. That Berlin Wall and activism for the LGBT+

This historic tour’s twist presents more information about the Berlin Wall and its relationship to the LGBT+ movement. Before the wall came down in 1989, when the city was divided, West Berlin became a symbol of queer permissiveness. It was this striking difference between the liberal west and the conservative east which forced a war for equality and in effect, propelling what one might call today as the major aspects of the modern gay rights movement.

Checkpoint Charlie and Beyond

A visit to Checkpoint Charlie – the border between East and West Berlin which symbolised division – will give anyone an understanding of the discrimination and hardship homosexuals had to endure. Know the history of the activists struggling for their identities, join the queer subcultures that emerged under the pressure from the divided city. It is important to notice that Berlin with the help of its gay population was changing the story of the whole city, from political demonstrations to underground parties.

5. Celebrating Diversity at SchwuZ: Berlin’s Oldest LGBT+ Venue

The last place we visit opens our journey; SchwuZ is an iconic and one of the oldest gay bars in Berlin. Opened in Neukölln since the 70s, this club is modern and is considered as the center of queer people. And so SchwuZ still remains an impressive establishment offering a variety of music, live performances and thematic discos for frequenters of Berlin LGBT+ scene. A variety of goers share the dance floor with you and as you twerk and vogue the night away the feeling of unity that Berlin has always stood for within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transexual community is clearly felt.

Nightlife at SchwuZ: For years the German capital has celebrated its queer-flavored identity.

This is not the end of Berlin’s LGBT+ history; you still have the nightlife to embrace at SchwuZ. Take a look at their schedule and get lost in a place where being queer is not only accepted, but encouraged. Whether you like techno music, drag shows or simply, you are a lonely single person who wants to find friends here it is – SchwuZ.

Conclusion

One cannot talk about history without mentioning that Berlin has an interesting story connected with Modern LGBT+ experience. So, when you take a walking tour of LGBT+ history in Berlin, you will see success stories and sufferings of this community. Ranging from the liberal Schöneberg area of the city to the much more sultry SchwuZ nightclub, every place on the tour tells a different part of the story. Therefore, grab your sneakers on, wear that rainbow gear, and get ready as Berlin’s LGBT+ history comes alive.

Thank you for reading. If you're inspired by the stories of Berlin and want to delve deeper, why not join us on our Free Berlin Walking Tour? It's a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the city's rich history and vibrant culture. We look forward to welcoming you soon.

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • 3.5 hours walking tour
  • Berlin’s major highlights
  • Brandenburg Gate
  • Reichstag and Berlin Wall
  • Historical sites

Free Walking Tour Berlin

When: Every day 10am & 12pm every day
Where: The meeting point is in front of the ehemaliges Kaiserliches Postfuhramt Berlin, Oranienburger Straße, 10117 Berlin, Germany, next to the entrance.
Price: Free