The (gay) history of Berlin: how it came about, how it is today and its three coming outs

It has probably less to do with the Berlin air and more to do with the local tolerance, which characterised this city since the resettlement policy of the Grand Elector after the thirty-year war. After the fall of the Berliner Wall the feeling of new freedom added to this along with the vast free spaces, especially in the eastern part of the city. It is however difficult to say whether there is more happening in the gay scene nowadays than during the frequently mentioned, so-called golden twenties.

Berlin’s current mayor Klaus Wowereit, well known among the majority of Berliners for his open attitude as integration figure, is an example that these days gay men play a very different role in the community– at least this is the case in Berlin. They use this image and promote the suspense of the city. Wowereit, affectionately known as Wowi, is a party fan and has written the greetings text for the Folsom Street fare and had to hear criticism from his political opposition parties for doing so. This is true tolerance in every day life of this city.

Let’s go back a few years. Berlin as gay metropolis had its first coming-out at the end of the 19th century. In 1897 Magnus Hirschfeld set up the so-called scientific-humanitarian committee (WhK) and fought against discrimination of homosexuals. In 1919 he opened the Institute of Sexual Sciences. It became the centre for all research regarding sexual reform. In addition it was an information centre and sanctuary for people with sexual problems. It was also a source of information to interested laymen and further education for medical students.

In Berlin one not only took part in academic, theoretical discussions, but also in wild parties. At the beginning of the 20th century there were around