Berlin has long been a centre for LGBTIQ communities in Europe. Frederick the Great, Prussia’s legendary 18th century monarch is widely believed to have been gay; sexologist Magnus Hirscheld pioneered advocacy for homosexual and transgender rights in the early 20th century; Marlene Dieterich cross-dressed on the city’s screens in the hedonistic ‘20s; and Klaus Wowereit, mayor of the city from 2001 until 2014, was openly and proudly gay.
This 3-hour walking tour explores Berlin’s LGBTIQ scenes past and present, and, naturally, is open to all. Topics covered include the work of Magnus Hirschfeld, queer king Frederick the Great, persecution of homosexuals in Nazi Germany and homosexuality within the Nazi Party itself, the experience of LGBTIQ communities in East and West Berlin, and the queer scene in the hedonistic 1920s and in the 1990s as part of the burgeoning techno and club scene.
