Viewed against the background of the lesbian and gay scene, Berlin just has to be one of the most exciting cities imaginable. This is where the history of gay emancipation started and where, during the years when the city was partitioned, two quite different scenes evolved which, in the wake of Reunification, were as fast-paced as Berlin itself. Today Berlin offers a many-sided, breathtakingly complex lesbian and gay lifestyle which is reflected in all areas of everyday life in the capital. But it is the night life that provides the most accurate representation of the lively Berlin scene. The party lifestyle of the gay community is the precursor as well as the essential component of that legendary club landscape that entices people from every country under the sun to Berlin, all simply looking to enjoy themselves.

The city's gay and lesbian scene is concentrated to various degrees in three different districts. Firstly, in Schöneberg to the north, with its classic scene infrastructure; secondly, in Kreuzberg which offers a mixture of culture and solid nightlife (the alternative scene); and lastly, in Prenzlauer Berg (Berlin's version of Soho) with its rather trendy flair. One look in Siegessäule or Sergej - two free scene magazines that include an extensive service section and are available in almost all of the locations mentioned - shows the enormous variety of Berlin's scene. The spots that are discussed below are therefore only the first step in viewing "the other Berlin".

The Three Pillars of the Berlin Scene

For visitors to Berlin, Schöneberg makes a good first stop. Its classic infrastructure ranges from gay-friendly pharmacies and fitness clubs to fetish shops and even a gay French fry stand on the Wittenbergplatz. A hundred years ago a scene had already become established around Winterfeldplatz. Today the scene is not just around certain clubs and pubs - the area is also one of the most popular gay residential areas.

Every evening when the bars open their doors, Schöneberg's lively Motzstrasse is taken over by gays. Early relics of the Berlin scene, such as Tom's, mingle with modern bars such as Hafen which have themselves progressed to immortal status. In addition to various cinemas and bars, the Connection club is still the best known address for gay clubbing in this district. Women are always welcome for all events. For women who want to exert themselves, there is also Begine. For more tangible contact, the two saunas on Kurfürstenstrasse - Gay Sauna Club Brasil (formerly Apollo City Sauna) and Steam Sauna - occupy a steady position on the scene's hit list.

The city districts Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg are regarded as "In" districts par excellence and have become a real magnet for the public (and not only for visitors to Berlin either). And on the lesbian and gay front too, a fast-paced movement has emerged which is still a long way from being over. The LGBT image is being shaped by trendy cafés and bars in the style of Marietta, Klub der Republik or Freizeitheim. Prenzlberg and the Centre are the venue for a night life that doesn't give a fig for sexual orientation. Homo and heterosexuals party together, for instance in Cookies, one of the city's most stylish clubs. In addition, a good number of the most sought-after addresses (see Berlin Club Nights) can be found here, ensuring party frolics and fun right round the clock.

On the other hand, the scene in Kreuzberg presents a conscious alternative. In Roses or in the Bierhimmel, plus a few other shops located around the Oranienstrasse, you can get a feel for the rough days of the squatters. The robust charm of the Möbel Olfe (invariably jam-packed) is the successful antidote to Centre chic and at the Schoko-Café women will find the much-talked-about Kreuzberg multi-cultural atmosphere. Club-goers not only have the chance to let off steam in the world-class venues of sister district Friedrichshain, but some of the regular parties hosted by Kreuzberg's SO 36 are also some of the most unusual features of the nightlife on offer in Berlin. In the meantime, one of the "decentralized gay centers" that are typical in Berlin has sprang up at Mehringdamm 61. The "Allgemeine Homosexuelle Arbeits-gemeinschaft" ("General Homosexual Association") is located here, and Melitta Sundström attracts a young student audience who also enjoy themselves on weekends at parties organized by the SchwuZ located below.

The "Queer-Gebäude", situated in the courtyard, is home to the exhibition rooms, archives, and warehouse belonging to the Schwules Museum ("Gay Museum"). The museum is still the only one of its kind in the entire world. Although exhibitions, archives, and groups interested in gay history also exist in other places, the Schwules Museum is the only museum which since 1985 has continuously undertaken scholarly archival work and has presented several internationally-acclaimed exhibitions every year. Added to this, with the acquisition of a large art collection (the Sternweiler Collection) which received state support, the status of the museum was recently greatly enhanced. In addition, the work undertaken by the Schwules Museum offers a unique insight into Berlin's rich and varied gay history.

The LGBT party lifestyle has long since come out of the areas where it grew up, engaging closely right from the start with the Berlin club landscape. For many years its calling card has been that world famous phenomenon - the Love Parade. The gays made use of the free spirit of the Techno Heads, who did not think in terms of established patterns such as sexual orientation, spicing up the brightly coloured move right from the very beginning with a strong preponderance of pink - a glamorous alliance that still adds up to precisely the right formula for an unforgettable party experience. First and foremost at the Berghain, which is regarded by a number of Techno-Heads as the legitimate successor of such legendary locations as E-Werk and Tresor. With the uncompromising richness of its sounds, the Berghain occupies a prominent position on the address list of an international party crowd streaming enthusiastically towards Berlin. The Connection, which has developed into a 'must' for techno-aficionados and housemates, reserves some parties strictly for its lesbian and gay patrons. The Fate Club, with its Sex Dance, is a regular LGBT party oasis and, at the Club Culture Houze, Fetish Parties are on the increase.

If you're looking for a really dazzling electronic event, why not try the city's biggest lesbian and gay party at Klub International, which offers tunes of the finest. The place where the event is held - the Kino International - regularly rocks to the most spectacular lesbian parties in the city. And on the weekends at the Panoramabar/Berghain, the real party freaks are still launching themselves into the turmoil well into the small hours. But there are also many, many other addresses that have embraced "electronic dance music" just waiting to be explored - for instance, the Alte Kantine des Berghain or the "Kurzurlaub" in the SO 36. Other party concepts round off the Berlin nightlife, culminating in an astonishing diversity. From the Queer Dance Festival in the Walzerlinksgestrickt Dance Salon, the many-sided Party Friday at SchwuZ, where the programme is peppered with lesbian and gay clichés, or the Orient-Party Gayhane, the belly-dancing event in the SO 36 - Berlin's Party Thrills offer just the right thing to suit all tastes. As the places and concepts at the most sought-after events can sometimes change at short notice, it is best to look in the gay press e.g. at the free-of-charge Siegessäule (Victory Column) to check out the most up-to-date situation before immersing yourself in the intoxicating diversity of a night out clubbing in Berlin.

Current IGLTA Members in Berlin (as of 01 April 2010):
All images and text provided by IGLTA Member Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH.