© Brigitte Dummer
Colorful life: Schöneberg / Nollendorfplatz
“Rainbow Village“ in Berlin Schöneberg in fact is multicoloured. The most diverse bars, clubs, restaurants and shops can be found from Fuggerstraße to Nollendorfplatz. This square has become more and more the mekka for all kinds of fetish lovers.
Sex and fun are not just words here. Nevertheless there is no lack of more serious aspects of the city. At U-Bahnhof (underground stop) Nollendorfplatz there is a memorial to remind us of the gay-lesbian victims under the Nazi regime: „Totgeschlagen – totgeschwiegen“ (beaten to death – never again mentioned). At the beginning of Motzstraße a stele in the colours of the rainbow demonstrates gay pride, while at the intersection of Martin-Luther-Straße and Kleiststraße a red ribbon is to remind us of those who died from HIV. – The author Christopher Isherwood lived in this neighbourhood for some time (Nollendorfstraße 17) and collected mate-rial for his book „The Berlin Stories“, on which the film and musical „Cabaret“ is based.
Books and boys
The book shop Eisenherz with a vast selection for men and women is no less an institution in Schöneberg than Begine a culture centre only for women. Otherwise women meet up at Nah-Bar. Gastronomic venues range from Café Berio to Heile Welt, Hafen and HarDie’s Kneipe to the more chic restaurant More. The Inn Gnadenbrot is a more rustic place. Real blokes meet at various locations like Bull, Mutschmanns, New Action, Prinzknecht, Scheune, Tom’s Bar or Woof. New places in town are CDL-Bar and Maxxx Bar. The corner pub Blond gives the neighbourhood a more fashionable 70ies touch interior. The gay table dancers atS-Club will entertain you erotically. For rather intellectual entertainment pay a visit to the showroom of Gallery Mianki.
© Nadja Brendel Boxhagener Platz
Hip Hop Districts: Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Friedrichshain
Kreuzberg a myth – creative people from all around the world value the cultural diver- sity with its potential friction, even though the former "Mauerkiez“(neighbourhood at the wall) around Oranienstraße has become somewhat more mainstream within the last years, there is no danger in mistaking it for the more conservative Kreuzberg around Bergmannstraße. The part of Neukölln adjoining Kreuzberg has become the new place to be. Within the last two years „Reuter Kiez“ has become a lively neighbourhood with galleries, pubs, cafés like Dumpling or Liberda and clubs like Silver Future. Typical Berlin: in Weserstraße watch exciting art performances in Su de Coucou or crazy fun transvestite shows in Theater im Keller. Up for nostalgia? Then head for the bizarre pub Trommel a little further down the road. A favourite place for Berliners as well as visitors is still Friedrichshain with its numerous pubs and lively fleamarket on Boxhagener Platz.
Nightclubbing – scene hopping
SchwuZ in Kreuzberg is an institution in the gay-lesbian nightlife scene, a visit is standard procedure. Barbie Bar and cozy Rauschgold are close by. Serene Bar Bar (Saturdays ruled by lesbians) is a classic place to hit. Oranienstraße offers oldies but goodies and every so often something new. SO36 is one of the favoured party locations, there is nothing unusual about the queue on the street reaching the next pub; Roses. Earlier in the evening recommendable places are Luzia and especially Thursdays Möbel-Olfe with its unusual interior. Interesting newcomers in this neighbourhood are Golden Finish and Cutie Pie. Oberbaumbrücke (a Berlin site itself) takes you across the river to Friedrichshain, on the way pop into Barbie Deinhoffs. Right behind the bridge you arrive at Monster Ronson’s Sing Inn, a Karaoke bar. In the nightlife neighbourhood aro- und Simon-Dach-Straße, these are the places to go to: Himmelreich (Tuesdays women´s lounge) or the more Hanseatic men’s pub (with darkroom) Große Freiheit 114.
© Nadja Brendel Prenzlauer Berg
Flair and Variety: Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg is the district in Berlin with its own flair and nearly legendary density of pubs. In spite of the great choice there are „musts“. The Bar zum schmutzigen Hobby run by professional drag queen Nina Queer is one of these. Needless to say the place is packed on Wednesdays because of Nina’s „Glamourquiz“. Afterwards many a guest moves on to Marietta, a 60ies bar. So it is also Wednesdays which are rather busy here and if the weather plays along, the pavement in front is also packed with guests. On Mondays it is more quiet and more lesbian. Gay boys also like to go to Flax in Chodowieckistraße. Here the atmosphere is very friendly and more private. Many see Flax as a launching pad to take off into the weekend.
Bars with concept
Not far from there November is located with a solid performance in the kitchen. The corner of Husemann-/Sredzkistraße make it a perfect place to have breakfast or to stop for coffee and cake, sit at the solid wood tables and watch Berliners passing by. Nearby is Perle, a bar where you can relax in the evening or get into the mood for clubbing. If Karaoke and Bingo are more up your road then Marienhof is the place to go. Queens Club and Café is a new address for „women and friends“, Privatleben, a bar where the colour red rules is also a brand new venue. Schall und Rauch in Gleimstraße is famous for its yummie breakfast buffet and for that reason it is always really crowded on weekends. Definitely rewarding, a trip to Erich-Weinert-Straße 67: Stiller Don is the place to meet in a pleasant atmosphere. Mondays it is the place to go to, so yes it is packed. Villis is not only for the 70ies vintage friend with an eye for nostalgia. And for other sensual delights there is always Greifbar in Greifenhagener Straße. Popular venue as an erotic playground is Stahlrohr 2.0 and Darkroom. Remember Berliners are communicative, no matter where.
