Berlin: The Queer Capital of the World

Join us as German and pyschology major Caleb Joseph makes cross-comparisons to queer life and culture in the present and the 1920s. During my "Queer Berlin" tour, Caleb became infatuated with what he learned about queer life in the 1920s, and the social climate and growing acceptance of sexual liberation and gender nonconformity of the Weimar Republic. In the 1920s, Berlin was internationally known for its queer scene and the hundreds of LGBTQ+ bars and nightclubs in the city. This summer, Joseph stayed within walking distance of one of the most famous queer nightclubs, "Eldorado", later turned into a headquarters for the Nazi Party. 

This time period is a main focus of Joseph's presentation because it sets the stage for the perspective of Berlin today, as well as explains how Berlin came to be known as the "Queer Capital of the World," Joseph will then explain how life changed for queer individuals under national socialism with the expansion of Paragraph 175, the national law in Germany that criminalized homosexuality up until 1994. Joseph will then discuss how life changed for queer individuals after the Second World War in East and West Germany. Concluding with the queer scene in Berlin today, speaking based off the tour and experiences. At the end, Joseph will answer any questions his virtual or in-person audience may have.

For those wishing to join via WebEx, the password is "QueerBerlin".