Where It All Began: Berlin’s Queer & Trans History Tour
Explore Over 150 Years of LGBTQIA+ Resistance, Identity & Nightlife in Berlin
About this experience
Walk through the birthplace of the modern LGBTQIA+ movement on this immersive guided tour. Explore 100+ years of queer and trans history, from the world’s first LGBTQIA+ activists to Berlin’s legendary lesbian and gay nightlife, feminist movements, and queer resistance under the Nazis.
⭐️ What Others Are Saying
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Jeff was excellent and made sure to cover all the bases in a respectful, responsible, and trauma-informed way. Highly recommended!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Jeff, our tour guide, was PHENOMENAL. Such an insane amount of knowledge delivered so creatively… Most unique tour I’ve ever been on. Could not recommend highly enough!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “I wasn’t sure what to expect with the augmented reality, but it was like a window back in time. Jeff also gave us quiz questions, which helped the group connect. I only wish I could give the tour 6 stars!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “As a gay, trans man with ten years’ experience in Berlin myself, I learned countless things I never knew before and have never felt so immersed in Berlin’s queer life, past and present.”
Read more real reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Why This Tour is a Must for LGBTQIA+ Travelers and Berliners Alike
Berlin is more than just a queer-friendly city—it’s where the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement was born. Long before Stonewall, Berlin was home to the world’s first gay rights activists, radical lesbian feminists, and early trans pioneers.
This tour is perfect for queer travelers, history buffs, LGBTQIA+ locals, and allies who want to:
✅ Step into the past with 200+ archival photos, videos, rare audio clips, personal quotes, and interactive elements—including Augmented Reality scenes.
✅ Learn about the world's first queer and trans identities, from Karl Heinrich Ulrichs to Dora Richter and Lili Elbe.
✅ Uncover the hidden history of Berlin’s lesbian and feminist movements, from the 1920s cabarets to post-war activism.
✅ Discover the vibrant world of queer nightlife, from lesbian dance halls to the clubs that defined modern Berlin.
✅ Understand how LGBTQIA+ people resisted oppression, from the Nazi era to the fight against AIDS.
✅ Join a passionate, expert guide who is a queer activist, social scientist, and sex educator.
What You’ll Discover on This Tour
🏳️🌈 The Birth of the LGBTQIA+ Movement
Meet Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, the “world’s first gay man,” and explore how Magnus Hirschfeld and his feminist allies fought for the rights of queer people, women, and trans individuals over a century ago.
⚧️ The First Transgender Identities & Gender-Affirming Surgeries
Learn about the world’s first gender-affirming surgeries, how “transvestite certificates” allowed early trans people to live openly, and how Nazis tried to erase this history.
⚢ The Legacy of Berlin’s Lesbian Community—From 1920s Nightlife to Post-War Activism
Step into the lesbian bars and cabarets of Weimar Berlin, where queer women found freedom and community. Discover how Claire Waldoff’s music became anthems of defiance, how Marlene Dietrich turned androgyny into an international sensation, and how Black bisexual icon Josephine Baker made history in Berlin. Learn about the hidden lesbian resistance under the Nazis and how post-war activists helped reignite Berlin’s queer movement.
🎭 Berlin’s Wild 1920s Queer Scene
Visit the hotspots of lesbian bars, drag clubs, and queer cabarets that made Berlin the most LGBTQIA+ inclusive city of its time.
🕯️ LGBTQIA+ Life Under the Nazis
Understand Hitler’s contradictory views on homosexuality, the fate of LGBTQIA+ people in concentration camps, and how queer resistance survived the Nazi era.
🏥 The Aids Crisis & Queer Activism in Divided Berlin
Find out how Berlin’s LGBTQIA+ community fought for survival, how SchwuZ nightclub became an activist hub, and why the Berlin Wall was called “the condom of the GDR.”
🎶 Queer Berlin’s Influence on Today’s Club & Pride Scene
See how trans icons like Romy Haag revolutionized Berlin’s nightlife, how Kreuzberg became a hub for queer activism, and how today’s clubs like Berghain, SO36, and Folsom Europe continue the tradition.
A Tour Like No Other: A Fully Immersive Multimedia Experience
📜 This is not just a walking tour—it’s a multimedia journey through queer history!
📷 See history with 200+ archival photos & videos
🧠 Test your knowledge with fun interactive quiz questions
📱 Take Mixies: Augmented Reality selfies with historic queer activists
🌍 See history come alive with immersive digital recreations and interactive AR scenes
Your Guide: A Passionate Queer Activist & Scholar
Your guide, Jeff, is a social scientist, certified sex educator, and LGBTQIA+ activist with over a decade of experience researching and writing about Berlin’s queer history. With a background in sociology, gender studies, and sex education, Jeff brings deep knowledge, engaging storytelling, and personal insight into the tour.
Tour Details
📍 Tour Duration: ~4 hours
📍 Where We Meet: Nollendorfplatz, in front of Alnatura supermarket
📍 Languages: English (private German tours upon request)
📍 Who It’s For: LGBTQIA+ travelers, queer history enthusiasts, feminist & trans history lovers, Berlin locals, and allies
✨ Perfect for solo travelers, couples, and groups! Whether you’re visiting Berlin for the first time or you’re a local wanting to reconnect with queer history, this tour will give you a deeper understanding of LGBTQIA+ culture and its lasting impact on the world.
💬 More From Guests
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This is the best walking (or any kind of) tour I’ve ever done! Jeff was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about trans & queer history – his passion for the subject is infectious!”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “If you’re in Berlin, do yourself a favor and let Jeff take you into a world that’s been hidden from the rest of us. You’ll learn about Berlin – and maybe also about yourself.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The tour was wonderful. A journey through histories of both sorrow and joy, defeats and victories. Jeff allows space for everyone to connect with the past in their own way.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Jeff is very knowledgeable and friendly! It was almost 4 hours very well spent, and you take from the tour loads of very interesting information that will probably inspire you to investigate further.”
Read more real reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
What is included
- Guided walking tour led by a queer activist & gender scholar
- Augmented Reality (AR) elements to bring history to life
- Mixies: Take fun, personalized photos with Augmented Reality elements for lasting memories
- 200+ rare historical photos, videos, and archival materials
- Insider tips on Berlin’s modern queer nightlife and events
Not included
- −Gratuities
What you will see
Introduction
The "World's First Gay Man"
Our tour begins at Karl-Heinrich-Ulrichs-Straße 1, named after the man often called the world’s first gay rights activist. Karl Heinrich Ulrichs was one of the earliest people to publicly advocate for the decriminalization of homosexuality, defining queer identities long before the word “homosexual” even existed. His ideas laid the foundation for modern LGBTQIA+ movements worldwide.
The Persecution of LGBTQIA+ in Nazi Germany
At Nollendorfplatz, the heart of Berlin’s LGBTQIA+ history, we uncover the stories of Adolf Brand and right-wing gay activists, the complex role of Ernst Röhm and openly gay Nazis, and how Hitler’s stance on homosexuality led to mass persecution. We also explore The Night of the Long Knives, when Röhm and many other queer individuals within the Nazi party were executed. This stop sheds light on LGBTQIA+ persecution in Nazi concentration camps, where people were forced to wear the pink triangle, and the resilience of those who resisted oppression.
Lesbian Life, Music & Resistance
This stop focuses on lesbian life in 1920s Berlin, a thriving yet often overlooked part of queer history. We visit the site of Toppkeller, a famous lesbian bar, and explore how spaces like these provided community and safety for queer women. We also discuss the cultural impact of Claire Waldoff, a lesbian cabaret singer whose songs became anthems of defiance, and Josephine Baker, the bisexual performer who became a sex symbol for all genders.
Christopher Isherwood & The Queer Inspiration for Cabaret
At this location, we explore the homosexual department of the Berlin police force, a surprising yet significant aspect of LGBTQIA+ history. This stop also highlights gay male life in 1920s Berlin, featuring the story of Christopher Isherwood, whose writings about his experiences in Berlin inspired the famous Cabaret musical and film. We also discuss his relationship with Heinz Neddermeyer and their escape from Nazi Germany as queer refugees.
The World's First LGBTQIA+ Rights Movement
Magnus Hirschfeld’s groundbreaking work in LGBTQIA+ activism is at the center of this stop. We discover his Institute for Sexual Science, as well as the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee, the world’s first organization dedicated to queer rights and gender studies. We explore his theories on sexual intermediaries, the concept of Berlin’s third gender, and the world’s first gender-affirming surgeries performed on Dora Richter, Lili Elbe, and Karl M. Baer. We also discuss the fight against Paragraph 175, which criminalized homosexuality, and the destruction of the Institute by the Nazis, a devastating loss for queer history.
Drag & Queer Nightlife (Former Site of Eldorado)
This location was once home to Eldorado, one of Berlin’s most famous drag bars of the 1920s. Eldorado was a hotspot for gender-nonconforming people, queer performers, and even high-profile Nazis like Ernst Röhm, who paradoxically frequented the club while being part of a regime that later persecuted LGBTQIA+ people.
Post-War Queer Activism & A Trans Icon
At this stop, we discuss post-war LGBTQIA+ activism in Berlin. We explore Homosexuelle Aktion West-Berlin, one of the first queer rights organizations after WWII, and the founding of SchwuZ, one of Berlin’s most iconic queer clubs. We also highlight the life of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a trans woman who preserved Berlin’s queer history and created safe spaces for the community in East Berlin.
The Trans Community & Queer Club Revolution
This stop highlights West Berlin’s trans community in the 1970s and 1980s, exploring the impact of Chez Romy Haag, a legendary trans-led nightclub that revolutionized Berlin’s nightlife. This club was a space where gender-diverse people could exist freely, setting the stage for the city’s vibrant queer club culture today.
The Aids Crisis & Divided Berlin
Here, we examine the Aids crisis in Berlin, how it affected the divided city, and how the queer community organized to fight for survival. We discuss the activism of Rita Süssmuth, one of the few politicians advocating for Aids awareness, and how the Berlin Wall was metaphorically called the "condom of the GDR", highlighting the stark differences in how East and West Berlin handled the crisis.
Queer Nightlife, Pride & The Fight Against Gentrification
Our final stop takes us into the world of queer nightlife and activism today. We explore the Metropol club, its role in the early gay community and techno scene, and its connection to today’s world-famous Berghain and Lab.Oratory. We also discuss SO36’s legendary queer nights, Folsom Europe (Europe’s biggest fetish festival), Kreuzberg Pride, the Dyke March, and the ongoing fight for an affordable city led by the radical Tuntenhaus squat.
Choose your option
Standard
from
$53.01
Berlin city card holder
Holder of a CityTourCard, WelcomeCard, EasyCityPass, or QueerCityPass Berlin (please bring your pass to the tour)
from
$49.70
Sex Educator / LGBTQIA+ Activist / Sex Worker
Sex Educator / LGBTQIA+ Activist / Sex Worker
from
$49.70
Cancellation and terms
- Free cancellation up to 1 day before
Where to meet
Else-Lasker-Schüler-Straße 18, 10783, Berlin
At Nollendorfplatz in front of Alnatura Super Natur Markt
Know before you go
• Comfortable shoes for walking outdoors
• Water, sunscreen, or umbrella, depending on the weather
• Your camera or smartphone for great photos
• A positive attitude and a willingness to dive into Berlin’s queer history!
🗣️ Language
Public tours (which you can book on this page) are conducted in English. I also offer private tours in German. For details on booking a private tour, please check the section below.
👥 Private Tours
If you’d like to book a private tour exclusively for your group, I offer tours in both English and German. Please send an inquiry to service@berlinguide.de to arrange your tour.
💰 Private Tour Pricing
• up to 9 people: 350€
• 10–14 people: 450€
• 15–19 people: 550€
• 20+ people: 650€
These prices apply to standard private group bookings.
For companies, team events, commercial productions, or highly customized requests, tailored pricing may apply. Reduced rates for NGOs, grassroots initiatives, academic contexts, and journalists may be available on request where appropriate.
ℹ️ General Information
• Minimum age: 18 years
• Weather conditions: The tour may be canceled in case of extreme weather (e.g., heavy rain or storms) or if the minimum number of participants is not met. If this happens, you will receive a full refund.
♿ Accessibility Information
I strive to make this tour as accessible as possible. If you have specific needs, please reach out to me in advance at service@berlinguide.de, and I will do my best to accommodate you.
• 🎥 Videos include subtitles in German, English, or both.
• 🚶♂️ Wheelchair accessible route, but some paths may be bumpy. Accessible toilets are available upon request.
• 👀 For guests with visual disabilities, I can describe all visual materials.
• 🔊 Sensory stimulation: Some parts of the tour take place in areas with high sensory input (e.g., bright lights, loud noises).
• 😷 Health & safety: If needed, I can arrange mandatory mask usage indoors to ensure a safe experience for all participants.
⚠️ Content Notes
This tour includes discussions of historical and social topics that may be sensitive or triggering for some participants. Subjects covered include:
• Antisemitism, racism (including sexualized racism), homophobia, transphobia, and queerphobia
• BDSM, kinks, fetishes, and sex work
• Drugs, HIV/AIDS, and the Aids crisis
• Nazi Germany and (mass) murder
• Nudity
• Poverty
• Sex, sexism, and sexual abuse
• (Sexualized) violence, violence against children, and suicide
If you have concerns about any of these topics, please feel free to contact me before booking.
Wheelchair accessible
Animals or pets allowed
Public transportation nearby
Minimum age: 18.
Guide speaks: English.