Did Berlin invent homosexuality? When Paragraph 175 was being debated, the writer Karl Maria Kertbeny wrote a letter to the Berlin judicial authorities in 1869 in which he rejected this law. In his letter, he used the term homosexuality, which was taken up and established by the Berlin public—and language was born! Anyone who is enthusiastic about such historical tidbits will love Rafael Nasemann’s projects: with his queer bike tours “Homolulu Berlin” and the do-it-yourself audio tour “Queer Heroes,” he makes queer history visible – on the street, via QR code, and directly in everyday life. In conversation, Rafael talks about his motivation to keep queer history alive, his work for the Schwules Museum, and the political dimension of remembrance culture in times of increasing queer hostility.
Yasmin: Rafael, we already know each other, but I’d still like to hear three sentences about yourself!
Rafael: I’m Rafael, originally from a small town near Marburg, and I’ve been in Berlin for 12 years. Before that, I lived in China for five years and actually came to Berlin for a job. But as a gay man, you just want to be in Berlin! (laughs) Yes, it’s where you want to be… And that’s proven to be true; Berlin has been great so far. I enjoy the queer scene with all its advantages! I’m currently on an extended sabbatical from my job in marketing, which means I have enough time for other things.
We’ll come back to your relationship with the city in a moment, but first you have to tell me how you ended up at the Schwules Museum.
At the beginning of my sabbatical, I was looking for something meaningful to do. In 2021, I started organizing queer city tours, sort of as a pandemic hobby… The Schwules Museum seemed like the perfect complement to this project. I got in touch with the SMU right away and have been part of the volunteer team at the museum since 2023. Even though I’m there on an irregular basis, I always enjoy interacting with the queer audience and my colleagues there.
Some people started baking, you discovered queer city history for yourself! (laughs)
I read the fantastic book “Das andere Berlin” (The Other Berlin) by Robert Beachy and realized how little I knew about the city’s queer history. I thought to myself that others must feel the same way, so I wanted to do something about it! So during lockdown, I did some research, and when restrictions were eased, I did my first tours with friends—it was still pretty awkward and stuttering (laughs). But little by little, it got better, and later I even launched my own website called “HomoluluBerlin” and an Instagram channel. Weather permitting, I now offer two to four bike tours a month.
It’s very humble of you to describe this infrastructure as a hobby… Doesn’t it also have activist dimensions for you?
Absolutely! In the 1920s, Berlin was one of the most queer-friendly places in the world; even the Nazis couldn’t drive that out of the city. Queerness returned after World War 2! In the 1980s and 90s, it was a place of freedom, a very left-wing place. Today, it’s once again a place that attracts queer people from all over the world because they can be themselves here! Something like this is also passed on subconsciously from generation to generation, but you have to know about this history to do so. Even though I can only contribute a small part to this, I think it’s important that the public knows about this queer history.
You are currently focusing on queer heroes in Berlin and expanding your city tour program. Can you tell us more about that?
I am very grateful for all the people who are interested in my bike tours; I always have a good time. But I quickly noticed who was attending: people who already knew about queer history! If I want to reach those who haven’t had much exposure to it, I need a different approach. So how do I reach people who aren’t actively seeking this knowledge?
How?
I started putting QR codes at stops where I would normally pause during my tours to tell a story. That way, people can just stumble upon them and experience this information in their everyday lives. That’s how the do-it-yourself audio tour was born, which I simply called “Queer Heroes.”
You’re basically putting this knowledge in people’s path… Again, does that have political dimensions for you?
Yes! I believe that the experience of a city is passed on. That’s only possible if people know about it! I want people to know about Berlin’s queer-friendliness so that they can pass it on. So this is definitely a project of tolerance! Many people have fought for tolerance in the past, and some have even died for it. I want to acknowledge what once was. Especially in these current times of conservatism and increasing queer hostility.
What does it mean to you that the Queer Heroes project is partly funded by the Berlin Senate?
It means a lot! I have to convince people to let me drill holes in their houses and put up signs. It helps a lot when recognized institutions, including the Schwules Museum, the Hannchen Mehrzweck Foundation, and the Mitte Museum, show up as supporters.
Can you walk us through how it works? I see a small sign with a QR code, which I scan. What happens next?
Your browser opens with a website. There you will find information in text and audio format about the relevant part of queer city history that you are standing in front of. You’ll also see other points of interest nearby on a map that are worth visiting and tell you about other important people, events, or places in queer history. If you feel like it, you can create your own tour! That’s another reason why I think QR codes are so cool: even if I don’t have the time or inclination to take a guided tour, the knowledge I’ve acquired remains accessible and public!
Do you have a favorite stop?
That would be the place where the Institute for Sexual Science was located. A lot happened at that location: Christopher Isherwood lived there, Dora Richter worked there, and the board of the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee met there! So it’s a place where research was done and people got help, where queer people found refuge. It was located where the Haus der Kulturen der Welt is today, and there’s a monument to Magnus Hirschfeld 200 meters away. Last week, I was able to place next to it a small stone stele with a QR code. That was a big deal for me, the first QR code next to an official monument.
Who are some of your favorite queer heroes?
I am moved by the tragic love story of Eva Siewert, a writer who was denounced during the Nazi era, and Alice Carlé, a Jewish woman who was deported to the Auschwitz extermination camp in 1943. The way Siewert commemorates her girlfriend is particularly emotional for me. I also think the pioneer Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is important; for me, he is one of the most underrated activists. Ulrichs was simply the first in many things, but few people know him. He researched homosexuality very early on and published his findings, he gave gay men and lesbians a positive name for the first time, and he was probably the first person to come out publicly. His actions laid the foundation for many gay and lesbian movements, and I am grateful for that. And he did all this without having any role models! This year, this hero also celebrated his 200th birthday.
Where does your enthusiasm for history come from?
What can I say, ZDFinfo with its documentaries is my favorite channel (both laugh). I guess I’m a history nerd; that’s where I’ve found my niche. And I really enjoy preparing this content, whether it’s from books, archives, or digital articles. I think it’s important to be a communicator in this area. Let’s get it out on the streets!
Cool stuff, thank you Rafael! Where can we find the project if we don’t want to wait around to stumble across one of your QR codes?
When you leave the Schwules Museum, you can simply scan the code on the door and start the walking tour through the Nollendorf neighborhood. Otherwise, I have a website at homoluluberlin.de, where you can find dates for guided bike tours and also the pages and routes of the queer heroes. By the way, you can also listen to the contributions without going to the QR codes. If the internet is too old-fashioned, I also have an Instagram account (@homoluluberlin) and TikTok (@homoluluberlin).
Interview & Photo: Yasmin Künze