Exploring queer history in public places – a new accessible project by Rafael Nasemann (Homolulu Berlin) makes this possible. It starts in October, Queer History Month.

Queer people have left their mark on Berlin’s city history. Many history buffs have heard of Magnus Hirschfeld, Anita Berber, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, Audre Lorde, Marlene Dietrich, or Jürgen Baldiga and know about their significance for the queer community. But there are also other exceptional queer figures who, for example, fought for women’s suffrage, pioneered the gay men’s emancipation movement, were involved in the resistance against the Nazis, made their private spaces available as meeting places, and offered medical or legal advice to queer people. There are famous queer heroes, but also little-known ones.

Queer heroes, as different as their life paths may have been, have successfully fought for rights and paved the way, creating queer places of safety. They have stood up for queer people, behaved contrary to expected social norms, and tried new things. They were discriminated against by mainstream society or even punished for their lifestyle and orientation, sometimes enduring great suffering and sometimes paying for their commitment with their lives.

The “Queer Heroes” project enables the remembrance and dissemination of knowledge about queer heroes, activists, organizations, and events at historical sites. Small steles and plaques with a QR code are installed at these sites. The QR code takes you to a website where you can play an audio clip in German or English, which is also available to read. In addition, memorial sites in the area are recommended and displayed on the map so that you can continue your journey of discovery. Tours are suggested where you can explore queer places in individual neighborhoods

The project developed by Rafael Nasemann is a citizens’ initiative, not sales- or profit-oriented, and is carried out on a voluntary basis. It is affiliated with the Magnus Hirschfeld Gesellschaft e.V. and is also supported by: the Mitte Museum, the Mayor of Berlin-Mitte Stefanie Remlinger, the Berlin-Mitte Queer Representative Martin Vahermäe-Zierold, Schwules Museum Berlin, the Coordination Office for Historical City Markings/Active Museum, and Visit Berlin Tourism Marketing. Queere Held*innen received funding from the Berlin Senate and the Hannchen Mehrzweck Stiftung.

QR codes have been installed at Schwules Museum, Friedrichstadt-Palast, Café Ulrichs, Magnus Apotheke, Urania, the BKK Berlin Brandenburg building, private homes on Rosenthaler Platz, Regensburger Straße, in Wedding, and Deutsche Wohnen. Another QR code is located next to the official monument to Magnus Hirschfeld in Berlin-Tiergarten. There are websites for over 30 heroes at more than 60 locations. Additional QR codes are planned for other locations, but even without a QR code, you can still find your way there using the digital map.

The do-it-yourself tour “Orange—On Foot Through the Nollendorfkiez” can be started immediately after visiting the Schwules Museum by scanning the code at the exit door. The “Pink” tour takes you by bike from Mitte through the Tiergarten to the queer Nollendorfkiez. All pages can be accessed via the link https://homoluluberlin.de/queereheldinnen/

There you will also find a list of all locations and audio contributions.

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Contact

Schwules Museum
Press and Public Relations

Jan Künemund, Yasmin Künze
Tel.: +49 176 84995444
Email: presse@schwulesmuseum.de

Rafael Nasemann
Email: info@homolulu.de