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SchwuZ in Berlin: The last dance of a cult queer club?
The Berlin queer club Schwuz files for bankruptcy and is fighting to preserve its history and LGBTQ+ night culture.
SchwuZ in Berlin: The last dance of a cult queer club?
The news about the legendary Berlin queer club SchwuZ is overwhelming: At the end of a turbulent year, the club, which has existed since 1977, has filed for bankruptcy. SchwuZ, as the oldest institution of LGBTQ+ night culture in Germany, was in a worrying economic condition, which, according to berliner-zeitung.de, was already beginning 2024 began. Several factors, including a continuous monthly deficit of between 30,000 and 60,000 euros and drastic staff reduction measures, ultimately led to this step.
On May 20, 2025, SchwuZ boss Katja Jäger terminated dozens of employees, including long-standing employees. This measure was intended to avert the threat of insolvency. Despite these efforts, management determined at the end of the month that the situation could no longer be salvaged and filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy process is expected to begin in October 2025, while the club will remain open to guests until then.
Financial difficulties and measures
Despite the decline, there remains hope for a new beginning. The management explains that it is not about giving up, but about restructuring the club. Measures have already been taken, including restricting opening hours and launching a crowdfunding campaign to modernize the infrastructure. So far, only 3,000 euros of a target of 150,000 euros have been raised, underlining the club's tense situation, as the-berliner.com reports.
SchwuZ has played a central role in Berlin's queer history, particularly in the early CSD parades and in the emergence of the queer media landscape, including the founding of the Siegessaule magazine. With the opening of a new, larger venue in Neukölln in 2013, it was hoped to further strengthen and attract the community.
Reactions and outlook
The news of the bankruptcy caused an uproar in Berlin's queer community. Ex-Senator for Culture Klaus Lederer and the Green parliamentary group in the House of Representatives have expressed their concern about the loss of such cultural institutions, which are a safe haven for many people. SchwuZ's call to attract more visitors to the club remains undisputed: "Come over. Dance. Celebrate!" The club hopes to initiate a turnaround through the support of the community and to preserve the traditional site, as rbb24.de reports.