Today though, it’s considered one of the world’s best destinations for LGBTQIA travellers, or anyone else looking to experience queer culture in the city.īerlin’s artistic vibrancy, social permissiveness and non-stop nightlife come together in its Drag scene. You’ll find reminders of this turbulent past – like the Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism – throughout the city. And in 1922, the first ever gay rights demonstration took place at Nollendorfplatz.īut under Nazism, the city became a nightmare, persecuting (amongst others) the LGBTQIA community countless people were arrested and incarcerated in concentration camps. During the 1920s, the city was known as the ‘gay capital of Europe.’ Gay bars and cafes popped up everywhere, and queer artistic expression flourished in film, music and print. Berlin is an open and diverse place, and its historical acceptance of LGBTQIA culture is well-known.