On November 1, 2025, the words “Cheers Queers” rang out for the last time at the former Kindl brewery in Berlin’s Neukölln district. SchwuZ, the oldest queer club in Berlin and all of Germany, officially ceased came to an end after 48 years of operation. The closure of the venue—which had endured decades of homophobic raids and served as the cradle of Berlin Pride—became a symbol of a deep crisis: in modern metropolises, safe spaces for marginalized groups prove incompatible with the logic of business and market relations.
A Chronicle of the Downfall: From Layoffs to Bankruptcy
The crisis at the German gay club SchwuZ came to light in May 2025, when more than 30 employees suddenly lost their jobs. This sparked sharp criticism: management was accused of acting like a “typical corporation” rather than a collective.
Events unfolded rapidly from there:
August 2025: The club is filing for bankruptcy as a precautionary measure.
Fall 2025: Attempts to save the company through crowdfunding and by seeking private investors have failed. Potential buyers never went through with the deal.
October 23, 2025: The club's permanent closure has been announced. It has become clear that the club's concept, while politically necessary, is no longer viable from a business perspective.
"The Berlin Model" no longer works
The closure of SchwuZ is not an isolated incident, but rather the result of systemic pressure on Berlin’s cultural scene. 73% клубов города сообщили о падении доходов в 2023 году, and the number of visitors is, on average, 20% lower than pre-pandemic levels.
Causes of the Economic Crisis
• Increase in operating expenses: Почти 90% клубов борются с подорожанием электроэнергии и отменой льгот эпохи COVID.
• The Cost-of-Living Crisis: Because of inflation and the decline in real wages among the queer audience. People simply don't have the budget left for leisure and entertainment.
• Gentrification: Арендная плата в Берлине с 2015 по 2024 год выросла более чем на 80%. В районах вокруг SchwuZ стоимость новых контрактов иногда удваивалась.
The famous “Berlin economy”—characterized by low prices and vacant spaces with cheap rent—which for decades allowed subcultures to thrive in niche scenes, is now a thing of the past.
Why This Isn't Just About Closing a Nightclub
For the queer community, SchwuZ was not just a dance floor, but a “survival infrastructure.” In the absence of government support, it was places like this that helped build networks of solidarity during the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Today, the need for such spaces is greater than ever. In 2023, the level of anti-LGBTQ+ violence in Berlin reached a record high: 588 reported crimes, and the number of attacks on trans and non-binary people has risen particularly sharply. When places like SchwuZ close, it’s not just the club that disappears, but also a “safe haven” where people don’t have to explain who they are.
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The Market Against Gay People: What's Next?
The SchwuZ case proves: By its very nature, the market is incapable of creating and maintaining safe spaces. If queer people are disproportionately affected by poverty and discrimination, they cannot fund the communities they need solely through ticket and drink sales.
The future of queer infrastructure lies outside the realm of commercial logic. We need to transition to models of collective ownership and cooperatives. Queer spaces must also be viewed as sites of public interest, protected by government mechanisms from the pressure to generate profit. And, of course, the fight for affordable (low-cost) rent is becoming a matter of survival for the queer movement.
When, on that last night at SchwuZ, the drag troupe “Rat der Ranzigen” performed their final songs to the applause of a tearful crowd, it became clear: the club’s history in its former form was over, but the fight for the right to have their own spaces in the city was just beginning.
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