The establishment, The Bush, will not reopen after a span of 40 years.
Berlin, the city known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, is bidding farewell to another iconic club. After 40 years, The Busche, a legendary gay club in Berlin-Weißensee, is set to close its doors.
Established in 1985 at Buschallee, The Busche has been a significant part of Berlin's cultural landscape. Over the years, it has served as a meeting place, party venue, and contact point for many. Klaus Lederer, the former culture senator, was a regular at The Busche during his teenage years.
The club's culture, however, has evolved over time. Home parties, game nights, raves in parks, and fewer club visits have changed the landscape. Despite these changes, The Busche remained a popular destination, attracting thousands of visitors from Berlin, Rostock, and Hannover. Heterosexuals also attended, while gay people often brought their best female friends.
The closure of The Busche is due to increased costs. These include electricity, Gema, insurance, waste disposal, rent, wage costs, and drink price increases from suppliers. Visitor numbers have halved since the Corona pandemic, further exacerbating the financial strain.
The main event before its closing is the "Last Dance" party this Saturday. Described as loud, colorful, and magical, the party will take place from 9 pm at Warschauer Platz, where The Busche has been located since 2004.
Radio moderator Andreas expresses his sadness over the closure, stating that The Busche will be missed. For former culture senator Klaus Lederer, the closure makes Berlin poorer and queer life more insecure. He also emphasizes that such meeting points are important for queer people, and the social cosmos becomes smaller when they disappear.
In its early years, The Busche was rather rustic. The lighting system was installed by the DJ, and tables with white tablecloths next to the dance floor were a common sight. The DJ played a mix of Schlager, DDR music, Jimmy Somerville, Pet Shop Boys, and Madonna. The club also offered sandwiches and Letscho at a counter.
The scene was still harassed and monitored until the 1980s, despite Paragraph 175, which criminalized sexual acts between men, being abolished in 1968. The Busche initially operated in a multi-purpose building, serving as a venue for midday school meals and afternoon senior meetings.
If you're interested in learning more about The Busche or Berlin's LGBTQ+ history, it might be worth exploring local historical records or reaching out to LGBTQ+ organizations in Berlin for more detailed information.
- The Busche, a legendary gay club in Berlin-Weißensee, known for its vibrant Lifestyle, also offered a blend of fashion and beauty through the music, ambiance, and crowd it attracted.
- In the home-and-garden realm, The Busche's multi-purpose building, serving as a venue for midday school meals and afternoon senior meetings, showcases a significant part of Berlin's history, particularly its LGBTQ+ community.
