Title
Die Busche
Subject
Gay Club/Disco
Description
A LGBTQ+ nightclub in Berlin with a resident DJ. It opened in 1986 under the German Democatic Republic in East Berlin and was one of the first gay clubs that was approved to open. It opened on Buschalle (where the club gets its name from) in Weißensee in a large, multipurpose warehouse-type building. It then moved once to Mühlenstrasse during the 1990s where it was once again in a large multi-purpose hall with other clubs, such as Ostgut, Razzle Dazzle, and NonTox. It then moved to Warschauer Platz, which is where it is now. It has two floors and a lot of room to dance, as it is a traditional Disco for queer folks.
Creator
Danielle Miron
Source
VisitBerlin. n.d. “Die Busche - LGBTI*Club | visitBerlin.de.” Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.visitberlin.de/de/die-busche.
Date
German Democratic Republic/Cold War Berlin and present time.
Relation
Der Tagesspiegel Online. n.d. “Berlin: Die ausgefallene Partylocation hat ausgedient und muß auf Butterfahrt gehen.” Accessed March 11, 2025. https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/die-ausgefallene-partylocation-hat-ausgedient-und-muss-auf-butterfahrt-gehen-619486.html.
Huneke, Samuel Clowes. 2019. “Gay Liberation Behind the Iron Curtain.” Boston Review, April 18, 2019. https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/gay-liberation-behind-iron-curtain/.
“Kriminalisiert und von der Stasi beobachtet: Lesben in der DDR.” 2020. Berliner Kurier, September 6, 2020. https://www.berliner-kurier.de/panorama/kriminalisiert-und-von-der-stasi-beobachtet-lesben-in-der-ddr-li.103236.
Mister B&B. n.d. “Die Busche, Berlin – Reiseführer Zu Schwulenclubs.” Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.misterbandb.com/de/gay-guide/deutschland/berlin/50-bars-clubs/21843-die-busche.
“Relaxed Gay Bars in Berlin.” Reddit, R/AskBerliners, August 2024. www.reddit.com/r/askberliners/comments/1ejpube/relaxed_gay_bars_in_berlin/.
Staff, Newsdesk. 2023. “Asylbewerberheim vor LGBTIQ-Club Busche?” Mannschaft, September 8, 2023. https://mannschaft.com/a/busche-asylbewerberinnenheim-vor-lgbtiq-club.
TipBerlin. n.d. “Clubs im Berlin der 1990er-Jahre: Diese Orte waren prägend.” Accessed March 11, 2025. https://www.tip-berlin.de/konzerte-party/clubs/clubs-berlin-1990er-jahre/.
Travel Gay. n.d. “Die Busche, Berlin - Schwule LGBT-Tanzparty in Berlin - Travel Gay.” Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.travelgay.de/venue/die-busche.
Wells, Alexander. 2021. “Cruising through Berlin’s Queer History.” The Berliner, June 7, 2021. https://www.the-berliner.com/politics/berlin-queer-history-huneke/.
Whitlam, Jonny. 2024. “How Berlin’s Lost Queer Bars Look Today: Exploring Weimar Berlin with Dr. Finn Ballard — Whitlam’s Berlin Tours.” Whitlam's Berlin Tours, February 26, 2024. https://www.whitlams-berlin-tours.com/tips-for-your-trip/how-berlins-lost-queer-bars-look-today.
Wick, Anemi. 2004. “Clubszene bleibt in Bewegung.” Berliner Morgenpost, November 5, 2004. https://www.morgenpost.de/printarchiv/berlin/article103700505/Clubszene-bleibt-in-Bewegung.html.
Yelp. n.d. “DIE BUSCHE - Updated February 2025 - 110 Photos & 37 Reviews - Warschauer Platz 18, Berlin, Germany - Dance Clubs - Phone Number - Yelp.” Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.yelp.com/biz/die-busche-berlin.
Huneke, Samuel Clowes. 2019. “Gay Liberation Behind the Iron Curtain.” Boston Review, April 18, 2019. https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/gay-liberation-behind-iron-curtain/.
“Kriminalisiert und von der Stasi beobachtet: Lesben in der DDR.” 2020. Berliner Kurier, September 6, 2020. https://www.berliner-kurier.de/panorama/kriminalisiert-und-von-der-stasi-beobachtet-lesben-in-der-ddr-li.103236.
Mister B&B. n.d. “Die Busche, Berlin – Reiseführer Zu Schwulenclubs.” Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.misterbandb.com/de/gay-guide/deutschland/berlin/50-bars-clubs/21843-die-busche.
“Relaxed Gay Bars in Berlin.” Reddit, R/AskBerliners, August 2024. www.reddit.com/r/askberliners/comments/1ejpube/relaxed_gay_bars_in_berlin/.
Staff, Newsdesk. 2023. “Asylbewerberheim vor LGBTIQ-Club Busche?” Mannschaft, September 8, 2023. https://mannschaft.com/a/busche-asylbewerberinnenheim-vor-lgbtiq-club.
TipBerlin. n.d. “Clubs im Berlin der 1990er-Jahre: Diese Orte waren prägend.” Accessed March 11, 2025. https://www.tip-berlin.de/konzerte-party/clubs/clubs-berlin-1990er-jahre/.
Travel Gay. n.d. “Die Busche, Berlin - Schwule LGBT-Tanzparty in Berlin - Travel Gay.” Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.travelgay.de/venue/die-busche.
Wells, Alexander. 2021. “Cruising through Berlin’s Queer History.” The Berliner, June 7, 2021. https://www.the-berliner.com/politics/berlin-queer-history-huneke/.
Whitlam, Jonny. 2024. “How Berlin’s Lost Queer Bars Look Today: Exploring Weimar Berlin with Dr. Finn Ballard — Whitlam’s Berlin Tours.” Whitlam's Berlin Tours, February 26, 2024. https://www.whitlams-berlin-tours.com/tips-for-your-trip/how-berlins-lost-queer-bars-look-today.
Wick, Anemi. 2004. “Clubszene bleibt in Bewegung.” Berliner Morgenpost, November 5, 2004. https://www.morgenpost.de/printarchiv/berlin/article103700505/Clubszene-bleibt-in-Bewegung.html.
Yelp. n.d. “DIE BUSCHE - Updated February 2025 - 110 Photos & 37 Reviews - Warschauer Platz 18, Berlin, Germany - Dance Clubs - Phone Number - Yelp.” Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.yelp.com/biz/die-busche-berlin.
Coverage
Modern Berlin, Germany
Founders/owners
Carla Pahlau
Dates
1985/6-present
Address
Warschauer Pl. 18, 10245 Berlin, Germany