Getting to Know Gay Berlin

In the 1982 Hollywood classic "Victor, Victoria," Henry Mancini's song states the obvious: "Around the Rue des Beaux-Arts, where all the cabarets are, you'll agree with what they mean when they say, 'Gay Paree!'" But Gay Berlin surely holds its own. It actually mocks "Paree" in its Pariser Platz, named after the battle of Paris in 1814 that defeated Napoleon. This is also the location of the iconic Brandenburg Gate, which became the symbol of German reunification after the Wall fell in 1989.

A walk along the historic Unter den Linden under the fragrantly blossoming linden trees will grant views of classical sculptures next to new construction cranes, and take you to major sites like Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island. The best way to see Berlin's monuments and architectural wonders is from a hop-on, hop-off City Circle sightseeing bus.

The Berlin Victory Column, designed by Heinrich Strack in the mid-1800s to commemorate the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian War, acquired additional meaning after Prussia defeated Austria and its German allies in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. These victories were reflected in the addition of the 27-ft. sculpture of Victoria designed by Friedrich Drake.

The Rotes Rathaus (Red City Hall) is the red-brick town hall of Berlin, built in 1869 in Italian Renaissance style by Hermann Friedrich Waesemann. It's located in the Mitte district, where I stayed in the comfy and cozy Mercure Hotel Berlin Mitte, recognizable from afar by its wall-size mural, "Berlin's largest," on a side of the building.

Checkpoint Charlie, the name given by the Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War of 1947-91, can also be seen from a City Circle bus. Or take U-Bahn, the fast and efficient subway, to the legendary Friedrichstrasse (very much comparable to Rue des Beaux-Arts), with its world-famous revue theatre Friedrichstadt-Palast, or to Charlottenburg district, home to Deutsche Oper Berlin. You'll know you're heading in the right direction by the composers' names written on U-Bahn station tiled walls. Walk through the tree-lined Schlossstrasse to Charlottenburg Palace, with an exquisite Baroque interior and impressive collection of art, surrounded by serene park grounds.

Friedrichstadt-Palast, where I saw the over-the-top glamorous "The One" grand show, offers a statement signed by Berndt Schmidt, General Director: "Respect each other. As a theatre owned by the city of Berlin, the Palast has the utmost respect for all legitimate views and lifestyles. In light of its past, the Palast consciously advocates diversity, freedom and democracy. Our history shows that freedom is often lost again, more quickly than one would think. It must be asserted every single day."

The building was seized in 1934. Its spectacular vaulted dome was considered "degenerate architecture" and removed. Nazi propaganda shows were staged until 1945, when the theatre was damaged in a WWII bombing. Rebuilt in 1984, it became the flagship theatre of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) until 1990. After the fall of the Wall, the Palast established itself as the first address in reunified Germany for spectacular entertainment, its biggest and most modern show palace. Jewish, homosexual, and modernist, the original theatre creators, Max Reinhardt, Hans Poelzig, and Erik Charell, suffered under the Nazi regime. They were memorialized in 2015, when the Palast unveiled a sculpture dedicated to their achievements, depicting a stage spotlight, and placed next to the new building on Friedrichstrasse 107.

"Colors of Respect," a poster designed by Zhoi Hy, became a symbol for the Palast, inspired by the colors of the rainbow flag, designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, a symbol of the LGBT international community.

Rainbow colors spilled onstage in the current Palast show, "The One," set to run until mid-2018. Directed by Roland Welke, with 500 costumes by star fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, lighting by Emmy Award winner Peter Morse, choreography by Brian Friedman, Craig Revel Horwood, and Marguerite Donlon, the show features Roman Lob and Brigitte Oelke as solo artists, and more than 100 colleagues from 26 nations.

"I have dreamed of working on a revue ever since I was a little boy, when I saw the premiere of Folies Berg�re on TV at my grandmother's," said Gaultier. "The following day, I got into trouble at school for drawing girls with feathers and fishnet stockings. Now more than a dream is coming true for me: the first revue where I have designed costumes takes place in Berlin. This city defined the cabaret of the 1920s, and the Palast is a place with a rich history, having reinvented itself more than once. I am honored to be a part of this production."

"Only in dreams, on stage, and in movies, everything is possible," said Welke. "That's why I want to combine the 3-D images of theatre, the cross-fade and slow-motion effects used in film, and the endless possibilities of dreams. A rushing stream of images, where nothing stays the same."

Gay Berlin was on my mind while I was traveling on the U-Bahn with my trusty Berlin Welcome Card. On the U-5 line construction site, there was a depiction of a train car with passengers of different races, ages, genders, and sexual identities, sending a clear message of inclusivity. CSD Berlin (Christopher Street Day, a.k.a. Berlin Pride) was coming up in July. The first CSD took place in 1979, and the LGBT city festival has been celebrated since 1993. These days, 750,000 people celebrate, with more than 50 floats moving toward the Brandenburg Gate.

Many Americans remember Berlin's mayor, Klaus Wowereit (in office 2001-14), the first openly gay German politician, who famously proclaimed, "I am gay, and that is also a good thing."

Berlin was considered the gay capital back in the 1920s. A vibrant scene of bars, clubs, and cabarets existed in numbers still unrivalled today. According to some historical accounts, there were about 400 venues for gays, ranging from the famous cabaret Eldorado (closed down by the Nazis in 1932) and the ladies' dance hall Zur Manuela to the large balls organized by gay associations.

As early as 1897, Magnus Hirschfeld, a German Jewish physician and sexologist, founded the Wissenschaftlich-Humanit�re Komitee (Scientific-Humanitarian Committee) in Berlin as the first-ever gay human rights organization. From 1919, he ran the legendary Institut f�r Sexualwissenschaft (Institute for Sexual Science), which made an important contribution to the emancipation of gays and lesbians all over the world.

After the suppression of the gay and lesbian community by the Nazis, it wasn't until 1971 that the homosexual scene recovered again, when the gay movement Homosexuelle Aktion Westberlin (Homosexual Action West Berlin) was founded. Today, Berlin is one of the most open cities in the world. Gay bars, clubs and parties, as well as wide-ranging cinema programs and the Gay Museum, are well-attended.

VisitBerlin website provides practical information for LGBT people. LGBT-friendly hotels in Berlin are listed in Pink Pillow Berlin Collection. Participating hotels promise to treat all guests with the same courtesy, dignity and respect; to contribute to social LGBT projects; to create a work environment of respect; and to offer guests information about the LGBT scene. Go to: visitberlin.de/en.