There were also many homosexual political groups like where we took to the streets to fight for our rights.

After we ourselves had seen cruising in our private realm of sexual freedom, we were quickly taught otherwise.

Because there were police raids in the clubs, in the bars, in public toilets, even in Teargarten.

This was restricted, and that’s why, for a long time, homosexuals didn’t dare to come out at work.

Only within their closest circles, because it was still stigmatized.

People were marginalized, and when HIV and AIDS came along, homosexuals were still treated the same way.

That’s why, you gay pig, faggot, queer, gay, those were all slurs back then.

And, as I said, I experienced that we practically lived in our own bubble.

Our bars weren’t obviously visible.

You couldn’t look in from the outside, everything was darkened for their protection.

Because there were often attacks, fights and so on, with gay people being beaten up.

So you had to ring a bell and someone would first look to see if they knew you.

It was like a small family.

You knew each other, you know? There was always someone at the reception who would open the door.

You usually had to ring.

There was a peephole, and they’d check who was standing outside, because there was also…

It was called gaybashing.

They did it at public cruising spots.

Heterosexuals, or even drug addicts, would often go where people were cruising in public toilets.

It was called gaybashing.

They would beat you up and rob you.

And once I happened to witness it at Wittenbergplatz.

Someone had met a 16 -year -old at the Zuologsogarten train station.

And went with him to the train station at Wittenbergplatz.

And I wanted to cruise there.

They were already in the stall together, and all of a sudden a guy in his early thirties comes in.

He beat him up so badly that there was blood everywhere and robbed him.

Later I helped him to the street and put him in a taxi.

So, it was actually a set -up, you know what I mean? Because he yelled loudly, You pig! He’s underage! So they knew each other.

The one he went into the toilet with, and the other guy.

Later there were also attacks whilst cruising.

When you walked from Bahnhofstuhl to Tiergarten, there was an island that was accessible by a bridge.

And two gay men were murdered there.

And then they took the bridge away.

And it happened to me once too.

I was walking into Tiergarten in the evening, and suddenly I noticed that two people were walking behind me.

I already had a bad feeling.

But I was an athlete and fast.

Then one of them suddenly veered off, came round in front of me, and the other one was at my back.

They wanted to rob me.

And thank God, someone with a dog came by just then.

Near those street lamps from Bahnhofstuhl, from Austria.

That’s almost exactly at the S -Bahn station, Hansaplatz.

If you walk into Tiergarten from there, and over the bridge towards Bahnhofstuhl, that’s where it was.

And I immediately shouted, Hey! Help me! They want to rob me! And when they heard that, they ran off.

They were walking behind me, and then one guy ran past me so fast, I couldn’t even look.

Turned around, and came at me.

One behind me and one in front.

I got lucky!

Well…

And that’s the reason, because two people were murdered there, that they removed the bridge.

Much later there was basically a police car stationed there, for safety.

And later an information booth from the police, where you could go.

They gave advice, and handed out flyers.