"Where Berlin was once famed for its round-the-clock revelry and pounding techno parties, the city's nightclubs have been fighting to stay afloat as soaring prices, rising rents and changing tastes hammer the industry. "Unfortunately, we have to tell you that SchwuZ will shut its doors," the club, which had previously declared bankruptcy, wrote on Instagram. Besides its mammoth 1,600 square metres of concrete rooms and dancefloors, SchwuZ was considered the oldest gay club in Germany, founded in 1977."
"After declaring bankruptcy in July, the club appealed to the city's LGBTQ community to "come back to party" to avoid the venue closing for good, and raised more than €52,000 in donations through a fundraising appeal. That however fell far short of the €300,000 the club had set as an initial target to help it stay alive. Even before declaring itself bankrupt, SchwuZ had already let go of around 30 of its 100 employees."
SchwuZ will close permanently on November 1 after declaring bankruptcy and failing to secure sufficient funds or a buyer. The venue occupied 1,600 square metres and traced its history to 1977 as Germany's oldest gay club. A fundraising appeal collected over €52,000 but fell well short of the €300,000 target. The club had already reduced staff from about 100 to roughly 70. Director Katja Jaeger reported a significant fall in profits since 2024, creating a monthly shortfall of €50,000. Rising rents, soaring prices and changing nightlife habits reduced attendance and strained Berlin's nightclub sector.
Read at The Local Germany
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