Aus der AIDS-Krise zum Aufbruch: Kölns queere Szene der 1990er Jahre

In the organizer's words:

Strike a Pose

From the AIDS crisis to a new beginning: Cologne's queer scene in the 1990s

Contemporary witness talk on May 27 at the VHS Cologne with Stefan Dick and Gerhard Malcherek

After the phase of withdrawal and invisibility in the late 1980s, which was characterized by the AIDS crisis, a new, self-confident and creative LGBT+ community developed in Cologne in the early 1990s. Clubs such as LuLu, Stiefelknecht, Corner, Chains and the Phoenix sauna became the nuclei of a new queer attitude to life and an expression of a powerful party and nightlife culture that openly and visibly inscribed itself in urban society.

This movement was also reflected in the development of Christopher Street Days: a small demonstration became a major city-defining event with hundreds of thousands of visitors. This change was accompanied by international inspiration - such as the ballroom culture in the USA, which Madonna made famous worldwide in her song Vogue in 1990.

During this time, Cologne not only became a symbol of queer empowerment, but also the unofficial "gay capital of the republic" - celebrated musically as the "hottest ass in the world" by Stefan Runge and Claus Vincon.

"The 1990s were a time of awakening - the AIDS crisis gave rise to pride, visibility and a queer culture that had a lasting impact on Cologne."

- Michael Zgonjanin, moderator of the event

On May 27, 2025 at 6:30 pm, the VHS Cologne invites you to a special evening in the forum of the main building on Neumarkt:

Under the title "Strike a Pose

From the AIDS crisis to a new beginning: Cologne's queer scene in the 1990s

two formative contemporary witnesses talk about this era:

- Stefan Dick (LuLu, Gloria and the Weiß distillery)

- Gerhard Malcherek (activist, illustrator and chronicler of the community)

Moderation: Michael Zgonjanin (New Media)

The event is open to the public and admission is free.