Contemporary witness talk with Peter Rausch
As one of the key figures involved, Peter Rausch can speak firsthand about the beginnings of LGBTIQ self-organization in the GDR in the 1970s.
In 1973, he and some friends founded the Homosexual Interest Group Berlin (HIB). They wanted to improve social acceptance for gay men and lesbians and offer them counseling and a platform for communication. The GDR authorities hindered the work of the HIB.
LGBTIQ people like Peter Rausch did not conform to the GDR’s socialist ideal of the family and were discriminated against, even though gay men were no longer subject to criminal prosecution. Before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Peter Rausch volunteered—and continues to volunteer—at the Sonntags-Club, a counseling, information, and communication center for the community.
The event consists of a guided tour followed by a discussion with eyewitnesses and takes place in Berlin as part of Queer History Month.
Additional information
Dates
May 2026
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