Hamburg – a Hanseatic city between history and modernity. DISPLAY explored the pearl of the north with a focus on queer life. And met many people who stand up for diversity and openness.
The Hanseatic city offers an exciting mix of rough harbour charm and modern urbanity. But behind Hamburg’s rough curtain lies a colourful world.
Christoph, among others, told us about it – he co-organises Hamburg’s Christopher Street Day and puts it in a nutshell: “On these days, the heteronormative world is dipped in a rainbow.” With more than a quarter of a million participants, Hamburg Pride is one of the biggest in Germany. And it isn’t just a party, but a political statement.
Rambazamba in St. Pauli
St. Pauli is just as colourful as Pride. Tour guide Christina introduced us to the dazzling but not unproblematic world of Hamburg’s party district. St. Pauli is a place of longing for everyone who is different – historically a kind of harbour for those who were welcome nowhere else. Today it’s a colourful mix of clubs, culture and chaos. Most queer venues are in the old St. Georg quarter, between the two main streets Lange Reihe and Steindamm.
Glitter as a political statement
A real highlight in Hamburg is the exhibition “Glitzer!” – drag queen Chastity Belt and curator Louis led us through the glittering halls of the Museum für Kunst & Gewerbe. It is the world’s first glitter exhibition. It presents glitter not only as a party accessory but also as a political statement – for example in the famous glitter-bombing, in which conservative politicians were literally showered in rainbow dust.
The legendary Elbphilharmonie
Of course, no visit to Hamburg would be complete without the Elbphilharmonie – if only for the view from the Plaza. The masterpiece by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron has something for every taste – from orchestral concerts and piano recitals to pop and rock.
Much easier to digest was the musical “& Julia” at the Stage Operettenhaus. What if Juliet had simply carried on living after Romeo’s death? The story is told with pop hits, humour and a healthy dose of queerness.
Nightingales meet larks
On my last morning, I went to the fish market. Two worlds meet here: the early risers enjoying their fresh shrimp rolls, and the clubbers still stumbling across the market in glitter and sequins from the night before. A perfect image of Hamburg: lively, full of contrasts and a little bit mad.
Hamburg is close to Denmark and was therefore influenced early on by its progressiveness. People here are open-minded and modern, and not just since yesterday. To me, Hamburg seems like a hidden queer stronghold — a pearl that reflects in rainbow colours.
Photos and text: Levin Geser
