"Berlin's queer club Schwuz submits filing for bankruptcy, refusing to surrender operations"
Berlin's beloved queer club Schwuz, originally founded as "Schwulzen-Zentrum" in 1977, has filed for insolvency and is currently undergoing insolvency proceedings. The club, a cornerstone of Berlin's LGBTQ+ nightlife, has faced significant financial difficulties due to rising rents, inflation, changing social habits, and operational challenges.
The announcement was made via Instagram yesterday evening, with the club's management urging their followers to visit more often: "Come by. Dance. Party!" Despite the tough times, the club's current situation is not about giving up, but about starting over.
Schwuz has already taken steps to reduce expenses, including reducing staff by about a third and replacing the traditional coat check with a self-managed locker system. The club is also encouraging community support via the "SchwuZ Unlimited" card subscription, which grants unlimited access and bar discounts, aiming to cover ongoing expenses and fund a sustainable recovery.
The financial crisis at Schwuz began in early 2024, with the club facing a significant deficit, even with restructuring efforts such as mass layoffs, reduced opening hours, and a crowdfunding campaign to modernize infrastructure. By May 2023, Schwuz was consistently short of €30,000 to €60,000 per month.
Managing Director Katja Jager, who took over in January 2025, revealed the financial situation was worse than initially reported, prompting urgent restructuring efforts. An external insolvency advisor has been brought in to help develop a recovery plan.
Schwuz relocated from Kreuzberg to Neukölln in 2013, moving to a venue that holds over 1000 people. The club played a key role in early CSD parades and the founding of Siegessäule magazine. Despite the insolvency, staff contracts at Schwuz remain intact, and wages will continue to be paid.
The insolvency of Schwuz is part of a broader trend where several longstanding Berlin clubs have faced closure due to economic pressures and changing nightlife patterns. The outcome depends on financial restructuring outcomes at the upcoming hearing and ongoing public support.
As of now, Schwuz continues to operate, hosting events and keeping their cultural and community role alive. They plan to keep operating at least until the insolvency hearing in October 2025, appealing emotionally to patrons for support to help save the club. The crowdfunding campaign has raised just over €3,000 of their €150,000 target.
In a recent email obtained by rbb, the club states, "We are not giving up. We are starting over." The recovery plan includes restructuring operations, cutting costs, and the "SchwuZ Unlimited" card to generate steady revenue. The club aims to remain open and keep their cultural and community role alive while seeking to stabilize finances and possibly secure their future.
- As Schwuz navigates its financial challenges, the club turns to social media to announce a call to action, urging followers to visit more often and support the "SchwuZ Unlimited" card subscription as a means to cover expenses and fund a sustainable recovery.
- Amidst the insolvency proceedings, Schwuz seeks to adapt its lifestyle and home-and-garden within the club, introducing a self-managed locker system to cut costs and focusing on community support.
- In the face of growing economic pressure and changing social habits, the insolvency of Schwuz contributes to a broader crisis affecting Berlin's long-established nightlife institutions, highlighting the importance of public support and the role of pop-culture and entertainment in maintaining Berlin's vibrant social fabric.
