Friday, 1 August
“We don’t want to give up”: Berlin queer club Schwuz files for insolvency
The queer club Schwuz, a long-time Berlin institution and a cornerstone of the city’s LGBTQ+ nightlife, has filed for insolvency. Despite mounting financial trouble, the club plans to continue operating for now.
According to an announcement by management via Instagram yesterday evening, and an email obtained by rbb, Schwuz will keep its doors open at least until October, when formal insolvency proceedings are expected to begin. Staff contracts remain intact and wages will continue to be paid.
The club’s financial woes aren’t exactly new. The crisis began in early 2024, with projections already showing a “significant deficit”. Restructuring efforts —including mass layoffs, reduced opening hours, and a crowdfunding campaign to modernise infrastructure—weren’t enough. According to the club, by May this year, they were consistently short of €30,000 to €60,000 per month.
Schwuz laid off 33 employees in May 2025, some of whom had been with the club for years, causing uproar in the community. The club justified its decision, arguing that it was either this or to close entirely. So far, their crowdfunding campaign has raised just over €3,000 of their €150,000 target.
An external insolvency advisor has now been brought in to help develop a recovery plan. Management has stated that, “This is not about giving up, but about starting over.”
Founded in 1977, Schwuz originally stood for “Schwulzen-Zentrum”, and quickly became a hub for Berlin’s queer community. It played a key role in early CSD parades and queer media like the founding of Siegessäule magazine, which would most likely have not been possible without the club’s involvement. In 2013, it relocated from Kreuzberg to Neukölln, moving to a venue that holds over 1000 people.
Schwuz is now urging their Instagram followers to visit more often: “Come by. Dance. Party!”
