Berlin Schwules Museum 200 Years of History Self Confidence and Persistence

Prior to my three week Eurail Trip in 2008, I contacted Patrick Scully founder of Minneapolis' own Patrick's Cabarat about who to contact about having a balanced tour of Berlin, my favorite city in Germany. While there I was led to the Schwules Museum, by St Paul native and guide Jeremy Minsberg, and an exhibit and this book cataloging 200 years of history of LGBT liberation and understanding in the world through German eyes. The Museum Catalog here talks of the pioneering scientific work of Magnus Hirshfield, and how seminal writers like Christopher Isherwood were attracted to Berlin during the time of the cabaret prior to Nazi repression in the 1930's. I first visited Berlin in 1971 and have images of Checkpoint Charlie in my mind and then returned in 1986 when I visited Joachim Bernauer in Dahlem and took the S-Bahn to East Berlin to see the Pergamon Museaum and ate a meal in the tall radio tower. Everybody worked, and no body did much in my memory back in those days. Then, I spoke German to a honeymooning couple from East Germany and shared American Coins with the images of George Washington. This time, Jeremy Minsberg, a St Paul MN native who now lives in Berlin was my quintessential grounded travel guide. Jeremy is a very sensitive tour guide with a great heart! I heartily recommend his services. Visit www.theberlinexpert.com and say "hi".