Berlin's New Queer Memorial Offers Dignity and Remembrance in Schöneberg
Berlin-Schöneberg has unveiled a new burial and memorial site dedicated to the city’s queer community. The space, located in the historic Old St. Matthew’s Cemetery, was opened on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). It provides a dignified place for remembrance, particularly for those at risk of anonymous burial or estrangement from their families of origin. The memorial site was introduced in Schöneberg, a district long recognised as Berlin’s 'Rainbow District' and a centre of queer life. The location can hold up to eight coffins and 100 urns, ensuring a final resting place for those who might otherwise go unremembered.
Among its features is a memorial wall where the names and life dates of the deceased can be permanently inscribed. Another focal point is the 'Kissing Stone,' a light-coloured monument where visitors can leave a lipstick imprint with a kiss. The project aims to honour queer life stories while offering a space for grief and reflection. It also stands as a symbol against exclusion and erasure. The unveiling coincided with IDAHOBIT, observed each year on May 17 since 2005. Rainbow flags were raised at town halls across Berlin and Brandenburg to mark the occasion.
The site provides a lasting tribute to Berlin’s queer community. It ensures that those who have lost contact with their families or faced marginalisation can be remembered with dignity. The memorial wall and 'Kissing Stone' serve as tangible connections to their stories.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
