Berlins Drittes Geschlecht

In this groundbreaking study the author—one of the first physicians to investigate sexuality scientifically—sets out to map the hidden world of Berlin’s “third gender.” Drawing on years of fieldwork, personal interviews and careful documentation, he presents a measured portrait of a community that thrives in the anonymity of the capital. The tone is deliberately balanced, avoiding both moralizing and sensationalism, and aims to bring a largely unseen aspect of urban life into public view.

Listeners will hear vivid sketches of discreet cafés, bustling parks and private rooms where men and women of diverse orientations meet, exchange affection, and negotiate the social risks of a society that still criminalizes same‑sex love. The book also explores how the city’s sheer scale and cultural fluidity allow individuals to slip beyond the watchful eyes of smaller towns, while still confronting legal persecution and societal prejudice. By the end of the first act, the listener gains a clear sense of the everyday realities, hopes and frustrations that defined early‑20th‑century queer existence in Berlin.