Episode 222: From KitKat to Berghain, Inside Berlin’s Sex Clubs

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the city of Berlin, Germany? There’s a good chance that you pictured a kinky nightclub. It’s estimated that as many as 1 in 3 visitors to Berlin goes specifically for these clubs. In today’s show, we’re going to explore how Berlin became a hub for kinky nightlife and discuss what it’s actually like inside two of Berlin’s most famous spots, the KitKat Club and Berghain. We’ll also take a look at how consent works in a sex club and give you some pro-tips on getting into Berlin’s clubs because they’re known as being notoriously difficult to enter.

I am joined once again by Jeff Mannes, a social scientist, speaker, tour guide, sex educator, and freelance writer living in Berlin. Since 2018, he has been running his critically acclaimed guided tour “Berlin’s History of Sex” in Augmented Reality. This year, he launched additional guided tours on “The Story of Berlin’s Clubs” and “Berlin’s Queer & Trans History.”

Some of the topics we discuss in this episode include:

What role did the Berlin wall play in leading the city to become a nightlife hotspot?
What could someone expect to see or experience if they visited KitKat or Berghain?
What is a dark room, and why are they so common in Berlin and across Europe?
How does consent work in sex club and group sex environments?
How do Berlin’s clubs deal with privacy when everyone has a smartphone?

To learn more, check out Jeff’s Berlin Guide website for information on all of his tours.

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.