(Homo-)Sexuelle Lust jenseits der Metropole: Das intime Queeren von Räumen in Aachen

For decades, queer residents of Aachen have been complaining about the loss of a more vibrant subculture from the 1980s and 1990s. Today, the few queer spaces in the inner city reflect an institutionalized landscape, which mostly focuses on social work and volunteering, and is distanced from elements of pleasure and sexual encounter. However, numerous examples of spatial productions over the last 50 years can be found which point to an animated culture of cruising at so-called Klappen and a sexualization of spaces. In parks, public restrooms at train stations or in university buildings and via dating apps, men seeking sex with other men have been able to create new cruising spaces for themselves despite – or perhaps even because of – the traditionally catholic faith in the city of Aachen.
The creation of these spaces, the spread of knowledge about them, their usage – the entire process around cruising in Aachen – just as in many other (big) cities – was hidden for decades, tabooed, shamed and endangered by the realities of society, its social norms and legislation. This article reveals the world of Klappen-culture in Aachen, which has been hidden and unknown (at least for the mainstream). The article uses archival research and interviews with witnesses of different generations. The mixed methodology provides insights into the past, present and expected future of Aachen's intimate spatial productions. The aim of this exploration is to map queer sexual desire in a city beyond the German LGBTIQ+ mainstream, to make it visible, and to reflect on its development within the last half century.