CAFÉ ACHTECK
Did you know that these fancy public urinals are an integral part of Berlin’s queer history?
by Clemens Egger (he/him), 25 April 2023
If you have ever been to Berlin, you might have come across certain dark-green and old-looking buildings at either parks, underground train stations, or just on the side of some random street. With its antique design, it reminds you of anything else than what it actually is. Well, let’s unpack.
These buildings are public urinals and Berliners call them jokingly ‘Café Achteck’. You might translate it to English as ‘Cafe Octagon’. The name comes from its design. With its seven green-painted cast-iron wall segments it forms an octagonal floor plan. The missing eighth wall is the entry to the urinal, which is concealed by a three-sided protective wall. The design of the public urinals is indeed very beautiful. The exterior walls are ornamentally decorated, and an eight-sided ventilation hood is serving as the roof crown.
Although they seem pretty small from the outside, the urinals offer space inside for seven males. Speaking of men: When the ‘Café Achteck’ was designed in 1878 by city architect Carl Theodor Rospatt they were built for men only. It was not until the year 1900 that the public toilets offered space for women as well. In 1920, Berlin counted a total of 142 little green toilets. Over the years some of them were removed, exchanged with more modern alternatives, or transformed into food stalls. But some of them are still there. At Senefelder Platz or the underground station Alt-Mariendorf, for example.
If you are wondering why we are reporting on public toilets and what it has to do with the queer community. Well, keep on reading…
The ‘Café Achteck’ was not only a place for men to take a pee. It was also a place for men to take - THE D. The ‘Café Achteck’ is very well known in Berlin's gay scene. Because it is at these public toilets that gays (and sometimes even straights) met daily to cruise together and mutually masturbate at the urinal. For those who don’t know: Cruising is the act of looking for sexual partners in public spaces. Whether it’s a park, nude beaches, or even the public toilet. The word ‘cruising’ emerged as a code word when it was still dangerous to talk openly about gay sex in public. With no one else knowing what the word meant, the closeted gay community was able to discuss the topic without the fear of facing homophobic harm. Today the word has been absorbed by the mainstream vocabulary. For some, cruising is a sexual fetish, but for closeted others, it might be the only way to satisfy their sexual needs. Which is why it was and still is an integral part of our community.
Berlin has always had popular spots and places for the gays to get the D in public. Whether it’s Berlin's biggest park ‘Tiergarten’ with its densely overgrown bushes that might offer some privacy or the dark-green octagonal urinals. There are countless places that are known for cruising. But somehow it seems that especially the ‘Café Achteck’ lost its reputation. After exploring various internet forums, cruising at the public urinals doesn’t seem to be that popular anymore. Some write:
“Hello dear ones, it is just as dead there [Café Achteck at U Alt-Mariendorf] as at the cemetery on the opposite side of the street!”
Or:
“I was there several times now but have never encountered anyone. Otherwise, I would have certainly laid hands!”
But some others still make happy encounters:
“I was there today. There were several young guys mutually wanking each other. Finally, something is happening there again! But rather for younger men. Older men were not noticed or shooed away.”
Although the ‘Café Achteck‘ might have lost its appeal for cruisers, there are spots in Berlin that are still quite popular. At Hasenheide (a park in Berlin Neukölln) for example. People write the following:
“Definitely worth it! Here, you have the chance to meet young people.”
“Nice spot, I come here occasionally. Also, there are younger guys. In the bushes. Will definitely come back!”
The most famous spot is indeed Tiergarten. With a total length of three kilometers and one kilometer broad, the park is considered a green island in Berlin's city center. The large green areas offer enough space for sport and wellness and the densely overgrown bushes in the summer secure just the right amount of privacy. It’s very likely you’ll find someone for some sexy time hidden in the shrubbery, that’s for sure. On the forum, gay-szene.net people write:
“I was there last week, very colorful audience. Was great fun! It was totally worth checking out, and a special thanks to that Asian guy - that was a great experience!”
“I was there last night and went home pretty well fucked. I’m always happy to go there again!”
Whether the ‘Café Achteck’ is a good spot for cruising or not, it is most definitely an iconic cultural phenomenon. Not only for the queer community but also for the city itself. With its beautiful exterior it is an enrichment for the townscape and with its sexually charged interior it’s an enrichment for the cruising scene. So, win-win - I’d say (?).