CSD Bremerhaven: Loud call for queer rights on Saturday!

CSD Bremerhaven: Loud call for queer rights on Saturday!

On Saturday, July 12, 2025, Bremerhaven will be dedicated to Christopher Street Day (CSD). The festive demonstration, which begins at 12 p.m. at the Historical Museum, is moving through the city for the fourth time and loudly expresses the voices of the LGBTQ+ community.

The train takes a route that leads through the city center to Theodor-Heuss-Platz, where a rally with political demands, musical performances and discussions begins at around 1 p.m. Organizers expect 1,200 to 1,400 participants, a significant increase from about 1,000 last year. The parade runs along well-known streets such as Ludwigstrasse, Elbestrasse and Kennedy Bridge and ends at 8 p.m.

A strong security concept

Police have announced that there may be “minor traffic disruptions” along the route from 12pm. Although the alertness among CSDs has increased in recent weeks, there are no specific threats for Bremerhaven. A thorough security concept ensures that stewards, police and an awareness team accompany the event to ensure a safe environment for all participants.

“Never quiet again – Loud and proud” is the motto of this year’s CSD. This motto not only represents the expression of joy and celebration, but also recalls the legacy of the CSDs, which have their origins in the 1969 protests at the “Stonewall Inn” in New York. This movement has become a powerful symbol of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and is now celebrated worldwide.

Political demands on the agenda

The organizers of the CSD in Bremerhaven approach society with clear demands. Among other things, there is a demand for a queer counseling service, which is urgently needed in Bremerhaven. They also advocate more visibility and protection for queer people in schools and call for the implementation of the 2015 state action plan against homophobia, trans*phobia and interphobia. The CSD is intended to provide a platform for making queer history visible and for protection against discrimination and violence.

• Anerkennung und Sichtbarkeit von queeren Menschen
• Schutz vor Diskriminierung und Gewalt
• Umgestaltung des Sexualunterrichts zur Berücksichtigung queerer Identitäten
• Vollständiges Verbot von Konversionsmaßnahmen
• Akzeptanz neuer Pronomen und gendergerechter Sprache

Particularly important to the organizers is the legal equality of rainbow families in parentage and family law. There should also be specific support and accommodation options for queer refugees. The demands on the city of Bremerhaven are clear: the measures for queer people set out in the coalition agreement must finally be implemented.

A look into history

But how did this important event actually come about? The first CSD in Germany took place in Bremen in 1979. Since then, many steps have been taken to improve the rights of LGBTQ+ people, although historical reviews show that discrimination and persecution of queer people has a long history, dating back to the Empire. Pioneering work was carried out by personalities such as Karl Heinrich Ulrichs and Magnus Hirschfeld, who fought for homosexual rights.

In view of current threats and an increase in anti-queer crimes in Germany, the CSD remains relevant. It is important not only to celebrate, but also to protest and stand up for the rights that have been fought for in recent years. Historians and activists emphasize the need to protect these achievements from oblivion and to actively advocate for equality.

Bremerhaven will not only be a place to celebrate on Saturday, but also a place to fight for the visibility and rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

For further information about the event and the organizers' demands, please visit: buten and within, CSD Bremerhaven, or Deutschlandfunk culture.