Behind the Red Door: Frankfurt’s Last Lesbian Bar
I came to Frankfurt for one thing only, to visit La Gata. Famous for being one of the oldest still running lesbian bars in the world. I came early and saw two ladies chilling and smoking at a table. They refused to let me in. Told me to come back in fifteen minutes. For them it was just another shift in the bar. I could not help thinking how rude they were or perhaps it was just the sound of the German. This was my first moment with a queer legend.
Text and photos © Gry Ellebjerg
I took a short walk down the street. Noticed a few shops but mostly apartments. La Gata is located outside of the city center. It is not a place you run into by chance. At nine sharp, the sign La Gata was lit up and the red door opened. The room was all about the 1970s, decorated in brown and wood panels. The walls were covered with faded pictures of football teams, Jean Seberg and naked women.
For the next hour it was only me, Sylvia, the bartender, and her friend. I started talking to Sylvia. None of us could understand each other very well. We did our best and this is what I learnt: Erika "Ricky" Wild opened the place in 1971 and according to her La Gata is the world's oldest surviving lesbian bar. Ricky is very sick and has not been in the bar for a long time. Now it's run by her co-worker Sylvia, who is in her 70s. She has been working for Ricky since the opening and is worried for the bars future. Nobody has shown any interest to buy it and Sylvia thinks she is too old.
”When it’s four in the morning I close the bar. I sort out the money, clean and do the dishes. After all that, I have one hour drive before I crash in bed around six in the morning. I do this twice a week. I am not sure how much longer I can do it.”
When Ricky dies Sylvia thinks La Gata will close. She says it with a bittersweet tone. She lights a cigarette, picks up her phone and shows me a picture of her girlfriend. They have been together for nine years and live in different cities. Perhaps, when La Gata closes they will move in together.
At La Gata there is no DJ. There is no Spotify. They have a jukebox. ”It’s free”, Sylvia says. ”You pick your songs and create your party. Come! I will show you.” I choose walking’ by Miles Davis. It turns out Sylvia hates Miles Davis. The song goes on for twelve minutes. Our relationship started a bit frosty, got warmer and now we are back to cold again.
I choose songs by Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and some German artists. The tunes create a cosy atmosphere. I could stay forever loved up by the 70s, sipping on my gin & tonic small talking with Sylvia. This is the only place for lesbians left in Frankfurt. I was the only guest so far. Where was everybody?
At ten Jean Dilma, a nurse arrives. This is her first visit to an exclusive lesbian bar. She tells me there is no such thing as a lesbian bar in the Philippines. Sometimes there are parties for women but never for lesbians only. She was born in the Philippines where she met her girlfriend. They decided to leave the Philippines for Europe. Her girlfriend is still in Asia. It is a long story.
Their biggest dream is to get married. They have already planned to go to Denmark. To marry in Germany is complicated. Jean explains that in Denmark you can buy a gay marriage package. But before their dream can come true her girlfriend needs to learn German. She is currently living in Malaysia to prepare for her move so they can be together.
They see each other every day on Zoom calls. Jean tells me the secret behind a happy relationship is raw communication. “We talk about everything, even the hard stuff.”
After another hour, the door opens again and a Spanish lady in her 50s arrives. She lives in Frankfurt and has just finished work. She wears Ray Ban sunglasses, drinks beer from the bottle. Every now and then she jumps on the dance floor.
When I come out from the bathroom, she insists on a slow dance. At midnight, as I was leaving two groups of younger women arrive. They don't look a day over 20.
The next morning I got a text from Jean. “La Gata really felt liberating. We will keep in touch cause I only know a few lesbian friends who are out and open.”
