Ajpnia is a members' club for gay men in Schöneberg, run as a registered association since 2000 by an all-volunteer team. It sits just south of Bayerischer Platz, close to the rest of Berlin's gay scene.
The ground floor is a bar area with a cloakroom system: coats and valuables go into a guarded, numbered locker, and drinks are paid for with a numbered wristband rather than cash at the bar. Downstairs are quieter private booths and larger communal spaces along with a video corner, shoes come off at the door, and clothing beyond that is optional given the warm temperature inside. Carpeted floors, fresh towels, condoms and lubricant are provided throughout.
The club runs regular themed parties, including one geared towards HIV-positive guests, and describes its own approach as motto-free and relaxed. It relies entirely on volunteer staff and member support rather than public funding, and everything taken in is put back into the venue.
