MSC Hamburg [Edit]
MSC Hamburg is a gay men’s leather club in Germany, founded in 1973. This club began due to the fact that German leatherman Gerd Pohl held a party in Hamburg in 1973, which included the first fisting scene at such an event in Germany; the party was raided by the police, and when Pohl began to organize a second party, he came to realize that founding a club would make it easier. Thus later in 1973 he and six other leathermen founded a club; they called it Motor Sports Club Hamburg because homosexuality was illegal in Germany so they did not want to mention it in the club name.
The original purpose of the club, which for a long time was its only purpose, was to hold a leather party ever year in the second weekend of August. Some notable party occurrences were: The 1975 party included the premiere of Pier 48, a porn directed by Gerd Pohl; filmmaker Rainer-Werner Fassbinder attended the 1976 party; and hundreds of reporters attended the 1977 party due to rumors of deadly accidents and casualties, but found none. From 1990 to 2004, the club held its annual party aboard the ship Cap San Diego. In 2010 and since 2014, the party has been held aboard the ship Stubnitz.
MSC Hamburg was the first German leather club to create and continue connections with similar clubs outside of the country. As such, in 1974 MSC Hamburg had representatives at the first Annual General Meeting of the European Confederation Of Motorcycle Clubs, where they officially became members of the European Confederation Of Motorcycle Clubs.
In 1980 MSC Hamburg was officially registered and thus became MSC e.V (“eingetragener Verein,” meaning “registered club”).
During the AIDS epidemic, the club provided support to members with AIDS, worked with AIDS support organizations such as Hein & Fiete, and promoted safer sex at its parties.
The club also organizes the annual election of Mr. Leather Hamburg.
The club has been the Host Club for Mister Leather Europe.
Honors
MSC Hamburg was inducted into the Leather Hall of Fame in 2017.