T-klub

The T-klub was one of the most important places for the LGBTQIA+ community in Bohemia before 1989 (another was Globus in the Street of 28 October). The club was located in the basement of the building at present-day address Jungmann Square 17, in the music building of the Schlögl family from the 1930s. There was a restaurant on the ground floor, which moved to the basement in the 1950s and owing to its characteristic logo featuring the letter T it soon became popularly known as Téčko (“T”). Ota Košťál, its manager at the time, changed the club’s character. Although he was not a part of the homosexual community, he saw an opportunity to earn money. According to contemporary accounts, he believed that the Prague homosexuals would be easy to satisfy considering the lack of alternatives. The T-club eventually became enormously successful with the homosexual community at the time. Visitors were not even put off by the entrance selection conducted by bouncers, who decided whom they would let in. The standard entrance fee was six crowns, in which case the visitors had to identify themselves, but for ten crowns they could get in incognito. According to contemporary accounts, the club organised parties with live music and discos until 4 AM. The great celebration of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1961 was also organised there.

The last mention of the T-club appeared in the review of the Association of Organisations of Homosexual Citizens (SOHO) from November 1991, where an advertisement was published announcing that in 1992 the location would become the association’s official gay club. However, it is not clear whether this actually happened. In 1991, the building was returned to the Schlögl family and the activities of the T-klub officially ended.