With what he does today, he wants to continue his commitment from back then: His company "männer-naturlich", offers trips for gay people, he calls them "gay group trips". His office is in his house at the end of a dead-end street in Lengsdorf. Hermesdorff, a good 1.90 metres tall, three-day beard, glasses, opens the door and invites the visitor in.

The office is on the first floor. Drawings of Istanbul, for example, hang in the stairwell. The Turkish metropolis was once one of the destinations he had in his programme. "At that time, there were bathhouses, discos, bars, which were very enchanted," says Hermesdorff. Since Erdogan has been president in Turkey, homosexuals have lost a lot of freedom in the country. Today he only offers sailing trips in Turkey.

Then he talks about how it all started with gay travel: About 30 years ago, he organised a hiking tour for gay people on a voluntary basis. He got so many requests that he immediately offered a second hike. At that time he was still working for an insurance company. After work, he organised more trips and at some point decided to go into business for himself.

Today, in addition to sailing trips, he mainly offers hiking and skiing trips - mostly in Switzerland and Austria, occasionally in Italy. Is there even a need for an offer that is specifically aimed at gay people? Doesn't this perhaps even create the impression that it is not quite normal to be gay?

For Hermesdorff, the trips provide somewhat of a shelter. "Many participants don't want to explain for a week that they are different," he says. It still happens with gay couples that they are looked at askance in the hotel dining room. What he also often experiences: 70 or 80-year-olds who live out their homosexuality after the death of their partner. "Many have married women to protect themselves and to hide in a marriage," says Hermesdorff.

And something else happens when he brings the men together on the trips: even the non-political among them get into discussions. He also observes that people who are otherwise not so open about their homosexuality become freer and more courageous.

Jürgen Rohrbach from the Bonn-based association r(h)einqueer, which according to its website wants to create a space for being different, argues similarly. In his eyes, Hermesdorff's offer already means a certain demarcation. But as a gay man, he could book with any organiser today; for him, gay travel is something for "people with a certain intersection - like single or senior travel." He says: "And for people who maybe can't move so freely in everyday life, they are a safe space." In short, a special offer in the normal spectrum.

Offers like Hermesdorff's seem to be in demand. "The market has grown," says a spokesperson for the German Travel Association. However, there are no figures available. In addition to travel agencies that specialise in this target group, there are also cruises and hotels that cater exclusively to homosexual guests; according to the spokesperson.

According to Hermesdorff, gay people are welcome in almost every hotel today, but not in all of them. He remembers a 75-year-old hotel boss, for example. First he asked her by email and then tried again on the phone. When she understood what was going on, she said: "We don't accept men like that here," he reports.

In Europe, it is quite unproblematic for gay men to travel, but the situation is different in the Arab world. "In Egypt, for example, gay parties are busted by the police," says Hermesdorff. "Usually nothing happens to tourists, but the locals end up with their photo in the newspaper." There is always violence against homosexuals.

This assessment is shared by Rupert Haag, who works as a volunteer for Amnesty International and campaigns for the rights of homosexuals, among other things. These people have a hard time in the region – apart from Lebanon and Israel. Haag reports reprisals by the secret services, arrests and torture.

As a rule, nothing happens to tourists if they do not identify themselves as gay or lesbian in public. In Turkey, it is not so difficult. "But leading an openly gay life is not as easy as in western countries," says Haag. In cities like Istanbul or Ankara, things are more liberal, but there are still homosexual people who are disowned or disinherited by their families.

And how do Hermesdorff and Haag from Amnesty International view the situation in Germany? A lot has changed since the time when he got involved, Hermesdorff thinks. There is still aversion today, but it is no longer shown so openly. The media have also contributed to normalising homosexuality. "If you keep saying this is normal, people will believe it at some point," says Hermesdorff.

In Bonn, he walks hand in hand with his friend, but not in every neighbourhood. As a gay man of the more mature generation, he says, he is programmed so that his radar is permanently on, because he has internalised: "Publicity is dangerous".

Haag agrees that a lot has happened in the last few decades: Section 175 has been abolished, marriage for homosexuals is possible (see Infobox: Laws). However, it is only 30 years ago that the World Health Organisation (WHO) removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses. Haag also knows that „gay" („schwul“) is still used as a swear word. There needs to be more education and awareness-raising. "It is getting better, but we must not put our hands up."

(Original text: Dennis Scherer; Translation: Mareike Graepel)